uld relate the story of his relations with Clara
Hewett.

'Clara?' exclaimed Mr. Snowdon, as if struck by the name. 'Disappeared,
has she? What sort of a girl to look at?'

Clem was ready with a malicious description, whereto her husband
attended very carefully. He mused over it, and proceeded to make
inquiries about Clara's family. The Hewetts were now living in another
part of Clerkenwell, but there was no hostility between them and the
Peckovers. Was anything to be gained by keeping up intimacy with them?
Joseph, after further musing, decided that it would be just as well to
do so; suppose Clem called upon them and presented the husband of whom
she was so proud? He would like, if possible, to hear a little more
about their daughter; an idea he had--never mind exactly what. So this
call was paid, and in a few weeks Joseph had established an
acquaintance with John Hewett.

Sidney, on his part, had a difficulty in coming to definite conclusions
respecting Jane's father. Of course he was prejudiced against the man,
and though himself too little acquainted with the facts of the case to
distinguish Joseph's motives, he felt that the middle-aged prodigal's
return was anything but a fortunate event for Michael and his
granddaughter. The secret marriage with Clem was not likely, in were
not lacking grounds for hesitation in refusing to accept any case, to
have a respectable significance. True, there Joseph's account of
himself. He had a fund of natural amiability; he had a good provision
of intellect; his talk was at times very persuasive and much like that
of one who has been brought to a passable degree of honesty by the slow
development of his better instincts. But his face was against him; the
worn, sallow features, the eyes which so obviously made a struggle to
look with frankness, the vicious lower lip, awoke suspicion and told
tales of base experience such as leaves its stamp upon a man for ever.
All the more repugnant was this face to Sidney because it presented, in
certain aspects, an undeniable resemblance to Jane's; impossible to say
which feature put forth this claim of kindred, but the impression was
there, and it made Sidney turn away his eyes in disgust as often as he
perceived it. He strove, however, to behave with friendliness, for it
was Michael's desire that he should do so. That Joseph was using every
opportunity of prying into his thoughts, of learning the details of his
history, he soon became perfect