Neither spoke for a few minutes, but the Captain looked very contented and happy, and neither of them heard the step as Bayle came through the house, and out suddenly into the verandah. "I beg your pardon!" he cried, drawing back. "Ah, parson! Don't go!" cried the Captain, as Mrs Otway started up, and, in spite of her ordinary aplomb, looked disturbed. "Bad habit of ours acquired since marriage. We don't mind you." Mrs Otway held out her hand to their visitor. "Why, it is nearly a fortnight since you have been to see us. We were just talking about your friends--the Hallams." "Have you been to see them lately?" said Bayle, eagerly. "I was there yesterday. Quite well; but Mrs Hallam looks worried and ill. Julia is charming, only she too is not as I should like to see her." She watched Bayle keenly, and saw his countenance change as she spoke. "I am very glad they are well," he said. "Yes, I know you are; but why don't you go more often?" He looked at her rather wistfully, and made no reply. "Look here, Mr Bayle," she said, "I don't think you mind my speaking plainly, now do you? Come, that's frank." "I will be just as frank," he replied, smiling. "I have always liked you because you do speak so plainly." "That's kind of you to say so," she replied. "Well, I will speak out. You see there are so few women in the colony." "Who are ladies," said Bayle quietly. "Look here," said Otway, in a much ill-used tone, "am I expected to sit here and listen to my wife putting herself under the influence of the Church?" "Don't talk nonsense, Jack!" said Mrs Otway sharply. "This is serious." "I'm dumb." "What I want to say, Mr Bayle, is this. Don't you think you are making a mistake in staying away from your friends yonder?" He sat without replying for some minutes. "No," he said slowly. "I did not give up my visits there till after I had weighed the matter very carefully." "But you seemed to come out with those two ladies as their guardian, and now, when they seem most to require your help and guidance, you leave them." "Have you heard anything? Is anything wrong?" "I have heard nothing, but I have seen a great deal, because I persist in visiting, in spite of Mr Hallam's objection to my presence." "I say, my dear, that man is always civil to you, I hope?" cried Otway sharply. "My dear Jack, be quiet," said Mrs Otway. "Of course he is. I visit there because I have good reasons for so doing." "Tell me," said Bayle anxiously. "I have seen a great deal," continued Mrs Otway: "but it all comes to one point." Bayle looked at her inquiringly. "That it is very dreadful for those two sweet, delicate women to have come out here to such a fate. The man is dreadful!" "They will redeem him," said Bayle huskily. "Poor wretch! he has had a terrible experience. This convict life is worse than capital punishment. We must be patient, Mrs Otway. The habits of a number of years are not got rid of in a few months. He will change."