"Well, well, well--we will talk of that another time. At present we
will only sing your triumphs--

"So faithful in love, and so dauntless in war,
There never was knight like the young Lochinvar."

"Felix, my dear fellow, I congratulate you with all my heart," said
Augustus. "But I did not know you were good as a warrior."

"Ah, but he is though," said the judge. "What do you think of his
wounds? And if all that I hear be true, he has other battles on hand.
But we must not speak about that till this poor lady's trial is
over."

"I need hardly tell you, sir," said Graham, with that sheep-like air
which a man always carries on such occasions, "that I regard myself
as the most fortunate man in the world."

"Quite unnecessary," said the judge. "On such occasions that is taken
as a matter of course." And then the conversation between them for
the next ten minutes was rather dull and flat.

Up stairs the same thing was going on, in a manner somewhat more
animated, between the mother and daughter,--for ladies on such
occasions can be more animated than men.

"Oh, mamma, you must love him," Madeline said.

"Yes, my dear; of course I shall love him now. Your papa says that he
is very clever."

"I know papa likes him. I knew that from the very first. I think that
was the reason why--"

"And I suppose clever people are the best,--that is to say, if they
are good."

"And isn't he good?"

"Well--I hope so. Indeed, I'm sure he is. Mr. Orme was a very good
young man too;--but it's no good talking about him now."

"Mamma, that never could have come to pass."

"Very well, my dear. It's over now, and of course all that I looked
for was your happiness."

"I know that, mamma; and indeed I am very happy. I'm sure I could not
ever have liked any one else since I first knew him."

Lady Staveley still thought it very odd, but she had nothing else to
say. As regarded the pecuniary considerations of the affair she left
them altogether to her husband, feeling that in this way she could
relieve herself from misgivings which might otherwise make her
unhappy. "And after all I don't know that his ugliness signifies,"
she said to herself. And so she made up her mind that she would
be loving and affectionate to him, and sat up till she heard his
footsteps in the passage, in order that she might speak to him, and
make him welcome to the privileges of a son-in-law.

"Mr. Graham," she said, opening her door as he passed b