“Yes. Archie must be quite a man by now.”
“He’s all right,” said the Squire.
“That he is, I know,” said Uncle Ramsay.
“He’s in God’s good hands,” said the mother, but her glasses were so moist she had to take them off to wipe them; “he is in God’s good hands, and all we can do now is to pray for him.”
Two little taps at the green-parlour door and enter the maid, not looking much older, and not less smart, than when last we saw her.
“If you please, sir, there’s a gentleman in the study as would like to see you.”
“Oh,” she added, with a little start, “here he comes!”
And there he came certainly.
“God bless all here!” he cried heartily.
“What,” exclaimed the Squire, jumping up and holding out his hand, “my dear old friend Venturesome Vesey!”