"Come and see Vevinord and Cotenoir, and you will judge for yourself. The town-hall of Vevinord is almost as fine as that of Louvain; and we have a church that belongs to the time of Dagobert." "She shall see them before long," said the Captain; "I shall have business in Rouen again before the next month is out; and if my daughter is a good girl, I will take her over there with me." Diana stared at her father in utter bewilderment. What could be the meaning of this sudden display of affection? "I should not be free to go with you, papa, even if you were able to take me," she replied, somewhat coldly; "I have other duties." She felt assured that there was some lurking motive, some diplomatic art at the bottom of the Captain's altered conduct, and she could not altogether repress her scorn. The astute Horatio saw that he had gone a little too far, and that his only child was not of the stuff to be moulded at will by his dexterous hands. "You will come and see me again, Diana?" he said in a pleading tone: "I am likely to be a prisoner in this room for a week or more." "Certainly, papa; I will come if you wish it. When shall I come?" "Well, let me see--to-day is Thursday; can you come on Monday?" "Yes, I will come on Monday." A cab was procured, and Miss Paget was conducted to that vehicle by her new acquaintance, who showed a gallant anxiety for her comfort on the journey, and was extremely careful about the closing of the windows. She arrived at Bayswater before ten, but being forbidden to talk of M. Lenoble, could give but a scanty account of her evening. "And was your papa kind, dear?" asked Charlotte, "and did he seem pleased to see you?" "He was much kinder and more affectionate than usual, Lotta dear; so much so, that he set me wondering. Now, if I were as confiding and eager to think well of people as you are, I should be quite delighted by this change. As it is, I am only mystified. I should be very glad if my father and I could be drawn closer together; very glad if my influence could bring about an amendment in his life." While Miss Paget was discussing her father's affectionate and novel behaviour, the noble Horatio was meditating, by his solitary hearth, upon the events of the evening.