He did not pause to summon any one, but walked in through the open door.

All was silent.

Through a neat vestibule, in which were rare flowers, and pictures upon the wall, he passed into a small apartment, and through that to the door of an inner chamber It was half open.

He looked in.

Was it another picture?
No, it was in very truth his child; and her babe lay in her arms, as he had just seen it, and Pierre sat before her looking tenderly in her face.