"But you think she has gone wrong, don't you?" the man asked with no small eagerness.
"Well, I hope not; but I think so."
"Who? Mattie!" cried Sidney, suddenly thrusting himself into the conversation; "our Mattie—that be—hanged!"
He checked himself in time to save scandalizing the ears of the gentleman in black, who twirled round with a tee-to-tum velocity and faced him.
"What do you know of her, young man?" he asked abruptly.
"What do you want to know for?" was the rejoinder.
"I wish to find her—I am very anxious to find her."
"I hope you may, if it's for her good."
"Her moral and spiritual good, sir—without a doubt."
"You can't improve her. There isn't a better or more unselfish girl in the world!"