Overton smiled. “Let me tell you,” he answered. “I must confess I was an eavesdropper this evening. Sitting in the house I could hear your voice, and I amused myself trying to guess who you could be that I could not place in Hilltop. I could not even guess your family. It was principally to satisfy my curiosity that I came out.” “Do you remember me, Mr. Overton, before I went away?” asked Vickers eagerly. “I have an excellent memory,” answered the lawyer briefly. “Do I seem to you to have changed?” “Physically changed, you mean?” “Yes.” Overton looked at him reflectively in the moonlight. “More than physically,” he returned at length. “Mentally?” “Mentally, if you like. It seems to me, Lee, that you have changed your soul, and you will forgive my saying that it seems to me a damned good thing. Good-night.” Vickers went on his way whistling. The interview had raised his spirits with its suggestion that his own personality might yet triumph over Lee’s. It seemed a very fitting climax to the evening, when he saw Nellie standing at the door, most evidently looking for him. “Ah, Nellie,” he said, “you were afraid I had bolted.” “I was not,” she answered firmly; “only I did not want to lock up the house, until you were in.” “Nellie,” he said again, “you were most mortally afraid in the depths of that hard little heart of yours that I had run away.” “I don’t know whether I am most afraid you will run away, or disgrace us by staying. Where have you been, Bob?” Vickers looked down at her and felt inclined to refuse her the information, but seeing possibilities in telling her, he almost instantly answered: “I have been most safely engaged in a visit to Miss Overton.” “Louisa Overton? Oh, Bob, how could you?” “But why not? I had supposed it one of the very most respectable----” “You know that is not what I meant.” “Perhaps you will tell me what you do mean.” “You must not go and see little Louisa. She is a perfect child. She has seen nothing, and knows no one. I do not think she would even amuse you very much, Bob. She is too simple and innocent. I can not think what put it into your head to go.” “Well, one thing was that she asked me.” “You must not go again.” “I can hardly avoid it. I am dining there to-morrow night.” “She _asked_ you to dinner?” “Certainly I did not invite myself.” There was a short pause, and then Nellie said, with determination: “Bob, I am to a certain degree responsible for your being here at all.” “You are entirely responsible.” “I feel the responsibility. I feel it is my duty to make you behave rightly while you are here. It is not behaving rightly to try and acquire an influence over an inexperienced child like Louisa Overton.” “My dear Nellie, how women jump to conclusions! Is an evening visit a sure prelude to acquiring an influence?” “Yes, for a man like you.” “Be careful, or I shall interpret that as a compliment, if you don’t change the form of your sentence.”