"Yet," she repeated, "so like him in face and everything; I cannot get over it." Just then Humphrey looked up. There was just a moment--what was it?--a turn of the face; a look in the eyes, that made the doctor start. "Heavens!" he thought. "He's exactly like his mother!" Dick finished. John Haveril walked over to the piano before he got up. "Mister," he said, "I like it. I find it cheerful. If you could see your way, now, to look in upon us of an evening, I think you might do good to my wife, who's apt to let her spirits go down. Come and sing to us." "I will, with pleasure. When shall I come?" "Come to-morrow evening. Come every evening, if you like, young gentleman. My wife doesn't care for the theatres much. If we could sit quiet at home, with a little lively talk and a little singing, she would like it ever so much better. You and Molly know each other, it appears. Come to dinner to-morrow, and see how you like us." The party broke up. Sir Humphrey was left alone with the doctor. "Stay for a cigarette." Sir Robert rang the bell. "I hope you liked the dinner and the wine." "Both, Sir Robert, were beyond and above all praise. An artistic dinner is so rare!" "It was thrown away upon some of my guests. However, if you will come another day, you shall meet a more distinguished company. I did not understand, Sir Humphrey, until this evening, the very strong resemblance you bear to your mother." "Indeed! It is my father whom I am generally thought to resemble." "Yes. You have, no doubt, a strong resemblance to him; but it is your mother of whom you remind me from time to time most strongly. It came out oddly this evening. The inheritance of face and figure and qualities interests me, and your own case, Sir Humphrey; the son of such a father and such a mother is extremely interesting." He took a cigarette. "Extremely interesting, I assure you." CHAPTER XII. THE OTHER CHILD OF DESERTION. "Molly?" Richard arrived before the time, and found his old friend alone. "You here again? Last night I could not ask what it meant--the ineffable frock and the heavenly string of pearls. What does it mean?" She had on another lovely frock with the same pearl necklace. "It means, Dick," she replied, with much dignity, "that Alice--Mrs. Haveril--is my father's first cousin, and is therefore my own cousin. It also means, which you will hardly credit, that she is very fond of me." "That is, indeed, difficult of belief. And you are a good deal with them? And this other frock, too, this thing--is it cloth of gold or samite?--was given to you by your cousin. Molly, Molly, have a care! The love of gold creeps upon one as a thief in the night." "Dick!" She assumed an injured air. "When it affords them so much pleasure to give me things, why should I refuse? And confess, ridiculous creature, that you never saw me look so nice before!" "You look very nice, Molly--very nice, indeed; but I never knew you look otherwise."