 her?«
    »Perhaps she's at Mrs. Tubbs's,« replied his wife, in a low voice, looking
at Kirkwood.
    »An' what call has she to be there? Who gave her leave to go there?«
    There was another exchange of looks between Sidney and Mrs. Hewett; then the
latter with hesitation and timidity told of Mrs. Tubbs's visit to her that
evening, and of the proposals the woman had made.
    »I won't hear of it!« cried John. »I won't have my girl go for a barmaid, so
there's an end of it. I tell you she shan't go!«
    »I can understand you, Mr. Hewett,« said Sidney, in a tone of argument
softened by deference; »but don't you think you'd better make a few inquiries,
at all events? You see, it isn't exactly a barmaid's place. I mean to say, Mrs.
Tubbs doesn't keep a public-house where people stand about drinking all day. It
is only a luncheon-bar, and respectable enough.«
    John turned and regarded him with astonishment.
    »Why, I thought you was as much set against it as me? What's made you come
round like this? I s'pose you've got tired of her, an' that's made you so you
don't care.«
    The young man's eyes flashed angrily, but before he could make a rejoinder
Mrs. Hewett interposed.
    »For shame o' yourself, John! If you can't talk better sense than that,
don't talk at all. He don't mean it, Sidney. He's half drove off his head with
trouble.«
    »If he does think it,« said Kirkwood, speaking sternly but with
self-command, »let him say what he likes. He can't say worse than I should
deserve.«
    There was an instant of silence. Hewett's head hung with more than the usual
doggedness. Then he addressed Sidney, sullenly, but in a tone which admitted his
error.
    »What have you got to say? Never mind me. I'm only the girl's father, an'
there's not much heed paid to fathers nowadays. What have you got to say about
Clara? If you've changed your mind about her goin' there, just tell me why.«
    Sidney could not bring
