“An’ who be you t’ promise s’much?” she demanded fiercely.
“One who will keep his word——”
“I be so old,” she wailed—“so old an’ lonesome an’ weary of ’t all.”
“But very courageous!” he added gently. “And I think, Penelope, nay, I’m sure there are better days coming for you—and me. So come, let us go on, confident in ourselves and the future.”
And taking stick and basket in one hand, he slipped the other within his aged companion’s arm and they tramped on again.
“You speak mighty bold, young man!” said she after a while, with another of her keen glances. “Aye, an’ look mighty bold—why?”
“Perhaps because I feel mighty bold!” he answered lightly.
“Aye, like ye did when he knocked ye into the ditch, young man!”
“The ditch?” repeated Sir John. “Aye, begad, the ditch! ’S heart, it needed but this!” And here he laughed so blithely that old Penelope stared and, forgetting her recent tears, presently smiled.