'She is dying?'
'There's no doubt of it.'
And Joseph added his belief that John Hewett would certainly not
take it ill if the other went there before it was too late.
Sidney had no appetite now for the meal he would have purchased on
reaching home. A profound pity for the poor woman who had given him
so many proofs of her affection made his heart heavy almost to
tears. The perplexities of the present vanished in a revival of old
tenderness, of bygone sympathies and sorrows. He could not doubt but
that it was his duty to go to his former friends at a time such as
this. Perhaps, if he had overcome his pride, he might have sooner
brought the estrangement to an end.
He did not know, and had forgotten to ask of Snowdon, the number of
the house in King's Cross Road where the Hewetts lived. He could
find it, however, by visiting Pennyloaf. Conquering his hesitation,
he was on the point of going forth, when his landlady came up and
told him that a young girl wished to see him. It was Amy Hewett, and
her face told him on what errand she had come.
'Mr. Kirkwood,' she began, looking up with embarrassment, for he was
all but a stranger to her now, 'mother wants to know if you'd come
and see her.
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