"I wish I could think so too, for her sake," said Sir Gordon, after a pause. "Amen!" "But, Bayle, you--you don't ever think there was any mistake?" "It is always painful to me to speak of a man whom I never could esteem." "But to me, man--to me." "For twelve years, Sir Gordon, I have had the face of that loving, trusting woman before me, steadfast in her faith in the husband she loves." "Loves?" "As truly as on the day she took him first to her heart." "But do you think that she really still believes him innocent?" "In her heart of hearts; and so does her child. And I say that this is the one painful part of our intimacy. It has been the cause of coldness and even distant treatment at times." "But she seemed to have exonerated you from all credit in his arrest." "Oh, yes, long ago. She attributes it to the accident of chance and the treachery of the scoundrel Crellock." "Who was only Hallam's tool." "Exactly. But she forgives me, believing me her truest friend." "And rightly. The man who fought for her at the time of the--er--well, accident, Bayle, eh?" "Shall we change the subject?" said Bayle coldly. "No; I like to talk about poor Mrs Hallam, and I will call and see her soon." "But you will be careful," said Bayle earnestly. "Of course your presence will bring back sad memories. Do not pain her by any allusion to Hallam." "I will take care. But look here, Bayle; you did come up here to be near them?" "Certainly I did. Why, Sir Gordon, that child seemed to be part of my life, and when Mrs Hallam had that long illness the little thing came to me as if I were her father. She had always liked me, and that liking has grown." "You educated her?" "Oh, I don't know; I suppose so," said Bayle, looking up with a frank, ingenuous smile. "We have always read together, and painted, and then there was the music of an evening. You must hear her sing!" "Hah! I should like to, Bayle. Perhaps I shall. Don't think me impertinent, but you see I am so much away in my yacht. Selfish old fellow, you know; want to live as long as I can, and I think I shall live longer if I go to sea than if I stroll idling about Castor or in London at my club. I've asked you a lot of questions. I suppose you have done all the teaching?" "Oh, dear, no; her mother has had a large share in the child's education." "Humph! when I called her child, I was snubbed." Bayle laughed. "Well, I've grown to think of her as my child, and she looks upon me almost as she might upon her father." "Humph!" said Sir Gordon rather gruffly. "I half expected, every time I came back, to find you married, Bayle." "Find me married?" said Bayle, laughing. "My dear sir, I am less likely to marry than you. Confirmed old bachelor, and I am very happy--happier than I deserve to be."