That's right. Yes, come in! There! I never
thought to see you again. That I never did. This here's little missie
what comes regular to see my daughter-in-law as has been laid by this
week or more. I calls her our good angel," he ended tenderly. "She's been
the Lord's own blessing to us ever since she come."
Merefleet, thus invited, entered and sat down on a wooden chair by
the table. Old Quiller turned in also and fussed about him with the
solicitude that comes with age.
"No," he said meditatively, "I never thought to see you again, Master
Bernard. Why, it's twenty year come Michaelmas since you said 'Good-bye.'
And little miss was with you. Ah, dear! It do make me think of them days
to see you in the old place again. I always said as I'd never see the
match of little miss but this young lady, sir--she's just such another,
bless her."
Merefleet, with his eyes on the busy white hands at the table, smiled at
the eulogy.
The American girl glanced at him and laughed more softly than usual.
"Isn't he fine?" she said. "I just love that old man."
Somehow that peculiar voice of hers did not jar upon him quite so
painfully as he sat and watched her at her dexterous work. There was
something about her employment that revealed to him a side of her that
her frivolous manner would never have led him to suspect. While he talked
to the old fisherman, more than half his attention was centred on her
beautiful, innocent face.
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