erally imputed to
lords, that his heroine was a charming little creature, just the size,
but had no style,--he was abashed; he did not fly at them and tear
them. He became dejected. Beauty's dog is affected by the eye-glass in a
manner not unlike the common animal's terror of the human eye.

Richard appeared to hear nothing, or it was homage that he heard. He
repeated to Lucy Diaper Sandoe's verses--

"The cockneys nod to each other aside,
The coxcombs lift their glasses,"

and projected hiring a horse for her to ride every day in the park, and
shine among the highest.

They had turned to the West, against the sky glittering through the
bare trees across the water, and the bright-edged rack. The lover, his
imagination just then occupied in clothing earthly glories in celestial,
felt where his senses were sharpest the hand of his darling falter, and
instinctively looked ahead. His uncle Algernon was leisurely jolting
towards them on his one sound leg. The dismembered Guardsman talked to a
friend whose arm supported him, and speculated from time to time on
the fair ladies driving by. The two white faces passed him unobserved.
Unfortunately Ripton, coming behind, went plump upon the Captain's live
toe--or so he pretended, crying, "Confound it, Mr. Thompson! you might
have chosen the other."

The horrible apparition did confound Ripton, who stammered that it was
extraordinary.

"Not at all," said Algernon. "Everybody makes up to that fellow.
Instinct, I suppose!"

He had not to ask for his nephew. Richard turned to face the matter.

"Sorry I couldn't wait for you this morning, uncle," he said, with the
coolness of relationship. "I thought you never walked so far."

His voice was in perfect tone--the heroic mask admirable.

Algernon examined the downcast visage at his side, and contrived to
allude to the popular preacher. He was instantly introduced to Ripton's
sister, Miss Thompson.

The Captain bowed, smiling melancholy approval of his nephew's choice
of a minister. After a few stray remarks, and an affable salute to Miss
Thompson, he hobbled away, and then the three sealed volcanoes breathed,
and Lucy's arm ceased to be squeezed quite so much up to the heroic
pitch.

This incident quickened their steps homeward to the sheltering wings
of Mrs. Berry. All that passed between them on the subject comprised
a stammered excuse from Ripton for his conduct, and a good-humoured
rejoinder from Richard, tha