It
seemed to him rather that circumstances had compelled her, and
that through all the suffering of her life she had retained the
more beautiful qualities of her womanliness, for which he
reverenced her. In the closeness of their association, short as
it had been, he had learned to know something of the tenderer
depths within her, the kindliness of her, the wholesomeness.
Swayed as he was by the loveliness of her, he was yet more
enthralled by those inner qualities of which the outer beauty was
only the fitting symbol.
So, in the face of this catastrophe, where a less love must have
been destroyed utterly, Dick remained loyal. His passionate
regard did not falter for a moment. It never even occurred to
him that he might cast her off, might yield to his father's
prayers, and abandon her. On the contrary, his only purpose was
to gain her for himself, to cherish and guard her against every
ill, to protect with his love from every attack of shame or
injury. He would not believe that the girl did not care for him.
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