because we have to veil the rightful appellation?" So he responded,
remote among the mountains. She tried very hard to speak plainly.
Finally he came to say that he denied himself the pleasure of seeing his
son specially, that he for a time might be put to the test the lady
seemed to dread. This was almost too much for Lady Blandish. Love's
charity boy so loftily serene now that she saw him half denuded--a thing
of shanks and wrists--was a trial for her true heart.

Going home at night Richard would laugh at the faces made about his
marriage. "We'll carry the day, Rip, my Lucy and I! or I'll do it alone-
-what there is to do." He slightly adverted to a natural want of courage
in women, which Ripton took to indicate that his Beauty was deficient in
that quality. Up leapt the Old Dog; "I'm sure there never was a braver
creature upon earth, Richard! She's as brave as she's lovely, I'll swear
she is! Look how she behaved that day! How her voice sounded! She was
trembling... Brave? She'd follow you into battle, Richard!"

And Richard rejoined: "Talk on, dear old Rip! She's my darling love,
whatever she is! And she is gloriously lovely. No eyes are like hers.
I'll go down to-morrow morning the first thing."

Ripton only wondered the husband of such a treasure could remain apart
from it. So thought Richard for a space.

"But if I go, Rip," he said despondently, "if I go for a day even I shall
have undone all my work with my father. She says it herself--you saw it
in her last letter."

"Yes," Ripton assented, and the words "Please remember me to dear Mr.
Thompson," fluttered about the Old Dog's heart.