, so long as it is not
cruel, I reckon among the good gifts of God."--She paused a moment.
"Dear Marie de Mirancourt tried to teach me that long ago, but I was
culpably dull of hearing in those days where spiritual truth was
concerned, and I failed to grasp her meaning. I believe we never really
love, either man or Almighty God, until we can both laugh ourselves and
let others laugh. Of all false doctrines that of the sour-faced,
joyless puritan is the falsest. His mere outward aspect is a sin
against the Holy Ghost."

And Honoria smiled, patting the hand which lay on her arm very
tenderly.

"How I love your heavenly rage!" she said. They moved on a few steps in
silence. Then, careless of all the rapture its notification of the
passing of time might cut short, the clock at the house-stables chimed
the half-hour. Honoria paused in her gentle walk.

"Bedtime, Dick," she cried.

"All right," the boy returned. He pursued, and laid hold of, the errant
puppies, stowing them, not without kickings and strugglings on their
part, one under either arm. They were large and heavy, just as much as
he could carry, and he staggered across the grass with them, presenting
the effect of a small, black donkey between a pair of very big, white
panniers.

"I say, they are awfully stunning though, you know, Honoria," he said
rather breathlessly as he came up to her.

"Very soul-satisfying, aren't they, Dick?" she replied. "Richard
foresaw as much. That is why he got them for you."

"If I put them down do you suppose they'll follow? Carrying them does
make my arms ache."

"Oh, they'll follow fast enough," Honoria said.

He lowered the puppies circumspectly on to the gravel.

"They'll be whoppers when they're grown," he remarked.

"What shall you call them?"

"Adam and Eve I think, because they're the first of my lot. They're
pedigree dogs--and later I may want to show, don't you see."

"Yes, I see," Honoria said.

He came close to her, putting his face up half shyly to be kissed. Then
as young Lady Calmady, somewhat ghostly in her trailing, white evening
dress, bent her charming head, the boy, suddenly overcome with the
manifold excitements of the day, flung his arms round her.

"Oh! oh!" he gasped, "how awfully ripping it is to be back here again
with you and Cousin Richard and Aunt Katherine! I wish number-four
dormitory would get measles the middle of every term!--Only I
forgot--perhaps I ought not to touch you, Honoria,