She had vaguely wondered what he might do to execute his promise of aid; she had felt that time was running short if her mother was to be prevented from commencing rent-collector on the Monday; she had perhaps ingenuously expected from him some kind of miracle; but of a surety she had never dreamed that he would call in person at her home.

"He must be mad!" she would have exclaimed to herself, if the grandeur of his image in her heart had not made any such accusation impossible to her.

He was not mad; he was merely inscrutable, terrifyingly so.

It was as if her adventurous audacity, personified, had doubled back on her, and was exquisitely threatening her.
"Good afternoon!" said Mr.Cannon, smiling confidently and yet with ceremoniousness.

"Is your mother about ?" "Yes." Hilda did not know it, but she was whispering quite in the manner of Florrie.
"Shall I come in ?" "Oh! Please do!" The words jumped out of her mouth all at once, so anxious was she to destroy any impression conceivably made that she did not desire him to come in.
He crossed the step and took her hand with one gesture.