[CHAPTER XXX.]
Laura Pinely was practising her music lesson in the parlor one day, when the entrance of a visitor transferred the motion from her fingers to her feet. "I only glanced at him as he bowed to me on my way out," she said to Ida. "He is tall and handsome."
"Have you ever seen, Mr. Dana?"
"Yes ma'am, and it is not he. This is a younger man, and much fairer."
"Who can it be?" pondered Ida, crossing the hall. "I wish he had sent in his name; I do not like to be taken by surprise."
But she was, as Richard Copeland rose to meet her.
"I had no thought of seeing you!" she said, expressing her pleasure at his coming. "I did not know you were in this part of the country."
"Nor was I, yesterday."