But she had not looked sternly at him.

In the few words which she had spoken her voice had been very sweet.

Both of them had said they remembered him after the long interval that had passed;--but the manner of saying so had been very different.

He was almost sure that the old man would be averse to him, though he could tell himself personally that there was no just cause for such aversion.
But if this were so, he could not forward his cause by making his offer through the father.
'Well, John, how has it gone with you at Babington ?' his father asked almost as soon as they were together.
It had not been difficult to tell his father of the danger before he made his visit, but now he hesitated before he could avow that the young lady's hand had again been offered to him.

'Pretty well, sir.