"We'll try it--we'll begin home there, father." "Home in earnest--eh?" Mattie did not notice the meaning in his tones; she was full of other thoughts. "It must be a home, that you and I will try to render happy for him--for his own sake--for his dead father's," she said. "To be sure. And if he be not happy then, it will not be our fault." "I hope not!" "Hope not," said her father; "do you think we may fail in the attempt?" "If we be not careful. We must remember that he is weak and requires support--that he is blind, and cannot escape us if we weary him too much." "Oh! I see--I see," he said, a little aggrieved; "you are afraid that I shall tire him with the Word of God. Mattie, he's not exactly a Christian man yet, and I should certainly like to make him one. There will be plenty of time for preaching the truth unto him." "And for leaving it alone." "Bless my soul!" he ejaculated, as though Mattie had fired a pistol in his ear. "You will believe that I understand him best, and I think that it will not do to attack him too often with our creed. His first disappointment is over--he is teaching himself resignation--he will come round to a great extent without our help--with our help, judiciously applied, he will come round altogether." "You think a man may be told too often of the error of his ways?" "Yes." "Then we shall never agree upon that point." And they never did. Notwithstanding this, Mr. Gray remembered Mattie's hint, and often curbed a rising attempt to preach to Sidney. When his rigour carried him to preaching point, Sidney listened patiently; when Sidney knew that Mr. Gray's energy was real, and that not one atom of hypocrisy actuated his motives, he respected the preacher, and paid attention to him. He altered rapidly for the better; he became again almost the Sidney Hinchford of old times--the smile returned more frequently, the brightness of his face was something new; it was pleasant to think that he was not isolated from the world, and that there were friends in it yet to care for him. He went to church every Sunday in lieu of chapel, somewhat to Mr. Gray's dissatisfaction. He had gone in old days twice every Sunday with his father, and he preferred adopting the old habits to frequenting the chapel whither Mr. Gray desired to conduct him. Sometimes Mattie accompanied him; more often, when he knew his ground, he went by himself, leaving Mattie to her father's escort. Meanwhile business slowly but surely increased; the connection extended--all went well with these three watchers--each watching for a different purpose, with an equal degree of earnestness. END OF THE SIXTH BOOK. BOOK VII. SIDNEY'S GRATITUDE. CHAPTER I. MAURICE HINCHFORD IN SEARCH OF HIS COUSIN.