out for your happiness, as well as for your father's. Rely upon it,
you will find no change in his feelings towards you.'

'He will always be kind and good to me, I know,' she answered sadly.
'It is not possible for him to be anything but that; but I can never
be his companion again as I have been. There is an end to all that.'

'That was a kind of association which could not be supposed to last
all your life, Milly. It is to be hoped that somebody else will have
a claim upon your companionship before many years have gone by.'

'I suppose you mean that I shall marry,' she said, looking at him
with supreme indifference.

'Something like that, Milly.'

'I have always fancied myself living all my life with papa. I have
never thought it possible that I could care for any one but him.'

Julian Stormont's face darkened a little, and he sat silent for some
minutes, folding and refolding the newspaper in a nervous way.

'You are not very complimentary to your admirers at Thornleigh,' he
said at last, with a short hoarse laugh.

'Who is there at Thornleigh? Have I really any admirers there?'

'I think I could name half-a-dozen.'

'Never mind them just now. I want you to tell me all you know about