"Post this on your veranda for the town to read, an you will, sweetheart. For my part, I care not if the whole world knows that I love you." But Joscelyn did no such thing. Instead, she thrust the letter out of sight, and refused to read it even to Betty, who had only half forgiven her for her former offence against her brother. As the days passed, however, Betty was full of concern for the privations Richard endured, and out of sheer force of habit she carried her plaint to Joscelyn. "Richard drills six hours a day, rain or shine," she said, with an expostulatory accent on the numeral. "Dear me, is he that hard of learning? Methinks even _I_ could master the art of shouldering a gun and turning out my toes in less time than that. It seems not so difficult a matter." "And even after all this," Betty went on, taking no heed of the other's laugh, "he may not rest at night, but must needs do picket duty or go on reconnoitring expeditions. And he hath not tasted meat in two weeks, not since he hath been in camp." "What a shame! A soldier such as Master Clevering should sit among the fleshpots and sleep all night in a feather bed." "I knew you would laugh," Betty said with sudden heat. "You treat Richard as though he counted for naught; but the truth is, Joscelyn, you are not half good enough for him." And Betty flung out of the house with her chin in the air, while Joscelyn kissed her hand to her with playful courtesy, but with a genuine admiration for her spirit. But she softened not her heart toward Richard. Because of his impatience with her opinions, and the personal nature of their disputes and oppositions, he had come to typify to her the very core and heart of the insurrection. She knew this was foolish, that he was in truth but an insignificant part of the general turmoil; and yet he was the prominent figure that always came before her when the talk turned on the Revolution, no matter in what company she was. His masterful ways of wooing and cool assumption of her preference also grated harshly upon her, and even in his absence her heart was often hot against him. She listened indifferently to his mother's and Betty's praise of him.