But when he let it escape him, he sometimes disappointed, sometimes irritated me.

In that frame of mind I turned for relief to Lionel Varleigh, feeling that he was the more gentle and the more worthy man of the two, and honestly believing, at such times, that I preferred him to his rival.

For the first few days after our visit to Herne Wood I had excellent opportunities of comparing them.

They paid their visits to us together, and they divided their attentions carefully between me and my aunt.

At the end of the week, however, they began to present themselves separately.