"It's my old man!" said Diana, and waved her hand in joyous greeting,
whereupon he arose and doffing his weather-beaten hat, bowed white
head in stately greeting.
"Surely it is my pleasure to behold my courageous young Amazon," said
he, limping forward. "Greetings, fair Penthesilea!" and taking the
hand she reached out to him, he kissed it gallantly.
"And you are still alone!" said she, smiling down at him as she had
never smiled at me. "Are you always alone?"
"Always!" he answered, sighing. "Though I have my books--and an old
man's dreams. But, God bless you, child, how radiant you look; you
seem the soul incarnate of this glorious day."
"And this is Peregrine," said she a little hastily, with a wave of her
hand in my direction.
"Sir, I trust I see you well!" said I, bareheaded and bowing, and his
lordship, glancing at me for the first time, recognised me despite my
altered appearance.
"Mr. Vereker," quoth he, with another bow, "this is a twofold
pleasure! So you are acquainted with my Penthesilea?"
"Yes, sir, though I know her as Diana!"
"But my real name's Anna, sir--as I tells you at the fair," she added.
"Yes," answered his lordship, "and you called me your old pal, I
remember. Yet Mr. Vereker is indubitably right, for Diana you surely
are, as fair as the chaste goddess, as brave and--"
"As nobly good!" said I.
"Assuredly, sir!" he nodded, in the quick, decisive way I remembered.
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