k you." It was a woman's voice.

"Good-night, Mercy," cried the children.

Drayton was opening the door.

"Think again," said Hugh Ritson. "You run no risk. Eleven forty-five
prompt will do."

CHAPTER IV.

When Drayton went out, Hugh Ritson walked into the bar. The gossips had
gone. Only the landlady was there. The door to the room opposite now
stood open.

"Mrs. Drayton," said Hugh, "have you ever seen this face before?"

He took a medallion from his pocket and held it out to her.

"Lor's a mercy me!" cried the landlady; "why, it's her herself as plain
as plain--except for the nun's bonnet."

"Is that the lady who lodged with you at Pimlico--the mother of Paul?"

"As sure as sure! Lor's, yes; and to think the poor young dear is dead
and gone! It's thirty years since, but it do make me cry, and my
husband--he's gone, too--my husband he said to me, 'Martha,' he said,
'Martha--'"

The landlady's garrulity was interrupted by a light scream: "Hugh,
Hugh!"

Mercy Fisher stood in the door-way, with wonder-stricken eyes and
heaving breast.

In an instant the poor little soul had rushed into Hugh Ritson's arms
with the flutter of a frightened bird.

"Oh, I knew you would come--I was sure you would come!" she said, and
dried her eyes, and then cried again, and then dried them afresh, and
lifted her pouting lips to be kissed.

Hugh Ritson made no display. A shade of impatience crossed his face at
first, but it was soon gone. He tried to look pleased, and bent his head
and touched the pale lips slightly.

"You look wan, you poor little thing," he said, quietly. "What ails
you?"

"Nothing--nothing, now that you have come. Only you were so long in
coming, so very long."

He called up a brave word to answer her.

"But you see I keep my word, little woman," he said, and smiled down at
her and nodded his head cheerfully.

"And you have come to see me at last! All this way to see poor little
me!"

The mute weariness that had marked her face fled at that moment before a
radiant smile.

"One must do something for those who risk so much for one," he said, and
laughed a little.

"Ah!"

The first surprise over, the joy of that moment was beyond the gift of
speech. Her arms encircled his neck, and she looked up at his face in
silence and with brightening eyes.

"And so you found the time long and tedious?" he said.

"I had no one to talk to," she said, with a blank expression.

"Why, you ungratef