were drawn nearer to each other than ever.

It was not the habit in this house to make the most sacred ties of
life the butt for ill-timed and ill-judged joking. No knight of
old thought or spoke more reverently or with greater reserve of his
lady love than did Brian of Erica. He regarded himself now as one
bound to do her service, consecrated from that day forward as her
loyal knight.


CHAPTER V. Erica's Resolve

Men are tattooed with their special beliefs like so many South Sea
Islanders; but a real human heart, with Divine love in it, beats
with the same glow under all the patterns of all earth's thousand
tribes. O. Wendell Holmes.

For the next fortnight Brian and Erica continued to pass each other
every afternoon in Gower Street, as they had done for so long, the
only difference was that now they greeted each other, that
occasionally Brian would be rendered happy for the rest of the day
by some brief passing remark from his Undine, or by one of her
peculiarly bright smiles. One day, however, she actually stopped;
her face was radiant.

"I must just tell you our good news," she said. "My father has won
his case, and has got heavy damages."

"I am very glad," said Brian. "It must be a great relief to you
all to have it over."