"I am an old and a very lonely man, sir, and, although I was brought up to the profession of a soldier, I have thought sometimes that I am not altogether fitted for it. I have some tenderness of heart still left in me, and I could not have slept in my bed to-night with the knowledge that this child was neglected and unhappy. I have no desire to interfere in any business which does not concern me; but it must occur to you that it is a strange life for a child to be----" "Well, the fault of that is not mine,", said the man, swinging about suddenly and facing the captain. "She--she has no mother, and I am occupied with--with other things. You--you should not trouble; what can _I_ do?" He spoke like a fretful child, walked to his desk, and began turning over the leaves of a book. The captain was puzzled; saw no prospect, with such a creature as this, of making him understand the responsibilities of a parent. He turned to Mrs. Blissett and put the child in her arms, and said with some sternness: "Take her away, and warm and dry her, and put her to bed. And be tender with her." Mrs. Blissett vanished hurriedly with ejaculations of "My precious! The dear lamb!" and the like, and the captain faced the father once more. That gentleman, now that the chief object of the disturbance was gone, seemed only anxious to be rid of his visitor; he seated himself at his desk, and appeared to be busied with his books. "Perhaps," said the captain stiffly, "after this intrusion I ought to give you my name. I am Captain Garraway-Kyle, at present living in this town, and I beg you to believe that my intrusion here to-night was with the best possible motives. I assure you----" "Yes, yes, I quite understand," exclaimed the petulant voice of the other. "And my name is Vernier--Doctor Vernier; you may have heard of me." "No," replied the captain, "I regret that I have not." "Ah! Good-night!" Dr. Vernier's head was down among his books, so that, by the glow of the lamp, they could only see the top of it. But the captain had not finished yet. "I am sorry for the little child, and for her loneliness," he said, "and if I might be permitted----" The hard face glanced up for a moment and the brows were drawn together in a straight dark line. "Thank you; I desire no one to assist me in the management of my house. Once more--good-night." The captain bowed stiffly, turned on his heel, and walked out of the room, followed by Comethup, whose presence the doctor had not even appeared to notice. They found their way out of the dark house, and through the garden into the road. There the captain stood upright for a moment, thinking deeply, and then looked down at Comethup. "Comethup," he said, "we won't be put off like this, eh?" "No," said Comethup. "We must go and see her again, and--and look after her, eh?" "I think so," said Comethup. They solemnly shook hands on that decision, the captain bending a little to perform the operation, and then walked away homeward.