’By this time, I daresay, he frequents my cousin’s house,’ said Herries, quietly, ’for that’s his way in such matters. A scoundrel in manners,’ went on the young lawyer, angrily; ’the seducer of women—I know him! I’d sooner trust the lamb with the wolf, than a young, inexperienced girl with such a man. The glamour of his genius hides the corruption of his mind. The thought of that danger is sickening.’ ’Wheesht, wheest!’ said Creighton. ’I don’t gainsay that he is warm—too warm, poor Rob! But believe me, sir, ’tis not the young and noble and innocent—like our fair friend who shall be nameless—that such a man seeks. ’Tis the more experienced women—ripe for dalliance—versed in such ardours—’ ’Oh, you think of my cousin,’ said Herries, coolly. ’But she dare not try these tricks; she understands too well the delicacy and instability of her present situation, she knows to a hair’s-breadth what she can, and what she cannot, risk. I can trust Nancy with herself, but with—with a charge I cannot trust her. She’s no fit guide for a young girl.’ ’Oh, be at rest, sir, be at rest!’ said Creighton, smiling. ’She that we talk of needs no guidance from your cousin. If there is guiding to be done, her own will be the hand that guides; and whomsoever she guides she will guide to a blessing. Take my word for that; I have looked her through and through.... And now that we talk of angels, we begin to hear their wings, I perceive.’ Herries looked up, and saw in the distance Alison and the child Willy coming towards them. ’They—they sometimes walk here of a morning,’ he said. ’Ah, you knew that!’ cried Creighton, well pleased. ’It may be that I did,’ said Herries. His partner’s words had poured balm upon his irritation. There was a calmness and a strength about Creighton’s common sense, that made it very convincing. He could certainly influence Herries to a degree that was possible with no one else. And now Alison herself was coming, and the young man felt a sudden and uncontrollable tumult in his blood. She passed them at the full distance of the broad walk, and only bowed, but it was near enough for them to see the sudden colour in her half-averted face, to note the quickened step and fluttered air. Creighton slipped his arm from that of his friend. ’Run, man, run!’ he said; ’you are due elsewhere. Don’t you see the signals held out for your welcome?’ ’I—I see them,’ stammered Herries, himself red as a boy. ’But you, sir? Can you get home?’ ’What matters an old man like me?’ cried Creighton, impatiently. ’My race is run. Be off—be off! She’ll give you the slip yet; she’s nearly out of sight.’ Herries hesitated a moment; his cold eyes were alight as they looked after the vanishing figure in the red pelisse. ’I’ll take your advice, sir,’ he said. And then he followed. Creighton toiled up the steep ascent to his lodgings alone.