But in
realising the relief that she felt she realised too the love that she had
for Peter. When he was young and happy the risks that he ran seemed just as
heavy as when he was old and miserable.
"Oh, Peter! I'm so glad--I know she's splendid--Oh! I believe you are going
to be happy--"
"Yes!" he answered her confidently, "I believe we are--"
The ladies--Mrs. Galleon, Mrs. Rossiter and Alice--retired. Later on Clare
and Peter were coming into Bobby's for a short time.
Left alone in their little house, he drew her to the window that overlooked
the orchard and silently they gazed out at the old, friendly, gnarled and
knotted tree, and the old thick garden-wall that stretched sharply against
the night-sky.
Behind them the fire crackled and the lamps shed their pleasant glow and
that dear child with the great stiff dress that Velasquez painted smiled at
them from the wall.
Peter gave a deep sigh of happiness.
"Our House..." he said and drew her very close to him. The two of them, as
they stood there outlined against the window were so young and so pleasant
that surely the Gods would have pity!
III
In the days that followed he watched it all with incredulity. So swiftly
had he been tossed, it seemed, from fate to fate, and so easily, also, did
he leave behind him the things that had weighed him down.
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