hat surprised at the cheerful aspect with which
Sidney met him; the grasp which his hand received seemed to have a
significance. Sidney, after looking at him steadily, asked if he had
not been home.

'Yes, I've been home. Why do you want to know?'

'Hadn't Clara anything to tell you?'

'No. What is it?'

'Did she know you were coming here?'

'Why, yes; I mentioned it.'

Sidney again regarded him fixedly, with a smile.

'I suppose she preferred that I should tell you. I looked in at the
Buildings this afternoon, and had a talk with Clara.'

John hung upon his words, with lips slightly parted, with a trembling
in the hairs of his grey beard.

'You did?'

'I had something to ask her, so I went when she was likely to be alone.
It's a long while ago since I asked her the question for the first
time--but I've got the right answer at last.'

John stared at him in pathetic agitation.

'You mean to tell me you've asked Clara to marry you?'

'There's nothing very dreadful in that, I should think.'

'Give us your hand again! Sidney Kirkwood, give us your hand again! If
there's a good-hearted man in this world, if there's a faithful, honest
man, as only lives to do kindness--What am I to say to you? It's too
much for me. I can't find a word as I'd wish to speak. Stand out and
let's look at you. You make me as I can't neither speak nor see--I'm
just like a child--'

He broke down utterly, and shook with the choking struggle of laughter
and sobs. His emotion affected Sidney, who looked pale and troubled in
spite of the smile still clinging feebly about his lips.

'If it makes you glad to hear it,' said the young man, in an uncertain
voice, 'I'm all the more glad myself, on that account.'

'Makes me glad? That's no word for it, boy; that's no word for it! Give
us your hand again. I feel as if I'd ought to go down on my old knees
and crave your pardon. If only she could have lived to see this, the
poor woman as died when things was at their worst! If I'd only listened
to her there'd never have been them years of unfriendliness between us.
You've gone on with one kindness after another, but this is more than I
could ever a' thought possible. Why, I took it for certain as you was
goin' to marry that other young girl; they told me as it was all
settled.'

'A mistake.'

'I'd never have dared to hope it, Sidney. The one thing as I wished
more than anything else on earth, and I couldn't think ever to see it.
Glad's