“I beg pardon,” he said, glancing around the apartment; “but chancing to see my young friend there—pointing to Joseph—enter this house, I ventured to follow. We entered into a little negotiation regarding some fine sewing, which I am anxious to complete. Is this young lady the sister you spoke of, young gentleman?” Joseph retreated slowly toward his grandmother, and stood looking at the stranger, turning white and red, like the frightened child he was. “She is my sister,” cried Robert, flinging down a handful of kindling wood on the hearth, and coming forward. “But just now I can support her handsomely myself, on what Mr. Gould pays me. He wouldn’t have followed me home like that. We are very much obliged; but sister Anna has all the fine work she can do, and never takes any thing of the kind from gentlemen—at any rate, unless they are very particular friends, indeed,” added the boy, with a blush, remembering that Anna had done some work of the kind for young Savage, and seemed to enjoy the doing of it very much, indeed. “Then your sister does, sometimes, accept such work as I offer?” said the young man, bowing to Anna. “I am glad to hear that; it saves me from feeling quite like an intruder. May I hope, young lady, that you will make me one of the exceptions?” “She don’t want any work,” interposed Robert, coloring crimson. “I’ve got an idea above that for her, and I mean to carry it out, too. Our Anna, sir, is a lady, if she does live up here under the roof.” “No one could doubt that for a moment,” answered Ward, casting a glance of warm admiration on the young girl. Here the old lady arose, still pale, but gently self-possessed. “Will you be seated,” she said, with quiet dignity, “and let us understand what it is that you desire of us? My grandson seems to have met you before.” “Yes, grandma, I saw the gentleman at Gould & Co.’s, and he seemed as if he would like them not to take me; hinted that I wouldn’t carry a lot of money from one person to another honestly, and hurt my feelings, generally. I don’t know what he wants to come here for.” Here Joseph gave his grandmother’s dress a pull, and whispered, as she bent toward him, “It was he who paid me the twenty-five cents. Give it back to him—give it back to him.” The old lady patted his head, and turned to the stranger. “If I understand, you wish to have some sewing done, and thinking my grandchild wants work, bring it to her. We are much obliged; but she is very busy just now, and it will be impossible for her to undertake any thing more than she has on hand.” “But at some future time, madam,” said the young man. “I can wait.” “It will be impossible to promise for the future,” answered the old lady; “as the persons who employ my child now must always have the preference. Perhaps we had better think no more about it.”