The light from the hall-lamp struck full on his face; we all involuntarily shrank back, except the girl, who looked, not at the man before her, but first at her aunt and then at her uncle, timorously, and murmured some inaudible question. They did not answer, and now Tedham and his daughter looked at each other, with what feeling no one can ever fully say. VIII. It always seemed to me as if we had witnessed something like the return of one from the dead, in this meeting. We were talking it over one evening some weeks later, and "It would be all very well," I philosophized, "if the dead came back at once, but if one came back after ten years, it would be difficult." "It was worse than coming back from the dead," said my wife. "But I hope that is the end of it so far as we are concerned. I am sure I am glad to be out of it, and I don't wish to see any of them ever again." "Why, I don't know about that," I returned, and I began to laugh. "You know Hubbell, our inspector of agencies?" "What has he got to do with it?" "Hubbell has had a romantic moment. He thinks that in view of the restitution Tedham made as far as he could, and his excellent record--elsewhere--it would be a fine thing for the Reciprocity to employ him again in our office, and he wanted to suggest it to the actuary." "Basil! You didn't allow him to do such a cruel thing as that?" "No, my dear, I am happy to say that I sat upon that dramatic climax." This measurably consoled my wife, but she did not cease to denounce the idea for some moments. When she ended, I asked her if she would allow the company to employ Tedham in a subordinate place in another city, and when she signified that this might be suffered, I said that this was what would probably be done. Then I added, seriously, that I thoroughly liked the notion of it, and that I took it for a testimony that poor old Tedham was right, and that he had at last fully expiated his offence against society.