He raised her hand as if to press it to his lips, but let it fall, and, drawing her towards him, kissed her tenderly on the brow, ending by retaining her hand in both of his. "An old man's kiss, my child," he said, gazing at her wistfully. "You remind me so of one I loved--twenty years ago, my dear, and before you were born." He looked round from one to the other, as if apologising for his emotion. "My dear Bayle," he said at last, recovering himself, and speaking with chivalrous courtesy, "I am in your debt for introducing me to our young friend. Mrs Hallam, you will let me come and see you?" Millicent hesitated, and there was a curious, haughty, defiant look in her eyes as she gazed at her visitor, as if at bay. "I am sure Mrs Hallam will be glad to see a very dear old friend of mine," said Bayle quietly; and as he spoke Mrs Hallam glanced at him. Her eyes softened, and she held out her hand to her visitor. "Always glad to see you," she said. Sir Gordon smiled and looked pleased, as he glanced round the pretty, simply-furnished room, with tokens of the busy hands that adorned it on every side. Here was Julia's drawing, there her embroidery; they were her flowers in the window; the bird that twittered so sweetly from its cage hung on the shutter, and the piano, were hers too. There was only one jarring note in the whole interior, and that was the portrait in oils of the handsome man, in the most prominent place in the room--a picture that at one corner was a little blistered, as if by fire, and whose eyes seemed to be watching the visitor wherever he turned. There were many painful memories revived during that visit, but on the whole it was pleasant, and with the agony of the past softened by time, Millicent Hallam found herself speaking half reproachfully to Sir Gordon for not visiting her during all these years. "Don't blame me," he said in reply; "I have always felt that there was a wish implied on your part that our acquaintance should cease, as being too painful for both." "Perhaps it was," she said, with a sigh; "and I am to blame." "Let us share it, if there be any blame," said Sir Gordon, smiling, "and amend our ways. You must remember, though, that I have always kept up my friendship with the doctor whenever I have been at home, and I have always heard of your well-beings or--" "Oh, yes!" said Mrs Hallam hastily, as if to check any allusion to assistance. "When I recovered from my serious illness I was anxious to leave Castor. I thought perhaps that my child's education--in London-- and Mr Bayle was very kind in helping me." "He is a good friend," said Sir Gordon gravely.