"You must please excuse my coming at so early an hour," he said, with a mischievous smile; "it was in order to forestall the Englishman, who almost monopolizes you of late, it seems to me."
"No, he does not," said Nell, looking but ill pleased. "He is here a great deal, I know, but I cannot forbid him the house."
"I left him in Clendenin's office," remarked Dale. "He is generally to be found there when he is not here; seems to admire the doctor prodigiously, tells me he has conceived a very warm friendship for him."
"Then he is an arrant hypocrite!" exclaimed Nell, her eyes flashing with indignation. "He is always saying or hinting disparaging things of him to me."
Dale looked surprised, then angry, then laughed lightly.
"To you, Miss Nell? Well, I suppose he dreads Clendenin's rivalry, and thinks all is fair in love."
"I shall think but ill of you, Mr. Dale, if you uphold him on any such plea as that," Nell said with vexation.
"Uphold him? No, indeed, Miss Nell. I only wish to be as charitable as the case will allow."