He looked round as Colonel Tempest and Archie approached, and then came gravely forward, and put out a strong little brown hand.
Colonel Tempest just touched it without speaking, and turned his eyes away. He could not trust himself to look again at the erect dignified little figure with its square dark face. When had there ever been a dark Tempest?
The two boys, near of an age, looked each other straight in the eyes. Archie was the younger and the taller of the two.
"Are you John?" he asked at once.
"Yes."
"John what?"
"No. John Amyas Tempest."
"Archie," said Colonel Tempest, who had grown rather pale, "you can stay here with——, until I send for you." And with one backward glance at them, he followed the servant to an ante-room, where the doctor presently came to him.
"I am his only brother," said Colonel Tempest hoarsely. "Can I see him?"
"Certainly, my dear sir, certainly; but at the same time all agitation, all tendency to excitement, must be rigorously avoided."