‘A merry Christmas,’ he says.

‘The same to you,’ replies Philippa.

‘Are you going to walk home?’ he asks.

‘No, we are going back in a hansom.’

Here Teddy interrupts with, ’Did you know I’ve got a sister, you’ll come and see her, won’t you?’

‘I shall be delighted,’ replies Dalrymple, looking at Lippa, who has turned her head away.  ‘May I come?’ he asks in a low voice.

But Miss Seaton does not answer, as Lady Dadford suddenly appears, ’Ah! my dear child,’ she exclaims, ‘how is the sweet mother and the baby?’

So a long string of questions ensues, and Philippa answers them, feeling that Jimmy is watching her, and suddenly she meets his eye, and there is a look of entreaty in them that makes her smile back; such a dear little tender smile, that it causes Dalrymple to start, while a new life seems to course through his veins.

Ah! what a great deal a pretty woman’s smile may do, of good and often alas of harm.

How many men have been lured on by a smile and only too late have awoke from its enchantment.  Oh, women, women, some of you hardly take into consideration what a great part you take in the world’s drama; with you it lies to make or mar the lives of the men, be they brothers, husbands, sons or merely friends; it is in your power to make them God-fearing, true gentlemen; and it is you too, who drag them down till they become mere lovers of pleasure, giving way to every vanity, forgetting surely that they are human beings, with immortal souls!

* * * * *

It is tea-time, and in Brook Street Lippa has just begun to pour out that delicious beverage for herself and her brother, when the door opens and Dalrymple walks in.

‘Hullo,’ says George, ’what an age it is since you have been near the house—­’

‘Yes,’ replies Jimmy, rather lamely, taking Philippa’s proffered hand.

‘How do you do, again,’ says she, ‘you will have some tea, won’t you?’

Jimmy says, ‘Thanks,’ and for a second or two there is an awkward pause, neither Lippa nor Dalrymple feeling quite at their ease, and George never speaks except it is necessary; but Teddy suddenly appears, and suggests that the baby ought to be visited, and after a long argument as to who it is like, remembers that he came with a message to the effect that his mother wanted to speak to his father.

‘Why didn’t you tell me before?’ says George.

‘I’d forgotten it,’ replies his son placidly; nothing ever disturbs Teddy’s peace of mind.

‘You’ll wait till I come back,’ says Mr Seaton turning to Dalrymple, and the door shuts.

A little time is passed in uninteresting conversation on the weather and things in general, till every subject they can think of has been exhausted, when Lippa finds that Dalrymple is looking at her, she fiddles with her teaspoon in her cup and then raises her eyes to his, and finding them still fixed on her, returns to the teaspoon symphony, but he rises and leans against the mantelpiece.