'Must you tell him to-day—just to-day?'
'It is best got over at once.'
'Then come up with me and find him, and we can see Aunt Betty at the same time.'
The gate at which they were standing was some dozen yards or so from the road, and, as Estelle spoke, some one rode round the bend and came towards them.
'Father!' cried Estelle, springing towards him, her face radiant, and forgetting everything in the joy of seeing him.
'My little girl!' he cried, springing from his horse.
He clasped her in his arms with a force which at any other time would have startled the child. Neither could speak, for at such an hour speech fails. Who shall describe the meeting? After nearly a year the lost had been found! A year which had laid its mark on all their lives, but which, now that it had passed, seemed to Lord Lynwood as 'a dream when one awaketh.' His child back in his arms, looking well and strong as ever, with every evidence of having been well cared for, her sweet eyes looking up into his!—is it wonderful that for some moments he could think of no one else, look at nothing but the face of his only child?
Jack remained quite still lest he should disturb them, his eyes on the distant hills; he would not, even unnoticed, intrude on their meeting. It was enough that he had seen a light—radiant, beautiful—break over his 'Little Missie's' face before he turned away.
There was a swift question and answer after the silence, and then Lord Lynwood, recovering himself, spoke.
'How can I thank you, my good fellow?' he said, holding out his hand to Jack.