"Well, and how's the old lady?" he asked.
"My mother is quite well, thank you. Sir," replied Rachel The name of father was too strange to be used thus at first.
"And you—how do you get on? You 're a milliner, stay-maker—ain't you?"
"I am a dress-maker; but I can do other work," said Rachel, thinking this, poor girl! a favourable opening for her present.
"I have made these for you," she added, opening and untying her parcel; and displaying the shirts to her father's view, and as she did so, she gazed very wistfully in his face.
He gave them a careless look.
"Why, my good girl," he said, "I have dozens of shirts—dozens!"
And he returned to his work, a moment interrupted.
Tears stood in Rachel's eyes.
"I am sorry," she began, "but—but I did not know; and then I thought—
I thought you might like them."