‘A hansom’s the most private place in London,’ he said after a pause.

It certainly did seem to her very cosy and private, and her nearness to one of the principal theatrical managers in America was almost startling.  Her white frock, with the black velvet decorations, touched his gray suit.

‘Now,’ he said, ’I do wish you’d tell me why you were in my parlour last night.  Honest.’

‘What for?’ she parried, to gain time.

Should she begin to disclose her identity?

’Because—­well, because—­oh, look here, my girl, I want to be on very peculiar terms with you.  I want to straighten out everything.  You’ll be sort of struck, but I’ll be bound to tell you I’m your father.  Now, don’t faint or anything.’

‘Oh, I knew that!’ she gasped.  ’I saw the moles on your wrist when your were registering—­mother told me about them.  Oh, if I had only known you knew!’

They looked at one another.

’It was only the day before yesterday I found out I possessed such a thing as a daughter.  I had a kind of fancy to go around to the old spot.  This notion of me having a daughter struck me considerable, and I concluded to trace her and size her up at once.’  Nina was bound to smile.  ‘So your poor mother’s been dead three years?’

‘Yes,’ said Nina.

’Ah! don’t let us talk about that.  I feel I can’t say just the right thing....  And so you knew me by those pips.’  He pulled up his right sleeve.  ‘Was that why you came up to my parlour?’

Nina nodded, and Lionel Belmont sighed with relief.

‘Why didn’t you tell me at once, my dear, who you where?’

‘I didn’t dare,’ she smiled; ‘I was afraid.  I thought you wouldn’t——­’

‘Listen,’ he said; ’I’ve wanted someone like you for years, years, and years.  I’ve got no one to look after——­’

‘Then why didn’t you tell me at once who you were?’ she questioned with adorable pertness.

‘Oh!’ he laughed; ’how could I—­plump like that?  When I saw you first, in the bureau, the stricken image of your mother at your age, I was nearly down.  But I came up all right, didn’t I, my dear?  I acted it out well, didn’t I?’

* * * * *

The hansom was rolling through Hyde Park, and the sunshiny hour was eleven in June.  Nina looked forth on the gay and brilliant scene:  rhododendrons, duchesses, horses, dandies—­the incomparable wealth and splendour of the capital.  She took a long breath, and began to be happy for the rest of her life.  She felt that, despite her plain frock, she was in this picture.  Her father had told her that his income was rising on a hundred and fifty thousand dollars a year, and he would thank her to spend it.  Her father had told her, when she had confessed the scene with Mr. Reuben and what led to it, that she had grit, and that the mistake was excusable, and that a girl as pretty as she was didn’t want to be as fly as Mr. Reuben had said.  Her father had told her that he was proud of her, and he had not been so rude as to laugh at her blunder.