Product Synopsis

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: want of a convenient fact, my love," the father observed, by way of bringing the brief discussion to a close. '' But here are the boats approaching; let us withdraw a little, and examine the chance medley of faces with which we are to become familiar by the intercourse of a month." " You will be much more likely to agree on a verdict of murder," muttered the kinsman. Mr. Effingham led his daughter into the hurricane-house —or, as the packet-men quaintly term it, the coach-house, where they stood watching the movements on the quarterdeck for the next half-hour ; an interval of which we shall take advantage to touch in a few of the stronger lights of our picture, leaving the softer tints and the shadows to be discovered by the manner in which the artist " tells the story." Edward and John Effingham were brothers' children ; were born on the same day ; had passionately loved the same woman, who had preferred the first-named, and died soon after Eve was born ; had, notwithstanding this collision in feeling, remained sincere friends, and this the more so, probably, from a mutual and natural sympathy in their common loss; had lived much together at home, and travelled much together abroad, and were now about to return in company to the land of their birth, after what might be termed an absence of twelve years; though both had visited America for short periods in the intervals,— John not less than five times. There was a strong family likeness between the cousins, their persons and even features being almost identical; though it was scarcely possible for two human beings to leave more opposite impressions on mere casual spectators when seen separately. Both were tall, of commanding presence, and handsome ; while one was winning in appearance, and the other, if not positively ...