Many moments passed in silence. Then Seth rose, and lit a candle, Sally following his movements with undisguised anxiety.
Sally gazed with longing, admiring eyes at the treasures of the cellar, which was a veritable Aladdin's cave in her sight. It was with difficulty she removed her eyes from the aquarium, which was something so entirely outside her experience as to make it a marvel indeed.
"Here's my bed, Sally; and here's my cupboard; and here's my frying-pan and saucepan and kettle, all clean and tidy." As he seemed to expect an answer, Sally nodded. "Now here," he continued, lifting a blanket which, hung on a line, divided off a portion of the cellar, "is a place where two children might sleep, supposing such an out and out-of-the-way circumstance should ever occur to Seth Dumbrick as taking two ready-made, mischievous girls----"
"Oh, no," interrupted Sally positively, "not mischievous. Good."
"You're not fit to judge. Supposing, I say, such an extraordinary and ridiculous circumstance were to occur to Seth Dumbrick as his taking two girls, one of 'em a baby----"
"Such a beauty!" again interrupted the irrepressible Sally. "Kiss him, baby."
She put baby's face to his, and, utterly confounded and unable to resist, Seth Dumbrick kissed a pair of lips for the first time for Heaven knows how many years.
"If I believed in the Bible," he muttered, "which I don't, it'd be almost like kissing that. Sally, will you stop here, quiet, while I go out a bit?"
"You won't move, you won't touch a thing?"
"And you won't mind sitting in the dark?"
"N--no," said Sally, with a little shiver.
"_I_ would," said Sally, becoming suddenly brave.
"I can't afford to burn candles all day long. You won't touch the aquarium, or put your fingers in the water?"
"I won't move from here, Mr. Dumbrick," protested Sally, grouping mentally for some strong affirmation. "I hope I may never move at all if I do!"
Seth Dumbrick went straight towards Mrs. Chester's lodgings. He met that good woman on his way, inquiring anxiously of her neighbours whether they had seen anything of her child.
"She's at my place," said Seth, "with her baby, and has been there ever so long."
"You've lifted a weight off my heart," said Mrs. Chester.