Mr. Slocum had advanced two steps into the apartment, and had been brought to a dead halt by the surprising tableau in the embrasure of the window.  He stood motionless, with an account-book under his arm, while a dozen expressions chased each other over his countenance.

“Mr. Slocum,” said Richard, who saw that only one course lay open to him, “I love Margaret, and I have been telling her.”

At that the flitting shadows on Mr. Slocum’s face settled into one grave look.  He did not reply immediately, but let his glance wander from Margaret to Richard, and back again to Margaret, slowly digesting the fact.  It was evident he had not relished it.  Meanwhile the girl had risen from the chair and was moving towards her father.

“This strikes me as very extraordinary,” he said at last.  “You have never given any intimation that such a feeling existed.  How long has this been going on?”

“I have always been fond of Margaret, sir; but I was not aware of the strength of the attachment until the time of her illness, when I—­that is, we—­came near to losing her.”

“And you, Margaret?”

As Mr. Slocum spoke he instinctively put one arm around Margaret, who had crept closely to his side.

“I don’t know when I began to love Richard,” said Margaret simply.

“You don’t know!”

“Perhaps it was while I was ill; perhaps it was long before that; may be my liking for him commenced as far back as the time he made the cast of my hand.  How can I tell, papa?  I don’t know.”

“There appears to be an amazing diffusion of ignorance here!”

Margaret bit her lip, and kept still.  Her father was taking it a great deal more seriously than she had expected.  A long, awkward silence ensued.  Richard broke it at last by remarking uneasily, “Nothing has been or was to be concealed from you.  Before going to sleep to-night, Margaret would have told you all I’ve said to her.”

“You should have consulted with me before saying anything.”

“I intended to do so, but my words got away from me.  I hope you will overlook it, sir, and not oppose my loving Margaret, though I see as plainly as you do that I am not worthy of her.”

“I have not said that.  I base my disapproval on entirely different ground.  Margaret is too young.  A girl of seventeen or eighteen”—­

“Nineteen,” said Margaret, parenthetically.

“Of nineteen, then,—­has no business to bother her head with such matters.  Only yesterday she was a child!”

Richard glanced across at Margaret, and endeavored to recall her as she impressed him that first afternoon, when she knocked defiantly at the workshop door to inquire if he wanted any pans and pails; but he was totally unable to reconstruct that crude little figure with the glossy black head, all eyes and beak, like a young hawk’s.

“My objection is impersonal,” continued Mr. Slocum.  “I object to the idea.  I wish this had not happened.  I might not have disliked it—­years hence; I don’t say; but I dislike it now.”