"Must be—what!" gasped Mattie, rising in her chair.
"Keep quiet—you're to be kept quiet—the doctor said so," he stammered, fighting wildly in the air with both hands; "don't alarm yourself—try and guess who I am for the next hour and a half. I'll be back by that time—where's my hat?—good evening."
He turned to dart out of the room, and ran against Sidney Hinchford, who had been standing there an amazed listener—for how long?
"Break it to her by degrees before I come," he said to Sidney; "I'm her father—I have been looking for her all over the kingdom. Do me this good turn?"
"One moment—I am going your way. Mattie understands it already."
"Sidney!" cried Harriet.
"I shall be back in a few minutes," he said, and then the local preacher and the banker's clerk went out together.