"Ah! he and Crellock have made some money _by_ it, no doubt; but not enough to live as they do. I know that Hallam is spending my money and triumphing over me all the time, and I would not care if those women were free of him, but I'm afraid that will never be." Bayle remained silent. "Do you think she believes in his innocence still?" Bayle remained silent for a time, and then said slowly: "I believe that Millicent Hallam, even if she discovered his guilt, and could at last believe in it, would suffer in secret, and bear with him in the hope that he would repent." "And never leave him?" "Never," aid Bayle firmly, "unless under some terrible provocation, one so great that no woman could bear; and from that provocation, and the deathblow it would be to her, I pray heaven she may be spared." "Amen!" said Sir Gordon softly. "Bayle," he added, after a pause, "I am getting old and irritable; I feel every change. I called you a fool!" "The irritable spirit of pain within--not you." "Ah! well," said Sir Gordon, smiling, "you know me by heart now, my dear boy. I want to say something ivery serious to you. I never said it before, though I have thought about it ever since those happy evenings we spent at Clerkenwell." Bayle turned to him wonderingly. "You will bear with me--I may hurt your feelings." "If you do I know you will heal them the next time we meet," replied Bayle. "Well, then, tell me this. When I first began visiting at Mrs Hallam's house there in London, had you not the full intention of some day asking Julie to be your wife?" Christie Bayle turned his manly, sincere countenance full upon his old friend, and said, in a deep, low voice, broken by emotion: "Such a thought had never entered my mind." "Never?" "Never, on my word as a man." "You tell me that you have never loved Julie Hallam save as a father might love his child?" Bayle shook his head slowly, and a piteous look came into his eyes. "No," he said softly, "I cannot." "Then you do love her?" cried the old man joyfully. "Now we shall get out of the wood. Why, my dear boy--" "Hush!" said Bayle sadly, "I first learned what was in my heart when our voyage was half over." "And you saw her chatting with that dandy young officer. Oh! pooh, pooh! that is nothing. She does not care for him." Bayle shook his head again. "Why, my dear boy, you must end all this." "You forget," said Bayle sadly. "History is repeating itself. Remember your own affair." "Ah! but I was an old man; you are young." "Young!" said Bayle sadly. "No, I was always her old teacher; and she loves this man." "I cannot think it," cried Sir Gordon, "and what is more, Hallam has outrageous plans of his own--look there."