Lowell felt himself growing ghastly.
A cold perspiration was growing about his mouth; but knowing that Pyne's eyes were fixed upon him, he forced a smile to his lips, and glanced in Pyne's direction.
"Then I presume we are to congratulate you?" he said, in the form of an interrogation.
The trembling of the voice was not lost upon Lynde, who never removed his eyes from the boyish face.
"Yes," he answered slowly, "you may congratulate me if you wish."
"I should murder him if he did!" ejaculated Miss Pyne. "You know that I don't like Evelyn, and she knows it, though mamma insists upon it that I shall be the essence of glucose in her presence. Bah! what you want to marry her for is more than I can see. You are not in love with her, and you know it."
"Young ladies," interrupted Mrs. Pryor, with a good-natured smile, "don't you think this conversation had better be discontinued? It is the first time I ever heard of discussing a gentleman's fiancee so uncomplimentarily in his presence."
"Pooh! We are all like brothers and sisters here!" exclaimed Miss Pyne. "It is only in the family, you know. Mr. Lowell don't count. Did you ever see Miss Evelyn Chandler, Mr. Lowell?"
For a moment Lowell hesitated, then the answer came:
"Yes."