class
dog-life--made pretense useless and early in his puppy career he seemed
to realize it and to abandon himself to a philosophy of irresponsible
pleasure. But Ritchy's eye had taken on a saddened cast since the blight
had fallen on his master. He no longer frisked and devised, out of his
comedian's soul, mirth-provoking antics. It was as though he understood
and his spirit walked in sorrow.

A night of full-mooned radiance came steeping the souls of the young
Knight and the young Cardinal in bitter yet sweet melancholy. Two days
more and Conscience would be gone from the Valley of
Virginia--returning to Cape Cod. Then Stuart would write over the door
of his life "Ichabod, the glory is departed." To-night he would stalk
again to his lonely tryst beneath the mock-orange hedge, which gave
command of the yard and porch, and when she had gone to her room, he
could still gaze upon the lighted window which marked a sacred spot. At
a sedate distance in the rear proceeded the Cardinal, who had
judiciously made no announcement of his coming. He knew that there was
an edict against his participation in these vigils, based on a theory
that he might give voice and advertise his master's presence, but it was
a theory for which he had contempt and which he resented as a slur upon
his discretion.

When Stuart Farquaharson crouched in the lee of heavily shadowed
shrubbery the Cardinal sat on his haunches and wrinkled his unlovely
brow in contemplative thought. Not far away masses of honeysuckle
climbed over a rail fence festooned with blossom. Into the night stole
its pervasive sweetness and the old house was like a temple built of
blue gray shadows with columns touched into ivory whiteness by the
lights of door and window. A low line of hills loomed beyond, painted of
silver gray against the backdrop of starry sky and the pallor of moon
mists. From the porch came the desultory tinkle of a banjo and the
voices of young people singing and in a pause between songs more than
once the boy heard a laugh--a laugh which he recognized. He could even
make out a scrap of light color which must be her dress. Such were the
rewards of his night watch, a melancholy and external gaze upon a
Paradise barred to him by a stubbornness which his youth mistook for
honorable pride.

At last two buggies rattled down the drive with much shouting of
farewells and ten minutes later Jimmy's saddle horse clattered off at a
gallop. The visitors were gone sil