Reining up
in masterly fashion, he sprang lightly to earth and taking his wife in
powerful arms, lifted her down, pausing to kiss her in midair, and
then she had run forward to clasp Diana in eager embrace.
"Begad, Perry, old fellow, all's well at last, eh?" exclaimed Anthony,
grasping my hand. "What I mean to say is--will ye look at 'em, begad!
Did mortal eyes ever see so much dooced loveliness and beauty begad?
What I say is no--damme if they did! And here's his lordship to say as
much."
"Ah, Peregrine," said the Earl, limping forward, "if this is a happy
day for you, to me it is no less so. How say you, friend Jarvis--and
you, Jessamy Todd?"
"Peregrine," said Barbara, as we came within sight of the dingy tent,
"has she told you--has Diana told you how nobly she stood my friend
and at what cruel cost--has she?"
"Not a word!" said I, beginning to tremble.
"Ah--that was so like you, Di--so very like you, my brave, dear girl."
"There was no need, Barbara. Peregrine's love is such that--though he
doubted, being human--he loved me still!"
"Then I'll tell him--here and now! No, over yonder by the brook. And
you, Tony--Anthony dear, you must come and help me."
"Yes, tell him, Barbara," quoth his lordship; "tell him, as you told
me, that Peregrine may know how brave and generous is she who honours
him to-day."
And so, with Barbara's hand on one arm and Anthony's on the other, I
came to that leafy bower beside the stream where I had known Diana's
first kiss.
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