lender white figure, in its long
flowing cloak, clearly outlined against a darker background. She was
alone, and there was nobody to introduce us, no one to tell me who she
was, but the beautiful face as so marvellously like one I knew, that
I jumped up instantly. The Boy's sister! She must have come, with
friends, and be looking for him. Then, he was here, or would be!

I have a vague remembrance of treading on several trains as I went to
meet her, intending to introduce myself, as her brother had not
arrived. The restaurant seemed suddenly to have become a mile long,
and she was at the other end of it. So was I, at last, holding out my
hand to the white girl with a large black hat, and diamond pins
winking in the curly chestnut hair which they held in place.

She was so astonishingly like him! Now that I had come closer, the
resemblance was incredible. The hair; the soft oval of the little
face; the eyes--the great, star-eyes!

I forgot everything but that one figure, lily-white, and swaying like
a lily, as it stood. Luckily, there was no one near to see, or think
of us. The diners dined, as if this were an ordinary night, as if
there might be other such nights again.

"Who are you?" I said as if in a dream.

A wave of colour swept up from the small, firm chin, to the rings of
chestnut hair. "I--why, I'm the Boy's sister," a low voice stammered.
"He--sent me. I've a letter from him. My friends are outside. They
will be here soon, but I--I came. You are--I suppose you are Man----"

"And I know you are Boy, Boy himself. I mean, he never was--for
heaven's sake tell me--but no, I don't need to ask. I've got my Little
Pal back again, that's all."

"Oh, if I'd been sure you would guess--if I had known you would talk
to me like this, I should not have dared to come."

"Yes, you would. For you are brave; and you owed me this."

"I'm ashamed to look you in the face. What must you think of me?"

"Think? I'm past thinking. I'm thanking the gods. If I could think at
all it would be of myself, that I was a fool not to--and yet, _was_ I
a fool? You _were_ a boy then. Even the Contessa----"

"Oh, don't! Where can we sit? I must tell you everything--explain
everything. I can't wait. In a few minutes Molly and Jack will come."

"Good heavens!"

"Yes. Didn't you guess? I'm the Perpetual
Mushroom,--Mercedes--Roy--Laurence. Oh, Man, Man, how have I dared
everything--and most of all this meeting? To fight that duel would
h