"I must speak!" she had said. "Heaven help me! I must speak! This cannot go on!" As soon as she could, she had hurried Julia to bed, and then sat and waited till the last visitor had gone, when she walked into the dining-room, where Hallam sat smoking, _heavy_ with drink, but perfectly collected, scowling down at Crellock where he lay. That look sent a thrill of joy through Millicent Hallam. He was evidently angry with Crellock, and disgusted with the wretched drinking scene that had taken place--one of many such scenes as would have excited comment now, but the early settlers were ready enough to smile at eccentricities like this. "Robert--my husband! may I speak to you?" "Speak, my dear? Of course," he said, smiling. "Why didn't you come in as soon as that old curmudgeon had gone? Have a glass of wine now. Nonsense!--I wish it. You must pitch over a lot of that standoffish-ness with my friends. Julia, too--the girl sits and looks at people as glum as if she had no sense." Mrs Hallam compressed her lips, laid her hand upon her husband's shoulder, yielding herself to him as he threw an arm round her waist, but stood pointing to where Crellock lay breathing stertorously, and every now and then muttering in his sleep. "What are you pointing at?" said Hallam. "Steve? Yes, the pig! Why can't he take his wine like a gentleman, and not like a brute?" "Robert, dear," she said tenderly, "you love me very dearly?" "Love you, my pet! why, how could a man love wife better?" "And our Julia--our child?" "Why, of course. What questions!" "Will you do something to please me--to please us both?" "Will I? Say what you want--another carriage--diamonds--a yacht like old Bourne's?" "No, no, no, dearest; we have everything if we have your love, and my dear husband glides from the past misery into a life of happiness." "Well, I think we are doing pretty well," he said with a laugh that sent a shudder through the suffering woman; he was so changed. "I want to speak to you about Mr Crellock." "Well, what about him? Make haste; it's getting late, and I'm tired." "Robert, we have made a mistake in having this man here." Hallam seemed perfectly sober, and he frowned. "_I_ would not mind if you wished him to be here, love," she said, with her voice sounding sweetly pure and entreating; "but he is not a suitable companion for our Julia." "Stop there," said Hallam, sharply. "No, no, darling; let me speak--this time," said Mrs Hallam, entreatingly. "I know it was out of the genuine goodness and pity of your heart that you opened your door to him. Now you have done all you need, let him go." Hallam shook his head. "Think of the past, and the terrible troubles he brought upon you." "Oh, no! that was all a mistake," said Hallam, quickly. "Poor brute! he was as ill-treated as I was, and now you want him kicked out." "No, no, dear; part from him kindly; but he was the cause of much of your suffering."