Quietly Mattie set herself to take stock of Harriet Wesden, after the latter's confession, to note if the love to which she had confessed were likely to be a permanency or not. Harriet and Mattie spoke but little concerning the adventures at Brighton; Mattie shunned the subject, and turned the conversation when Harriet felt prone to dilate upon her melancholy sensations. Besides, Mattie knew her place, kept to the shop, whither Harriet seldom followed her--that young lady having a soul above the business, by which she had benefited. Mr. and Mrs. Wesden rather admired this; they had saved money, and the business, to the latter at least, was but a secondary consideration; they had paid a large sum to make a lady of Harriet, and when they retired from business, Harriet would go with them, and be their hope and comfort, with her lady-like ways, in their little suburban residence. They were not slow in letting Harriet know this; they spoke of a private life very frequently; when Harriet was two years older, they would retire and live happily ever afterwards! Or, Mr. Wesden thought more prudently, if they did not give up the business for good, still they would live away from it, and leave the management of it to some trustworthy personage--Mattie, for instance, who would see after their interests, whilst they took their ease in their old age. Mr. Hinchford, senior, had listened to these flying remarks more than once; he spoke of his own establishment in the future in _his_ turn--where and how he should live with that clever boy of his, who would redeem the family credit by assuming the Hinchfords' legitimate position. "I kept my carriage once, Mr. Wesden--I hope to do it again. My boy's very clever, very energetic--he has gained the esteem of his employers, and I believe that they will make a partner of him some day." What Sidney Hinchford believed, did not appear upon the surface. He was a youth--say a young man--who kept a great many thoughts to himself, and pushed on in life steadily and undemonstratively. His father was right; Sidney had gained the esteem of his employers; he _was_ very clever at figures, handy as a correspondent, never objected to over-work, did more work than any one of the old hands; evinced an aptitude for business and an interest in his employers' success--very remarkable in these egotistical times. His employers were wholesale tea-dealers in Mincing Lane--well-to-do men, without families of their own--men who had risen from the ranks, after the fashion of City-men, who have a nice habit of getting on in the world. Sidney Hinchford's manner pleased them, but they kept their own counsel, and watched his progress--and Sidney's was a remarkable progress, for a youth of his age.