"Milly, my darling, I'll do everything I can," cried the doctor; "but you ask impossibilities. The house is not mine." "Not yours, father?" "Hush! hush, my dear!" sobbed Mrs Luttrell. "I can't explain to you now, but poor papa was obliged to sell it a little while ago." "Where is the money?" said Millicent fiercely. "It was all gone before--the mortgages," said Mrs Luttrell. "And who bought it?" cried Millicent. "Mr Bayle." There was a pause of a few moments' duration, and then the suffering woman seemed to flash out into a fit of passion. "Mr Bayle again!" she cried. "Yes, Mr Bayle, our friend." At that moment there came a burst of merry laughter from the garden, the sounds floating in through the open window with the sweet scents of the flowers, and directly after Julia, looking flushed and happy, appeared, holding Christie Bayle's hand. Bayle paused as he saw the group within, and then slowly entered. "Mamma, I knew Mr Bayle would come!" cried Julia excitedly. "But, oh, look at him, he has hurt himself so! He is so--so--oh, I can't bear it, I can't bear it!" The memories of the past night came back in a flash--the hurried awaking from sleep, the dressing, the sounds of the mob, the breaking windows, the fire, and the wild struggle; and the poor child sobbed hysterically and trembled, as Bayle sank upon his knees and took her to his breast. There she clung, while he caressed her and whispered comforting words, Millicent the while standing back, erect and stern, and Mrs Luttrell and the doctor with troubled countenances looking on. In a few minutes the child grew calm again, and then, without a word, Millicent crossed to the fireplace and rang the bell. It was answered directly by the doctor's maid. "Send Thisbe here," said Millicent sternly. In another minute Thisbe, who looked very white and troubled, appeared at the door, gazing sharply from one to the other. "Julie, go to Thisbe," said Millicent in a cold, harsh voice. The child looked up quickly, and clung to Bayle, as she gazed at her mother with the same shrinking, half-scared look she had so often directed at her father. "Julie!" The child ran across to Thisbe, and Bayle bit his lip, and his brow contracted, for he caught the sound of a low wail as the door was closed. Then, advancing to her, with his face full of the pity he felt, Bayle held out his hand to Millicent, and then let it fall, as she stood motionless, gazing fiercely in his face, till he lowered his eyes, and his head sank slowly, while he heaved a sigh. "You have come, then," she said, "come to look upon your work. You have come to enjoy your triumph. False friend! Coward! Treacherous villain! You have cast my husband into prison, and now you dare to meet me face to face!" "Mrs Hallam! Millicent!" he cried, looking up, his face flushing as he met her eyes, "what are you saying?"