He took her unresistingly in his arms, and kissed her forehead reverently before turning away, to walk to the window and stand gazing out blindly, till a firm step with loudly creaking boots was heard approaching, when Sir Gordon slowly drew away back into the room. Then the gate clanged, the bell rang, and a change came over Sir Gordon as Millicent ran to the drawing-room door. "Not at home, Thisbe, to any one," she said hastily. "I am particularly engaged." She closed the door quietly, and came back into the room to stand there, now flushed, now pale. Sir Gordon took her hand softly, and raised it to his lips. "Thank you, my child," he said tenderly. "It was very kind and thoughtful of you. I could not bear for any one else to see me in my weakness." He was smiling sadly in her face, when he noticed her agitation, and at that moment the deep rich tones of Hallam's voice were heard speaking to Thisbe. The words were inaudible, but there was no mistaking the tones, and at that moment it was as if the last scale of Sir Gordon's love blindness had fallen away, and he let fall Millicent's hand with a half-frightened look. "Millicent, my child!" he cried in a sharp whisper. "No, no! Tell me it isn't that!" She raised her eyes to his, looking pale, and shrinking from him as if guilty of some sin, and he flushed with anger as he caught her by the wrist. "I give up--I have given up--every hope," he said, hoarsely, "but I cannot kill my love, even if it be an old man's, and your happiness would be mine. Tell me, then--I have a right to know--tell me, Millicent, my child, it is not that?" Millicent's shrinking aspect passed away, and a warm flush flooded her cheeks as she drew herself up proudly and looked him bravely in the eyes. "It is true, then?" he said huskily. Millicent did not answer with her lips; but there was a proud assent in her clear eyes as she met her questioner's unflinchingly, while the deep-toned murmur ceased, the firm step was heard upon the gravel, and the door closed. "Then it is so?" he said in a voice that was almost inaudible. "Hallam! Hallam! How true that they say love is blind! Oh, my child, my child!" His last words were spoken beneath his breath, and he stood there, old and crushed by the fair woman in the full pride of her youth and beauty, both listening to the retiring step as Hallam went down the road. No words could have told so plainly as her eyes the secret of Millicent Luttrell's heart. VOLUME ONE, CHAPTER TEN. THISBE GIVES HER EXPERIENCE. Thisbe King was huffy; and when Thisbe King was huffy, she was hard. When Thisbe was huffy, and in consequence hard, it was because, as she expressed it, "Things is awkward;" and when things were like that, Thisbe went and made the beds.