"He's working too hard, my dear," the doctor said. "He wants change. He's a good fellow. You and your mother must coax him here more, and get him out." Bayle wanted no coaxing, for he came willingly enough to work hard with the doctor in the garden; to inspect Mrs Luttrell's jams, and see how she soaked the paper in brandy before she tied them down; to go for walks with Millicent, or, on wet days, read German with her, or practise some instrumental or vocal duet. How pleasantly, how happily those days glided by! Mr Hallam from the bank came just as often as of old, and once or twice seemed disposed to speak slightingly of the curate, but he saw so grave and appealing a look in Millicent's eyes that he hastened, in his quiet, gentlemanly way, to efface the slight. Sir Gordon Bourne, as was his custom, when not at the Hall or away with his yacht, came frequently to the doctor's evenings, heavy with the smartest of sayings and the newest of stories from town. Gravely civil to the bank manager, a little distant to the new curate, and then, by degrees, as the months rolled by, talking to him, inviting him to dinner, placing his purse at his disposal for deserving cases of poverty, and at last becoming his fast friend. "An uncommonly good fellow, doctor, uncommonly. Very young--yes, very young. Egad, Sir, I envy him sometimes, that I do." "I'm glad you like him, Sir Gordon," cried Millicent, one day. "Are you, my dear, are you?" he said, half sadly. "Well, why shouldn't I? The man's sincere. He goes about his work without fuss or pretence. He does not consider it his duty to be always preaching at you and pulling a long face; but seems to me to be doing a wonderful deal of good in a quiet way. Do you know--" He paused, and looked from the doctor to Mrs Luttrell, and then at Millicent, half laughingly. "Do we know what?" "Well, I'll confess. I've played chess with him, and we've had a rubber at whist here, and he never touched upon sacred subjects since I've known him, and it has had a curious effect upon me." "A curious effect?" said Millicent wonderingly. "Yes, egad, it's a fact; he makes me feel as if I ought to go and hear him preach, and if you'll take me next Sunday, Miss Millicent, I will." Millicent laughingly agreed; and Sir Gordon kept his word, going to the doctor's on Sunday morning, and walking with the ladies to church. It is worthy of remark though, that he talked a good deal to himself as he went home, weary and uncomfortable from wearing tight boots, and bracing up. "It won't do," he said. "I'm old enough to know better, and if I can see into such matters more clearly than I could twenty years ago, Bayle's in love with her. Well, a good thing too, for I'm afraid Hallam is taken too, and--no, that would not do. I've nothing whatever against the fellow; a gentleman in his manners, the very perfection of a manager, but somehow I should not like to see her his wife." "Why?" he said after a pause.