He followed her mental processes more clearly now, and her soul was no longer the sealed wonder it had been.

He was on terms of intellectual equality with her.

But the points of disagreement did not affect his love.

His love was more ardent than ever, for he loved her for what she was, and even her physical frailty was an added charm in his eyes.

He read of sickly Elizabeth Barrett, who for years had not placed her feet upon the ground, until that day of flame when she eloped with Browning and stood upright, upon the earth, under the open sky; and what Browning had done for her, Martin decided he could do for Ruth.