"Don't cant, Bayle," cried Sir Gordon peevishly. "I've always liked you because you never threw sentiments of that kind at me. Don't begin now. Well, there, I must trot. You are going to dine with me?" "Yes; I've promised." "Ah," said Sir Gordon, looking at Bayle almost enviously, "you always were quite a boy. What a physique you have! Why, man, you don't look thirty-five." "I'm very sorry." "Sorry, man?" "Well, then, I'm very glad." "Bah! There, put on your hat, and come down at once. I hate this part of London." "And I have grown to love it. `The mind is its own place.' You know the rest." "Oh, yes, I know the rest," said Sir Gordon gruffly. "Come along. Where can we get a coach?" "I'll show you," said Bayle, taking his arm and leading him through two or three streets, to stop at last in a quiet, new-looking square close by St John's Street. "Well, what's the matter?" said Sir Gordon testily. "Nothing, I hope; only I must make a call here before I go down with you." "For goodness' sake, make haste, then, man! My boots are torturing me!" "Come in, then, and sit down," said Bayle, smiling, as a stern-looking woman opened the door, and curtsied familiarly. "I must either do that or sit upon the step," said the old gentleman peevishly; and he followed Bayle into the passage, and then into the parlour, for he seemed quite at home. Then a change came over Sir Gordon's face, for Bayle said quietly: "My dear Mrs Hallam, I have brought an old friend." VOLUME THREE, CHAPTER TWO. A PEEP BEHIND THE CLOUDS. The meeting was painful, for Millicent Hallam and Sir Gordon had never stood face to face since that day when he had himself opened the door for her on the occasion of her appeal to him on her husband's behalf. "Bless my soul!" exclaimed Sir Gordon. "I did not know this." "It is a surprise, too, for me," said Mrs Hallam, as she coloured slightly, and then turned pale; but in a moment or two she was calm and composed--a handsome, grave-looking lady, with unlined face, but with silvery streaks running through her abundant hair. "You--you should have told me, Bayle," said Sir Gordon testily. "And spoilt my surprise," said Bayle. "I am very, very glad to see you, Sir Gordon," said Mrs Hallam in a grave, sweet way, once more thoroughly mistress of her emotions. "Julie, my dear, you hardly recollect our visitor?" "Yes, oh yes!" said a tall, graceful girl, coming forward to place her hand in Sir Gordon's. "I seem to see you back as if through a mist; but--oh, yes, I remember!" She hesitated, and blushed, and laughed. "You one day--you brought me a great doll." Sir Gordon had taken both her hands, letting fall hat and stick. He tried to speak, but the words would not come. His lip quivered, his face twitched, and Julia felt his hands tremble, as she looked at him with naive wonder, unable to comprehend his emotion.