me now must give way to you. I didn't use to
think me an' Clara would come to that; but it looks like it--it looks
like it.'

The girl stood with downcast eyes. Once more her face had suffered a
change; the lips were no longer malignant, her forehead had relaxed
from its haughty frown. The past fortnight had been a period of contest
between her father's stubborn fears and her own determination to change
the mode of her life. Her self-will was only intensified by opposition.
John had often enough experienced this, but hitherto the points at
issue had been trifles, matters in which the father could yield for the
sake of pleasing his child. Serious resistance brought out for the
first time all the selfish forces of her nature. She was prepared to go
all lengths rather than submit, now the question of her liberty had
once been broached. Already there was a plan in her mind for quitting
home, regardless of all the misery she would cause, reckless of what
future might be in store for herself. But the first sign of yielding on
her father's part touched the gentler elements of her nature. Thus was
she constituted; merciless in egotism when put to the use of all her
weapons, moved to warmest gratitude as soon as concession was made to
her. To be on ill terms with her father had caused her pain, the only
effect of which, however, was to heighten the sullen impracticability
of her temper. At the first glimpse of relief from overstrained
emotions, she desired that all angry feeling should be at an end.
Having gained her point, she could once more be the affectionately
wilful girl whose love was the first necessity of John Hewett's
existence.

'Well,' John pursued, reading her features eagerly, 'I'll say no more
about that, and I won't stand in the way of what you've set your mind
on. But understand, Clara, my girl! It's because Sidney persuaded me.
Sidney answers for it, mind you that!'

His voice trembled, and he looked at the young man with something like
anger in his eyes.

'I'm willing to do that, Mr. Hewett,' said Kirkwood in a low but firm
voice, his eyes turned away from Clara. 'No human being can answer for
another in the real meaning of the word; but I take upon myself to say
that Clara will bring you no sorrow. She hears me say it. They're not
the kind of words that a man speaks without thought of what they mean.'

Clara had seated herself by the table, and was moving a finger along
the pattern of the dirty white cl