“No; I believe I am too tired. I will go to the lodge now, if you please. I can see her to-morrow;” and the old man arose again.
Mr. Richards led the way from the room, getting his baggage from the hall, and then took him through the dining-room to lead him out by a side door.
As they passed through the hall, sounds of music and laughter came to them from the drawing-room; and had any one been watching Mr. Rosevelt closely, he might have seen his lips curl with something like scorn and his eyes gleam indignantly, in spite of his weariness.
As Mr. Richards opened the outside door leading out upon the veranda, a slight figure sprang up from the step, and Star, with a startled glance, turned and confronted them.
A look of surprise swept over her face as she saw Mr. Richards’ companion; then, with a low cry of joy, she darted forward and seized Mr. Rosevelt by the hand.
“Oh, sir,” she said, tremulously, “I was afraid I should never see you again! How glad I am to meet you once more!”
Mr. Rosevelt recognized her at once, and recognized, too, the heartiness and sincerity of her welcome. There was nothing forced or constrained about either her words or manner.
“Ah, Miss Star, I am as glad to see you as you can possibly be to see me,” he said, shaking her hand warmly. “I little thought,” he went on, “that when you and I were faring so poorly together that we were bound for the same place. I intended then to come here before this. Why did you not tell me that you were a relative of Mrs. Richards?”
“I did not think much about it, sir, or that my destination could interest you,” she answered.
“Tut, tut, child!” he said, gently; “anything connected with you would have been of interest to me after your kindness to me. I was deeply disappointed to find you gone when I went to seek you; but they told me that some one had come and taken you away, so I was forced to go my way also. Well,” he concluded, smiling, “I have found you now, and I shall not lose sight of you again.”