Both men bowed formally.
"Lord Yester," said Hal; "your father once did me a great service. I hope we shall always be friends?"
And they shook hands.
"Oh, Sir George, you know Lord Yester, I think?"
Hal spoke to the physician who had entered from the hall.
Both men bowed slightly. Hal turned to the heir of the Duke of Uxminster.
"Lady Effington will explain to you the only conditions I make. They are very slight and I am sure will meet with your approval."
"Thank you," and the little fellow bowed elaborately to each man and left the room with his arms folded behind him, an attitude very much affected by Napoleon, if we may trust the pictures.
It was with difficulty that Hal refrained from laughter. What a farce, but what a joyous farce! Already he was mentally speculating on the time when he could turn his back on these attitudinizing people with their picture-poster lives, on all this hollow, artificial make-believe, and return to the shirtsleeve crowd. What joy he would bring to one soul! He saw her face as he said to her:
"I'm coming back, Wah-na-gi; I'm coming back." He had forgotten Sir George.