"She comes into the room sometimes, looking a careworn woman of sixty; and when she has been sitting here for a few minutes, there's a pleasant smile on her face, as if she were growing younger; her eyes light up, and she seems quite at rest and happy." "Poor thing!" said Mrs Otway sadly. "But, there, I can't listen to any more. I am on your mother's side." "And you are beaten, so you may give up. It's fate. My mother must put up with it. So long as I am happy she will not care. And, besides, who could help loving Julie? Hush!" There was a tap at the door, and Julia entered. "Not I, for one," said Mrs Otway aside, as she rose and held out her hands, kissing the young girl warmly. "Why, my dear, you look quite pale. This poor bruised boy has been worrying you and your mother to death." "Indeed, no," cried Julia eagerly. "Mr Eaton has been so patient all the time, and we were so glad to be able to be of service. Sir Gordon Bourne is in the other room with mamma. May he come in and see you?" "I shall be very glad," said Eaton, looking at her fixedly; and Mrs Otway noted the blush and the downcast look that followed. "Phil's right. He has won her." "He proposes driving you home with him, and taking you out in his boat. He thinks it will help your recovery." "Oh no, I couldn't move yet," said Eaton quickly. "I think it would do you good," said Mrs Otway. "What do you say, Miss Hallam?" "We should be very sorry to see Mr Eaton go," said Julia quietly; "but I think you are right." "Phil's wrong," said Mrs Otway to herself. At this moment Sir Gordon entered the room with Mrs Hallam and proposed that Eaton should return with him, but only to find, to his annoyance, that the offer was declined. "You will have to make the offer to my husband, Sir Gordon," said Mrs Otway merrily. "You will not find him so ungrateful." And then she turned to Eaton, leaving the old man free to continue a conversation begun with Mrs Hallam in another room. "I do not seem to find much success in my offers," he said, in a low voice; "but let me repeat what I have said. Should necessity arise, remember that I am your very oldest friend, and that I am always waiting to help Millicent Hallam and her child." "I shall not forget," said Mrs Hallam, smiling sadly. "If I am away, there is Bayle ready to act for me, and you know you can command him." "I have always been the debtor of my friends," replied Mrs Hallam; "but no such emergency is likely to arise. I have learnt the lesson of self-dependence lately, Sir Gordon." "But if the emergency did occur?" "Then we would see," replied Mrs Hallam. "Well, Philip, my dear boy," cried Mrs Otway loudly, "in three days we shall have you back." "Yes, in three days," he replied, glancing at Julia, who must have heard, but who went on with a conversation in which she was engaged with Sir Gordon, unmoved.