Mattie:—A Stray (Vol 2 of 3)

By bestowing blessings upon others, we entail them on ourselves. Horace Smith.
Mattie had fully anticipated a visit from Mr. Wesden on the day following Sidney Hinchford's departure, but the master appeared not at the little shop in Great Suffolk Street. It was not till the following day that he arrived—at six in the morning, as the boy was taking down the shutters. Mattie's heart began beating painfully fast; she had become very nervous concerning Mr. Wesden, and his thoughts of her. Appearances had been against her of late, and he was a man who did not think so charitably as he acted sometimes.
He gave a gruff good morning, and came behind the counter.
You can do what you like to-day, he said. I'll mind the shop.
Very well, sir. I—I suppose, she added, hastily, Miss Harriet has told you what happened the day before yesterday?
I know all about it. I don't want to talk about it.
But I do, sir!
Mr. Wesden stared over Mattie's head after his old fashion. His will had been law so long, that disputing it rather took him aback.
I know that these losses put you out, Mr. Wesden, said Mattie, firmly; that they are due to my own carelessness—to having been taken off my guard after all my watch here, all my interest in everything connected with the business. I dream of the shop,—I would not neglect it for the world,—and it is hard to be so unfortunate as I have been. Mr. Wesden, you wouldn't let me repay back the money which was taken away from the house; but I must pay the value of that parcel stolen from before my very eyes.
It was large enough to see, he added, and I expect you to pay for it, Mattie.
What was it worth?
You shall have the bill to settle, if you've saved as much—it will come in next week. And now, just understand, once for all, that I don't want to talk about it—that I object very much to talk about it.