Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER IV. THE WHY AND THE VVUEREKOBK. "It UBt8 Of rank injustice, and some other end Time will discover; and yet our grace is bound To hear his accusation confirmed, Or hunt this spotted panther to his ruin."—Shout The stranger was one of whom the reader has already heard. The quick eye of Vernon distinguished his friend at a glance, nor was that of the other less observant. The warmth of theii embrace, when they met, spoke for a deep mutual regard be tween the two, not only superior to that which belongs to ordinary friendships, but something more than could be expected to appear in the case of persons so unequal in years. Mr. Carter could not have been less than forty-five; a tall, well-made man, with a fine, full, but dark countenance; an eye, black and lively, but of benevolent expression; and a look of amenity and kindness which denoted a degree of soberness and subdued thought, in which the buoyant spirits of the youth of tweuty- five, could scarcely find much that was congenial. Vernon could not have been much more than twenty-five; his temperament was evidently lively, if not rash; and good humor and a playful spirit, seemed to predominate in his disposition. The gravity, the almost sadness, of Carter's countenance, wa§ unreflected in his own ; and yet, it may be added, the sympathy was quite as close between them, as could be hoped for under any circumstances; and whatever might be the difference of their moods and wishes, under the influence of unequal ages, there was none of that exacting severity, on the part of Carter or of that distaste to discipline, on the side of Veruon, which endanger the relation. If Carter was grave, even to mclancholy, he was, at the same time, benign and indulgent. Ha could make allowance for the impatience of youth,... --This text refers to the Paperback edition.