And there they were, clinging to each other like two children saved from a shipwreck.
"You knew?" he said at last.
"Of course I knew," she said.
They drew back to let their eyes meet in that look of incredulous gladness that lovers know when, at last, all barriers are down and true love meets true love without veils or reservations.
"Thank G.o.d for this day," he said, reverently.
And at that a thunderous clamor at the house-door broke in on their dream, a clatter and a clangor, a rattling of chains and a volley of resonant reverberatory barks.
"Why, it"s Charles!" he cried. "How could he know I was here?"
How, indeed? For it was indeed Charles, incredibly muddy and wet, bounding round in the room the moment the doors were opened, knocking over a chair, clattering the fire-irons, and coming to heavy anchor, with all four feet muddy, on the edge of her white gown.
"I must go and chain him up in the stable," he said, when Charles had been fed with the remains of the supper. "You won"t be afraid to be left alone in the house, Princess, dear?"
"I sha"n"t be afraid now," she said, caressing Charles"s bullet head.
"You see, it"s all different now. How could I be afraid in my own home?"
THE END