Sidney laughed.
"I never regarded it in that light before. What an attack on our old gentility!"
"Gentility will not be much affected, Sidney. Have you anything more to tell me?"
"Nothing now."
"Not that if you marry Mattie, the crabbed, disputatious local preacher may stop with you?"
"I hope he will. He has been a good friend to me, and will keep so, for his daughter's sake."
"And for your own, young man. I'll go back to my work now."
But the work was in his way after that, and all the effects of his strong will could not make it endurable. Sidney's revelation had disturbed his work; he would try a little silent praying to himself—a selfish prayer he felt it was, and therefore no sound escaped him—that this choice of Sidney's might bring comfort and happiness to his daughter and himself.
He was sitting with his large-veined hands spread before his face, and Sidney was wrapt in thoughts of the change that might be in store for him, when Mattie knocked at the door.
"Sit here—I shan't come back yet awhile. We may as well end this part of the business at once."