MATTIE:—A STRAY.

BY F. W. ROBINSON

THE AUTHOR OF "HIGH CHURCH," "NO CHURCH," "OWEN:-A WAIF," &c., &c.

IN THREE VOLUMES

VOL. II.

LONDON:
HURST AND BLACKETT, PUBLISHERS,
SUCCESSORS TO HENRY COLBURN,
18, GREAT MARLBOROUGH STREET.
1864.

The right of Translation is reserved.

LONDON:
PRINTED BY MACDONALD AND TUGWELL, BLENHEIM HOUSE,
BLENHEIM STREET, OXFORD STREET.

CONTENTS OF THE SECOND VOLUME.

BOOK III. UNDER SUSPICION.—Continued.

CHAPTER IX. The Clouds Thicken
CHAPTER X. Mattie in Search
CHAPTER XI. Explanations
CHAPTER XII. A Short Warning
CHAPTER XIII. Leave-takings

BOOK IV. "WANT PLACES."

CHAPTER I. One and Twenty
CHAPTER II. Sidney's Confession
CHAPTER III. A Flying Visit to number Thirty-four
CHAPTER IV. His Turn
CHAPTER V. The New Berth

BOOK V. STORM SIGNALS.

CHAPTER I. Cast Down
CHAPTER II. In which several Discoveries come together
CHAPTER III. Father and Daughter
CHAPTER IV. Only Pity
CHAPTER V. An Unavailing Effort
CHAPTER VI. Mr. Gray further Developed
CHAPTER VII. A Dinner Party
CHAPTER VIII. Mattie's Confession

BOOK III.

CONTINUED.

UNDER SUSPICION.

CHAPTER IX.

THE CLOUDS THICKEN.

Mattie had fully anticipated a visit from Mr. Wesden on the day following Sidney Hinchford's departure, but the master appeared not at the little shop in Great Suffolk Street. It was not till the following day that he arrived—at six in the morning, as the boy was taking down the shutters. Mattie's heart began beating painfully fast; she had become very nervous concerning Mr. Wesden, and his thoughts of her. Appearances had been against her of late, and he was a man who did not think so charitably as he acted sometimes.

He gave a gruff good morning, and came behind the counter.

"You can do what you like to-day," he said. "I'll mind the shop."

"Very well, sir. I—I suppose," she added, hastily, "Miss Harriet has told you what happened the day before yesterday?"

"I know all about it. I don't want to talk about it."

"But I do, sir!"

Mr. Wesden stared over Mattie's head after his old fashion. His will had been law so long, that disputing it rather took him aback.

"I know that these losses put you out, Mr. Wesden," said Mattie, firmly; "that they are due to my own carelessness—to having been taken off my guard after all my watch here, all my interest in everything connected with the business. I dream of the shop,—I would not neglect it for the world,—and it is hard to be so unfortunate as I have been. Mr. Wesden, you wouldn't let me repay back the money which was taken away from the house; but I must pay the value of that parcel stolen from before my very eyes."

"It was large enough to see," he added, "and I expect you to pay for it, Mattie."

"What was it worth?"

"You shall have the bill to settle, if you've saved as much—it will come in next week. And now, just understand, once for all, that I don't want to talk about it—that I object very much to talk about it."

"Very well."

The subject was dropped; Mattie felt herself in disgrace, and, intensely sorrowful at heart, she went down-stairs to tell Ann Packet all that her carelessness had brought upon her.

"He's an old savage, my dear—don't mind him."

"No, Ann—he's a dear old friend, and his anger is just enough. It was all my fault!"

"Well, he's not such a bad master as he might be, pr'aps; but he isn't what he used to be before my ankles took to swelling, nothing like it."

"It will soon blow over, I hope," said Mattie.

"Bless your heart!—puffed away in a