will be
lightened, Livy. She looks tired, does she not, Miss Williams? though
she will not confess it. Well, it has all passed off well. Mr.
Gaythorne is very much exhausted, but nurse is getting him to bed, and
I have told Alwyn to rest. I left Mrs. Crampton fussing round him, so
he will be all right," and then Olivia smiled as though she were
satisfied.

But more than once that evening she observed to Marcus how quiet the
house seemed without their guest.

"Do you know I quite miss him," she said. "I suppose one always get
attached to any one for whom one takes trouble. He was the sort of
person who was always wanting something; you could never forget him for
a moment. I wonder what Martha will say when I tell her he is gone
away for good. He gave her plenty to do, but I expect she will be
sorry to lose him."

And Olivia was right. Martha burst out crying in quite a lamentable
manner.

"Oh, ma'am," she sobbed, "and he was such a kind young gentleman. I am
sorry, that I am, that he won't live with us no more. And he painted
Miss Baby and the kitten so beautiful too; and he thought such a deal
of you and master." But though Olivia smiled at Martha's lugubrious
speeches, she could not help being rather sorry herself.

Alwyn was not a perfect character by any means, but somehow he had such
nice ways with him,--little caressing ways that go to a woman's heart.
His nature was affectionate and emotional, and all his troubles had not
hardened him. Even Marcus had observed more than once lately that "he
could not help liking the fellow."

"He was not cut out for a black sheep," he said once, "and the
character does not suit him. He has the makings of a good man, only he
has let himself drift so terribly. Well, he has pulled himself up in
time. He could not have roughed it much longer."

When Olivia returned from her next visit to Galvaston House she went
straight to Marcus.

"I just felt I must come and tell you all about it," she said in her
enthusiastic manner. "I have had such a happy afternoon. Mr. Alwyn
was reading to his father when I went in, and they both looked so
comfortable and contented. They made me stay and pour out their coffee
for them. At first Mr. Alwyn wanted to leave us; he declared that two
was company and three none, and that he was only in the way; but of
course I would not hear of that, and I was so glad to see him too."

[Illustration: "They both looked so comfortable a