"A gentleman connected with the chapel—our chapel."
"Indeed!"
"He helps us with the district business when he's in town—and he has been very anxious to see you for the last fortnight, but the young woman who waits upon you said—very rudely, I fear—that she wouldn't have you worried for fifty parsons. May he come in?"
Before Mattie had made up her mind, he came in without permission. It was difficult to distinguish him in the shadowy room, save that he was short and thin, and moved about with extraordinary celerity.
"When the sinner is too weak to go forth in search of the Word, it should be brought to her by all men earnest for sinners' redemption," he said, in a high, hard voice, very unsuitable for an invalid's chamber; "and I trust that Miss Gray will not consider me out of place in coming hither to teach her to be grateful for her recovery."
"She is scarcely recovered yet, sir," Harriet ventured to suggest.
"What does Miss Gray say?" he said, as though Miss Wesden's word was to be doubted.
"That it is very kind of you to come—but that I am a little weak just at present."
"I called on the doctor—he's not of your opinion—he ought to know best."
"Yes, yes," said the doctor, "but you promised only a few words."