There came a sudden hurried peal at the door-bell. Xenie started, growing white and red by turns.
"I told you so," she answered. "And there he is now, I suppose."
She sat very still and waited, clasping the beautiful boy to her wildly beating heart.
There was a bustle in the hall, then the door was thrown open and a gentleman was ushered in.
He was a large, handsome young man, in the uniform of a sea captain. He wore a large, dark beard, and his brown eyes flashed their eagle gaze around the room, half-anxiously, half-defiantly, until they rested on Mrs. St. John's face where she sat clasping the child in her arms.
As she met his gaze she put the child down upon the floor and started up with a low cry.
"Jack Mainwaring!" she gasped.
[CHAPTER XXIV.]
Jack Mainwaring—for it was indeed himself—looked at his sister-in-law with a half-sarcastic smile.