In the second place, he never knew what the
papers were--and he executed twenty such sets of papers
every day, very likely. All he could say, at the very
best, would be that at such a time father brought in an
old Spaniard and two or three other greasers, and that he
took their acknowledgments of something."
"I do not know that, Tom," said the girl, without
flinching at his mannish information. "If notaries in
Washington are anything like notaries in novels, that man
kept a record or register of his work. If he was not
very unlike everybody else who lives and works here, he
left a very destitute widow when he died. Tom, I shall
go after church and hunt up the Widow Gilbert. I shall
ask her for her husband's books, and shall tell her why
I want them."
The girl dropped her voice and said: "Tom, I shall
ask her IN HIS NAME."
"God grant it does any good, dear girl," said he.
"Far be it from me to say that you shall not try--"
But here he stopped speaking, for he felt Matty's arm
shake in his, and her whole frame trembled. Tom had only
to keep his eyes before him to see why.
Mr. Greenhithe, Matty's old admirer, the clerk who
had been dismissed for stealing, was just entering the
church, and even touched his hat to her as she went by.
Tom resisted his temptation to thrash him then and
there. He said,--
"Matty, I believe I will tackle that man!"
"Oh, Tom!"
"Yes, Matty, I can keep my temper, and he cannot keep
his.
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