He was blinded for the moment, then
spun round and found himself face to face with--Maisie.
There was no mistaking. The years had turned the child to a woman, but they had
not altered the dark-gray eyes, the thin scarlet lips, or the firmly modelled
mouth and chin; and, that all should be as it was of old, she wore a closely
fitting gray dress.
Since the human soul is finite and not in the least under its own command,
Dick, advancing, said "Halloo!" after the manner of schoolboys, and Maisie
answered, "Oh, Dick, is that you?" Then, against his will, and before the brain
newly released from considerations of the cash balance had time to dictate to
the nerves, every pulse of Dick's body throbbed furiously and his palate dried
in his mouth. The fog shut down again, and Maisie's face was pearl-white
through it. No word was spoken, but Dick fell into step at her side, and the
two paced the Embankment together, keeping the step as perfectly as in their
afternoon excursions to the mud-flats. Then Dick, a little hoarsely--"What has
happened to Amomma?"
"He died, Dick. Not cartridges; over-eating. He was always greedy. Isn't it
funny?"
"Yes. No. Do you mean Amomma?"
"Ye--es. No. This. Where have you come from?"
"Over there," He pointed eastward through the fog.
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