She dropped a short courtesy, shot
the glance of a basilisk at Ucatella, and said stiffly, "You are welcome
home, ma'am." Then she took the little boy as one having authority.
Not that Phoebe would have surrendered him; but just then Mr. Falcon
strolled out, with a cigar in his mouth, and Phoebe, with her heart in
HER mouth, flew to meet him. There was a rapturous conjugal embrace,
followed by mutual inquiries; and the wagon drew up at the door. Then,
for the first time, Falcon observed Staines, saw at once he was a
gentleman, and touched his hat to him, to which Christopher responded in
kind, and remembered he had done so in the locked-up past.
Phoebe instantly drew her husband apart by the sleeve. "Who do you think
that is? You'll never guess. 'Tis the great doctor that saved Dick's
life in England with cutting of his throat. But, oh, my dear, he is not
the man he was. He is afflicted. Out of his mind partly. Well, we must
cure him, and square the account for Dick. I'm a proud woman at finding
him, and bringing him here to make him all right again, I can tell you.
Oh, I am happy, I am happy. Little did I think to be so happy as I am.
And, my dear, I have brought you a whole sackful of newspapers, old and
new.
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