"I am coming," said Penelope, slowly. "I've got a birthday present from Lionel," she added. "Poor boy! he is far enough away now." And still looking at her gift, Penelope Harleford, the Dean's niece, made her way toward the eager little group just as the Dean himself appeared in the dining-room door.
"Lion has sent Penelope a present," said Joe, the youngest boy. "Look, papa; it is a funny old fan."
"No," said Penelope; "it is a hand screen, and it is so quaint and pretty."
And the little screen, which at that moment Nora Mayne would have given a great deal to possess again, was put into the Dean's hands.
"Mayn't I show it to Aunt Letitia before breakfast?" pleaded Penny, with a coaxing air. "I know she would be so interested in it; she dearly likes old things."
"As you like, dear," said the Dean, giving her blooming cheek a pinch. "Hurry back, though; we don't see so much of you, now that Aunt Letty is back again."
Pretty Miss Penny laughed and ran away, holding her treasure tightly, stopping half a minute in a bend of the old staircase to look at it again, and to whisper, "Poor dear Lion—poor Lion!" and then hurrying on to a door, before which she paused, knocking lightly.
The "Come in" was in a sweet low voice. Penelope opened the door leading into a beautiful room rich in color and arrangement. A crippled lady, the same Nora Mayne had seen carried to the Bath-chair, was seated near the window.
"Well, my love, have you breakfasted already?" said the lady, holding out a thin white hand.
"No, aunt," said Penelope, kneeling beside the invalid's chair; "but I want you to see Lion's birthday present to me. Poor boy! He put it up the night before he sailed for India. Isn't it charming?"