the old days; he
knew now that there were others of whom he was more afraid than he was
of Mrs. Holman. He was not affected by her.

"I must ask to be allowed to come in, however, ma'am, for I didn't come
here this evening to stand out in the snow. It is to you yourself I want
to speak."

"Perhaps it's no longer than can be said here where we stand," answered
Mrs. Holman, rudely. "Come here, Silla!"

"Oh no, it's not very long; but then I must explain one or two things
that belong to it."

As Mrs. Holman still continued to bar the gateway and only beckoned
again to her daughter, Silla, in her despair and terror, suddenly made
her choice. There was nothing for it but to shut her eyes and stand by
Nikolai, and she took his arm boldly.

"Yes, ma'am, that's it, as you see. We hold together as we have done
ever since we were little. And I came this evening to ask for her, and
to ask if we could have the benefit of your leave and consent. For with
my credentials and good wages, and when I never drink and--"

Silla now acted with the courage of despair; she pushed Nikolai so that
they all three--Mrs. Holman yielding half involuntarily--came through
the gate and from thence into the room where the battle was then fought.

While Silla sat with her hands before her face on a chair in the dark
and Nikolai, with quiet persistency continued to plead his case, and
make as manifest as possible how he now had a prospect of becoming
foreman and could provide for Silla, Mrs. Holman assumed a mightily
offended, repellant attitude. She employed her whole power; she bridled,
and she was wrathful, and she exhibited the most extreme astonishment.
It almost looked as if he thought he could really take her daughter from
her, whether she said yes or no. What was there left for an elderly
woman to live on, when her husband was dead, and her daughter who could
keep her, refused, because she thought of marrying a smith who could not
so much as show that he had a wedded father?

She was on the point of rising in defence to the death of her maternal
rights, when a light suddenly dawned upon her. Her eyes began to gaze
into a perspective of the future. If Nikolai ever came to justify the
great words and promises he was now making, she might, in case of the
worst, when the time came, claim an asylum with them.

This thought, however, did not prevent her from selling every
concession, with deep sighs, as dearly as possible.

She must say she