turned a troubled face toward him. “Why did you say that?” she cried. “You’ve made me feel sad!” With a gesture of contrition Winthrop reached across and laid his hand for an instant on hers. “My dear, I am sorry; forget it if it troubles you; I have been talking nonsense, sheer nonsense.” But she shook her head, examining his face gravely. “No, I don’t reckon you have; but—I don’t understand quite what you mean. Only——” She paused, and presently asked: [172] [172] “Didn’t you live when you ruled? Are you regretting?” Winthrop shrugged his shoulders. “That,” he answered, smilingly, “is the sorry part of it; one always regrets. Come, let’s go in to dinner. I heard the bell, didn’t I?” [173] [173] IX. Winthrop thought that he could like Julian Wayne if that youth would let him. But it was evident from the moment of their first meeting that Julian wasn’t going to allow anything of the sort. He arrived at Waynewood Saturday night, and Winthrop, who had spent the evening with the Major at ’Squire Parish’s house, did not meet him until Sunday morning. He was tall, dark haired and sallow complexioned, and as handsome as any youth Winthrop had ever seen. His features were regular, with a fine, straight nose, wide eyes, a strong chin and a good, somewhat tense, mouth that matched with the general air of imperiousness he wore. Winthrop soon discovered that Julian Wayne retained undiminished the old Southern doctrine of caste and that he looked upon the new member of the Waynewood household[174] with a polite but very frank contempt. He was ardent, impetuous, and arrogant, but they were traits of youth rather than of character, and Winthrop, for his part, readily forgave them. That he was head-over-heels in love with Holly was evident from the
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