He brushed it off quickly, being always scrupulously particular about his clothes, and then came towards them. "Send that child away," he said harshly. "I want to be quiet." Millicent bent down smiling over the child and kissed her. "Go to Thisbe now, my darling," she whispered; "but say good-night first to papa, and then you will not have to come to him again. Perhaps he may be out." The child's face became grave with a gravity beyond its years. It was the mother's young face repeated, with Hallam's dark hair and eyes. She advanced to him, timidly putting out her hand, and bending forward with that sweetly innocent look of a child ready so trustingly to give itself into your arms as it asks for a caress. "Good-night, papa dear," she cried in her little silvery voice. "Good-night, Julie, good-night," he said abruptly; and he just patted her head, and was turning away, when he caught sight of the disappointed, troubled look coming over her countenance, paused half wonderingly, and then bent down and extended his hands to her. There was a quick hysteric cry, a passionate sob or two, and the child bounded into his arms, flung her arms round his neck, and kissed him, his lips, his cheeks, his eyes again and again, in a quick, excited manner. Hallam's countenance wore a look of half-contemptuous doubt for a moment, as he glanced at his wife, and then the good that was in him mastered the ill. His face flushed, a spasm twitched it, and clasping his child to his breast, he held her there for a few moments, then kissed her tenderly, and set her down, her hair tumbled, her eyes wet, but her sweet countenance irradiated with joy, as, clasping her hands, she cried out: "Papa loves--he loves me, he loves me! I am so happy now." Then half mad with childish joy, she turned, kissed her hands to both, and bounded out of the room. VOLUME TWO, CHAPTER TEN. HUSBAND AND WIFE. There was a momentary silence, and then as the door closed, Millicent laid her hands upon her husband's shoulders, and gazed tenderly in his face. "Robert, my own!" she whispered. No more; her eyes bespoke the mother's joy at this breaking down of the ice between father and daughter. Then a look of surprise and pain came into those loving eyes, for Hallam repulsed her rudely. "It is your doing, yours, and that cursed parson's work. The child has been taught to hate me. Curse him! He has been my enemy from the very first." "Robert--husband! Oh, take back those words!" cried Millicent, throwing herself upon his breast. "You cannot mean it. You know I love you too well for that. How could you say it!" She clung to him for a few moments, gazing wildly in his face, and then she seemed to read it plainly.