Disturbed as he had been by his cousin's arrival, and undecided for some time as to the expediency of granting him an interview or not, Sid could not refrain from a smile at Maurice's unenviable position. He remembered Mr. Gray's first charge upon his sins, and the unsparing length to which he had extended his remarks upon them; he could imagine the position of Maurice Hinchford at that juncture, and realize the feelings with which that gentleman heard and suffered. "I think I'll go to him now, Sidney," said Mattie. It had been Sidney and Mattie--as between brother and sister--for a long time now. "Will your father admire the intrusion?" asked Sid, drily. "Perhaps he _is_ doing good," said Mattie, who regarded matters akin to this more seriously than the blind man; "I'll wait a while." And all this time Maurice was praying for help. It had not been a very pleasant idea, that of facing his cousin for the first time; but now the thought occurred to him that he would rather face the very worst--even that obnoxious being, of whom the preacher earnestly warned him--than hear this man inveigh against his sins any more. Mattie quietly entered the shop. The spell was broken; Mr. Gray paused with his right arm above his head--he was just coming down with another bang on the counter--and Maurice leaped off his stool, to which he had been transfixed, and shook hands violently with Mattie in his bewilderment. "He will see me, Miss Gray?" "Yes. If you wish it." "Thank you--thank you! Is he in the parlour?" "Yes." "And so be warned, young man--there is no excuse left you--not one, now. You have been warned of all the evils which a guilty life incurs upon those who go on their way defiantly!" "Oh! yes--I have been warned, sir; there's not a doubt of it--I'm afraid I have put you to a great deal of trouble?" said Maurice, not yet recovered from his confusion. "In a good cause, I don't mind trouble." "Very kind of you, I'm sure. In the parlour, you said, Miss Gray?--then I'll go to him at once. It must be getting very late." Mr. Gray was proceeding to follow Maurice, when Mattie touched him on the arm and arrested his progress. "I think we had better leave them together. Their business is scarcely ours." "What?--ah! exactly so, my dear. But I wish you had not interrupted me quite so unceremoniously--the impression I was making upon that young man was wonderful! Great heaven! if it is left for me to work his regeneration at the last, how proud I shall be! Mattie, I think I have moved him--he has already said something about building a tabernacle, a chapel, or something; but I scarcely caught the words at the moment--think of that man, so wicked, and perverse, and designing, proceeding after all, in the straight and narrow way! It's wonderful!"