d each gazed into the other's face with
eager eyes, noting the changes which the years had brought to the
familiar features. Rob's skin was burnt brown by the burning sun of the
lands through which he had travelled, his forehead showed deeply graven
lines, and his cheeks had lost their boyish curve, but the atmosphere of
strength and health and honest manliness remained, and exercised the old
magnetic influence over his companion. It was like a breath of mountain
air coming into the heated room, to see Rob's face, and hear his hearty
voice. Peggy drew a deep sigh of contentment, and smiled a happy
greeting.

"It is just as you said it would be, Rob, our meeting like this! How
long had you been standing there? Did you recognise me at once? Why
are you here at all? I thought you were in the country, and that you
hated going out, and would never accept an invitation if you could help
it!"

"Circumstances alter cases! I was at the vicarage the other day when
Mellicent's letter arrived, saying you were to be here to-night, and a
sudden temptation seized me to have a look at you, and see what manner
of young lady the years had made of Peggy-Pickle. I came up this
afternoon, astonished Rosalind by offering to accompany her, and
wandered about the room staring curiously at every girl I met. I saw
several in pink dresses that might possibly have been you, but if they
had, I should have marched straight home without troubling for an
introduction. Then I skirmished round to this door, and saw a little
head bobbing about in a way that seemed familiar, and--"

"And please," inquired Peggy meekly, "how do you like me, now you have
found me? Am I at all what you expected?"

She lifted her face to his in the old mischievous fashion, and Rob
studied it with a thoughtful gaze. If she hoped to receive a compliment
in reply to her question, she was disappointed. It was not Rob's way to
pay compliments, and there was, if anything, a tinge of sadness in the
tone in which he said:

"You have changed! It's inevitable, I suppose, but I have always
thought of you as I saw you last, and don't seem to recognise the new
edition. You have grown-up, but you've grown-up very small! There
seems less of you than ever. Was the climate too much for you out
there? I should have liked to have seen you looking stronger, Peg!"

"Oh, I'm a wiry little person!" said Peggy lightly. "You needn't be
anxious about me;" but she coughed as