"I like the woman best," he answered, holding to her skirts.
"You are right," said Redlaw, with a faint smile. "But you needn't
fear to come to me. I am gentler than I was. Of all the world, to
you, poor child!"
The boy still held back at first, but yielding little by little to
her urging, he consented to approach, and even to sit down at his
feet. As Redlaw laid his hand upon the shoulder of the child,
looking on him with compassion and a fellow-feeling, he put out his
other hand to Milly. She stooped down on that side of him, so that
she could look into his face, and after silence, said:
"Mr. Redlaw, may I speak to you?"
"Yes," he answered, fixing his eyes upon her. "Your voice and
music are the same to me."
"May I ask you something?"
"What you will."
"Do you remember what I said, when I knocked at your door last
night? About one who was your friend once, and who stood on the
verge of destruction?"
"Yes. I remember," he said, with some hesitation.
"Do you understand it?"
He smoothed the boy's hair - looking at her fixedly the while, and
shook his head.
"This person," said Milly, in her clear, soft voice, which her mild
eyes, looking at him, made clearer and softer, "I found soon
afterwards. I went back to the house, and, with Heaven's help,
traced him.
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