Francis was standing at the head of the staircase as though he had stayed to rest a moment, and his eyes were fixed on a picture on the wall. He paid no heed to his servant's murmur of regret that he should not have been at hand when needed--he did not seem to hear. Then his lips moved. "Poor Rip!" he said, almost under his breath. "I know--now--what you must have felt--and I pity you----"
Keen, quite uncomprehending, followed the direction of his glance, and remarked with polite jocularity-"Looks as if he wanted a new suit of clothes rather badly, sir; doesn't he, sir?"
Francis raised his head, and took the man's proffered arm; and as they moved away he said slowly-"I think, Keen, that it was more than a suit of clothes he wanted--something much more than that."