the muffled roar of
London around them, alone in a dark slope of green, the hero, leaning
on his henchman, and speaking in a harsh clear undertone, delivered his
explanations. Doubtless the true heroic insignia and point of view will
be discerned, albeit in common private's uniform.

"They've been plotting against me for a year, Rip! When you see her,
you'll know what it was to have such a creature taken away from you.
It nearly killed me. Never mind what she is. She's the most perfect and
noble creature God ever made! It's not only her beauty--I don't care so
much about that!--but when you've once seen her, she seems to draw music
from all the nerves of your body; but she's such an angel. I worship
her. And her mind's like her face. She's pure gold. There, you'll see
her to-night.

"Well," he pursued, after inflating Ripton with this rapturous prospect,
"they got her away, and I recovered. It was Mister Adrian's work. What's
my father's objection to her? Because of her birth? She's educated; her
manners are beautiful--full of refinement--quick and soft! Can they
show me one of their ladies like her?--she's the daughter of a naval
lieutenant! Because she's a Catholic? What has religion to do with"--he
pronounced "Love!" a little modestly--as it were a blush in his voice.

"Well, when I recovered I thought I did not care for her. It shows how
we know ourselves! And I cared for nothing. I felt as if I had no blood.
I tried to imitate my dear Austin. I wish to God he were here. I
love Austin. He would understand her. He's coming back this year, and
then--but it'll be too late then.--Well, my father's always scheming to
make me perfect--he has never spoken to me a word about her, but I can
see her in his eyes--he wanted to give me a change, he said, and asked
me to come to town with my uncle Hippy, and I consented. It was another
plot to get me out of the way! As I live, I had no more idea of meeting
her than of flying to heaven!"

He lifted his face. "Look at those old elm branches! How they seem to
mix among the stars!--glittering fruits of Winter!"

Ripton tipped his comical nose upward, and was in duty bound to say,
Yes! though he observed no connection between them and the narrative.

"Well," the hero went on, "I came to town. There I heard she was coming,
too--coming home. It must have been fate, Ripton! Heaven forgive me! I
was angry with her, and I thought I should like to see her once--only
once--and reproac