"
Howard and Mr. Sandys started off through the wood. Mr. Sandys was
full of communications. He began to talk about Guthrie. "Such a
good friend for Jack!" he said; "I hope he bears a good character
in the college? Jack seems to be very much taken up with him, and
says there is no nonsense about him--almost the highest
commendation he has in his power to bestow--indeed I have heard him
use the same phrase about yourself! Young Guthrie seems such a
natural and unaffected fellow--indeed, if I may say so, Howard, it
seemed to me a high compliment to yourself, and to speak volumes
for your easy relation with young men, that he should have ventured
to take you off to your face just now, and that you should have
been so sincerely amused. It isn't as if he were a cheeky sort of
boy--if I may be allowed such an expression. He treats me with the
pleasantest deference and respect--and when I think of his father's
wealth and political influence, that seems to me a charming trait!
There is nothing uppish about him."
"No, indeed," said Howard; "he is a thoroughly nice fellow!"
"I am delighted to hear you say so," said Mr. Sandys, "and your
kindness emboldens me to say something which is quite confidential;
but then we are practically relations, are we not? Perhaps it is
only a father's partiality; but have you noticed, may I say,
anything in his manner to my dear Maud? It may be only a passing
fancy, of course. 'In the spring,' you remember, 'a young man's
fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love'--a beautiful line that,
though of course it is not strictly applicable to the end of July.
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