There arrived at Clifford Hall a formidable person--in female eyes, especially--a beautiful heiress.

Julia Clifford, great-niece and ward of Colonel Clifford; very tall, graceful, with dark gray eyes, and black eyebrows the size of a leech, that narrowed to a point and met in finer lines upon the bridge of a nose that was gently aquiline, but not too large, as such noses are apt to be.

A large, expressive mouth, with wonderful rows of ivory, and the prettiest little black down, fine as a hair, on her upper lip, and a skin rather dark but clear, and glowing with the warm blood beneath it, completed this noble girl.

She was nineteen years of age.
Colonel Clifford received her with warm affection and old-fashioned courtesy; but as he was disabled by a violent fit of gout, he deputed Walter to attend to her on foot and horseback.
Miss Clifford, accustomed to homage, laid Walter under contribution every day.

She was very active, and he had to take her a walk in the morning, and a ride in the afternoon.