in a more serious tone than Lady Kent had used:

"I think I am rather glad Frank takes his work as a member of Parliament as the most important thing he has to do. After all, helping to make the laws of one's country is a pretty serious occupation. Which do you think more serious—Captain MacDonnell, being a soldier and fighting when it is necessary to defend the laws, or making them in the beginning?"

Captain MacDonnell smiled, but rather seriously. It occurred to Jack, who knew him so much better than the others, that Bryan did seem uncommonly grave this afternoon, in spite of his efforts to be an agreeable host.

Then she took hold of Frieda's arm and they wandered off a short distance, leaving Olive and Captain MacDonnell to continue their conversation alone.

"Do you know, Frieda," Jack whispered[89] when they were safe from being overheard, "I would give a great deal if Bryan and Olive would learn to care for each other. Ordinarily I think it is horrid to be a matchmaker, but Bryan and Olive are both so lovely and you don't know what it would mean to me to have Olive live near me. It is heavenly these days, having you both here. You can't realize how lonely I get for you and my own country sometimes."

[89]

Frieda looked critically over at Captain MacDonnell and Olive, who were standing close beside each other talking earnestly. In spite of Captain MacDonnell's ancestry his coloring was almost as dark as Olive's.

Then Frieda turned her blue eyes on her sister.

"Captain MacDonnell and Olive look too much alike," she argued. "I prefer marriages where the man and woman are contrasts."

Then, although Lady Kent made no answer, she smiled to herself. If Frieda believed in contrasts in marriage, surely she did not mean merely in complexion and general appearance. Important contrasts in human beings went much deeper than appearances. Surely Frieda's own marriage had offered a sufficient contrast in years, taste, disposition and a[90] dozen other things. However, instead of securing happiness, it seemed to have had the opposite result.

[90]

During the remainder of the afternoon Jack thought nothing more about their early conversation, as she devoted herself entirely to Captain 

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