Tubbs John Hewett began to alter in his
treatment of him. At first there was nothing more than found its
natural explanation in regret of what had happened, a tendency to
muteness, to troubled brooding; but before long John made it
unmistakable that the young man's presence was irksome to him. If,
on coming home, he found Sidney with Mrs. Hewett and the children, a
cold nod was the only greeting he offered; then followed signs of
ill-humour, such as Sidney could not in the end fail to interpret as
unfavourable to himself. He never heard Clara's name on her father's
lips, and himself never uttered it when John was in hearing.
'She told him what passed between us that night,' Sidney argued
inwardly. But it was not so. Hewett had merely abandoned himself to
an unreasonable resentment. Notwithstanding his concessions, he
blamed Sidney for the girl's leaving home, and, as his mood grew
more irritable, the more hopeless it seemed that Clara would return,
he nursed the suspicion of treacherous behaviour on Sidney's part.
He would not take into account any such thing as pride which could
forbid the young man to urge a rejected suit. Sidney had grown tired
of Clara, that was the truth, and gladly caught at any means of
excusing himself.
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