Mattie entered, found her father busy behind the counter with his stock, said a few words, and passed into the parlour.
It was a second version of the proceedings at Camberwell. The father holding aloof, and giving suitor and maiden fair play.
CHAPTER V.
MATTIE'S ANSWER.
Sidney Hinchford heard the door open, and knew that the end was come. In a few minutes was to be decided the tenor of his after-life. He did not move, but remained with his hands clasped upon the table—a grave and silent figure in the lamp-light.
"What makes you so thoughtful to-night, Sid?"
The more formal Mr. Sidney had been dropped long since; Mattie had resisted the encroachment as long as it was in her power, but the friendship between them had been increased as well as their intimacy, and the more familiar designation was the more natural of the two.
"Am I looking very thoughtful, then, Mattie?"
"Oh! so cross and black!"