Indeed, I have no opportunity, for there they both are coming hither from the house." Sure enough they were--Miss March helping her father across the uneven bit of common to the gate which led to the field.

Precisely at that gate we all four met.
"'Tis useless to escape them," whispered I to John.
"I do not wish--why should I ?" he answered, and held the gate open for the father and daughter to go through.

She looked up and acknowledged him, smiling.

I thought that smile and his courteous, but far less frank, response to it, would have been all the greeting; but no! Mr.
March's dull perceptions had somehow been brightened up.

He stopped.
"Mr.Halifax, I believe ?" John bowed.
They stood a moment looking at one another; the tall, stalwart young man, so graceful and free in bearing, and the old man, languid, sickly, prematurely broken down.
"Sir," said the elder, and in his fixed gaze I fancied I detected something more than curiosity--something of the lingering pensiveness with which, years ago, he had turned back to look at John--as if the lad reminded him of some one he knew.