faces, which had been in shadow, were now turned
towards Mr. Collier, who was advancing leisurely, and with silent
footsteps, across the grass. He met them face to face, and as he did so
the prisoner sprang back and threw out his arms in front of him, with
the gesture of a man who entreats silence. Mr. Collier halted as though
struck to stone, and the two men confronted each other without moving.

"Good God!" Mr. Collier whispered.

He turned stiffly and slowly, as though in a trance, and beckoned to his
wife, who had followed him.

"Alice!" he called. He stepped backwards towards her, and taking her
hand in one of his, drew her towards the prisoner. "Here he is!" he
said.

They heard her cry "Henry!" with the fierceness of a call for help,
and saw her rush forward and stumble into the arms of the prisoner, and
their two heads were bent close together.

Collier ran up the steps and explained breathlessly.

"And now," he gasped, in conclusion, "what's to be done? What's he
arrested for? Is it bailable? What?"

"Good heavens!" exclaimed Sir Charles, miserably. "It is my fault
entirely. I assure you I had no idea. How could I? But I should have
known, I should have guessed it." He dismissed the sentries with a
gesture. "That will do," he said. "Return to your posts."

Mr. Collier laughed with relief.

"Then it is not serious?" he asked.

"He--he had no money, that was all," exclaimed Sir Charles. "Serious?
Certainly not. Upon my word, I'm sorry--"

The young man had released himself from his sister's embrace, and was
coming towards them; and Sir Charles, eager to redeem himself, advanced
hurriedly to greet him. But the young man did not see him; he was
looking past him up the steps to where Miss Cameron stood in the shadow.

Sir Charles hesitated and drew back. The young man stopped at the foot
of the steps, and stood with his head raised, staring up at the white
figure of the girl, who came slowly forward.

It was forced upon Sir Charles that in spite of the fact that the young
man before them had but just then been rescued from arrest, that in
spite of his mean garments and ragged sandals, something about him--the
glamour that surrounds the prodigal, or possibly the moonlight--gave him
an air of great dignity and distinction.

As Miss Cameron descended the stairs, Sir Charles recognized for the
first time that the young man was remarkably handsome, and he resented
it. It hurt him, as did also the prodig