und's garden wall and the ruined
cloisters, immediately beyond which rose the east end of the Cathedral.
South Africa had evidently made him sensitive to the dampness and cold
of England.

"Little Cloisters." The white words showed on a tall green door let into
the wall on his left; and, as the verger had said, it was a rare old
wall. So here it actually was! He was at home. His heart thumped as he
pulled at the bell, and unconsciously he gripped the Toby jug hard with
his other hand.

CHAPTER VI

"Dion! Is it you at last?"

A warm voice called from above, and the blood rushed to his temples.

"Yes."

It seemed to him that he took the old staircase in his stride, and he
had a feeling almost such as a man has when he is going into action.

"Rose!"

He held her in his arms and kissed her.

"It's--seemed a long time!"

He felt moisture springing to his eyes. The love he felt for her almost
overwhelmed his self-control. Till this moment he had never known how
great it was. All his deprivation was in that embrace.

"Years it's seemed!" he said, letting her go with a little laugh,
summoned up--he did not know how--to save him from too much emotion.

She gazed at him.

"Oh, Dion, how you have altered!"

"Have I?"

"Tremendously."

How well he knew the kindly glance of her honest brown eyes; a thousand
times he had called it up before him in South Africa. But this was not
the glance so characteristic of her. In the firelit room her eyes looked
puzzled, almost wide, with a sort of startled astonishment.

"You had a lot of the boy in you still when you went away. At least, I
used to think so."

"Haven't I any left?"

"I can't see any. No, I think you've come back all man. And how
tremendously burnt you are."

"Almost black, I suppose. But I'm so accustomed to it."

"It's right," she said. "Your face tells the story of what you've done.
Robin"--she paused, then slowly she said--"Robin's got almost a new
father."

"Where is he? He's sure to have altered more than I have."

"Oh no. He'll be in about five. I've sent him out to tea with some one
you know."

"With whom?"

"Mr. Thrush."

"Mr. Thrush at Welsley?"

"Yes. I'll explain all that presently. I thought I'd have you all to
myself for half an hour, and then Robin should have his turn. Here comes
Annie."

When the two arm-chairs were occupied, Dion said:

"And you, Rosamund?"

"What about me?"

"Haven't you altered?"

"If I have,