"I shall speak to him this evening. Do you think he will be stern and hard to persuade, Rhoda?"
"I don't know. He said once that he would like to—to—that he would like to know I had some one to take care of me."
"On that score I am not afraid of falling short. Your father could give his treasure to no man who would take more loving care of her than I!"
"And then you are a gentleman; and father thinks a great deal of that, although he makes no pretence at being anything more than a tradesman himself. And of course I am only a tradesman's daughter. I am greatly below you in station—I know that."
"My Rhoda! As if there could be any question of that between us! God knows I have been poor and obscure enough all my life. But now I shall be able to tell your father that I hope to have a home to offer you that will be at least not sordid, and the position of a lady."
"I hope you won't repent, Mr. Diamond."
"Repent! But, Rhoda, won't you call me by my name? Say Matthew, not Mr. Diamond."
"Yes; I will if you like. But I'm afraid I can't all at once. It seems so strange."
"I wish you liked my name one thousandth part as much as I love the sound of yours! It seems so sweet to be able to call you Rhoda."
"Oh, I like your name very much indeed. But I think, please, that you had better go now. The people are coming out of church, and Aunt Betty may be back at any moment; and I don't wish her to find you here before you have spoken to father."