"Good-bye, aunt. I'm sorry I've been such a throuble to ye."
The poor lady looked at Peg through misty eyes and said reproachfully:
"WHY that dress? Why not one of the dresses I gave you?"
"This is the way I left me father, an' this is the way I'm goin' back to him!" replied Peg sturdily. "Goodbye, Cousin Alaric," and she laughed good-naturedly at the odd little man. In spite of everything he did, he had a spice of originality about him that compelled Peg to overlook what might have seemed to others unpardonable priggishness.
"Good-bye—little devil!" cried Alaric, cheerfully taking the offered hand. "Good luck to ye. And take care of yerself," added Alaric, generously.
As Peg turned away from him, she came face to face with Jerry—or as she kept calling him in her brain by his new name—to her—Sir Gerald Adair. She dropped her eyes and timidly held out her hand:
"Good-bye!" was all she said.
"You're not going, Peg," said Jerry, quietly and positively.
"Who's goin' to stop me?"
"The Chief Executor of the late Mr. Kingsnorth's will."