Mr. Wycherly took the extended hand and shook it. "You must forgive her," he said gently, "she would never have done it if she hadn’t been your daughter; think of the courage and determination——" "The headstrong folly and foolhardiness," Lady Alicia interrupted. "I cannot imagine why you keep suggesting I could ever have done such a disgraceful thing—I always had far too much——" "Given the same circumstances, you would have behaved in exactly the same way," Mr. Wycherly interrupted. "My dear Lady Alicia, you know you would." "You are a ridiculous and obstinate man," said Lady Alicia; "much learning hath made you mad, and you know nothing whatever about women." All the same she smiled, and she left her hand in Mr. Wycherly’s. It was not unpleasant to her to be considered capable of romance; her life had been so safe and seemly always, a little monotonous and commonplace, perhaps, but she had once been young. "I don’t know much," Mr. Wycherly answered humbly; "but surely character is the same in man or woman, and given a certain character a certain line of conduct is inevitable." "And you think it is inevitable that I should forgive Margaret?" "Assuredly," said Mr. Wycherly. "As I said before"—here Lady Alicia thought fit to withdraw her hand—"you are an ignorant man: but we won’t quarrel. Time will show whether you or I know most about me." She turned to walk to the gate where her carriage was waiting. He helped her in and shut the door upon her in absolute silence. Then, just as the man was driving off, he asked: "What do you think they would like for a wedding present?" "Man, you are incorrigible," exclaimed Lady Alicia, but her brow was smooth and her eyes smiling. Mr. Wycherly stood at the green gate for some time, lost hi thought. As he turned to walk up the path to the house he said aloud: "I should like to know what that young man has done that he should be singled out by the gods for such supreme good fortune." When the days grew long once more Lady Alicia came back to the "big house," but no fair-haired Margaret came to play with the little boys. "Where is she?" asked Montagu of his tutor. "Why doesn’t she come?" "She is married," said Mr. Wycherly; "she has to stay with her husband." "When I marry," said Montagu, "I shall marry somebody like Margaret; then she’ll stay with me and I shall never be lonely." "When you marry," Mr. Wycherly said very seriously, "take care of just one thing. Take care that she is kind." "I’d like her to be beautiful, too," Montagu said eagerly, "beautiful and tall, like Margaret." "I hope she will be beautiful, but kindness comes first," and Mr. Wycherly spoke with conviction, as one who knew. "How can one tell if she is kind?" Montagu asked. "Compare her with your aunt, Montagu: if she stands such comparison, she is all your best desires need seek."