fitting black coat buttoned up to his chin, and with a thin
face, smooth shaven, with the exception of a little yellow
moustache, and sharp grey eyes. He would have been handsome,
had it not been for his unpleasant expression, at once knowing
and suspicious. The other Horace immediately recognised as
Monsieur Linders; and a moment afterwards he perceived little
Madeleine, sitting nestled close up to her father's side. The
lamplight shone on her curly head and innocent _mignonne_ face
as she watched the game with eager eyes; it was piquant, and
she was marking for her father, and when he had a higher score
than his opponent, she laughed and clapped her hands with
delight.

Graham stood watching this little scene for a minute; and
somehow, as he looked at the little motherless girl, there
came the thought of small rosy children he knew far away in
England, who, having said their prayers, and repeated their
Sunday hymns, perhaps, had been tucked into little white beds,
and been fast asleep hours ago; and a kind, foolish notion
entered the young fellow's head, that, for that one evening at
least, he must get the brown-eyed child, who had taken his
fancy so much, away from the drinking, and smoking, and card-
playing, into a purer atmosphere. He went up to the table, and
leant over her chair.

"Will you come out again and have a walk with me in the
garden?" he said in English.

The man opposite, who was dealing, looked up sharply and
suspiciously. Madelon turned round, and gazed up into the kind