She had made up her mind, at sight of the books, that he was a canvasser
for some subscription book, such as used to come in her father's time, but
when she opened to him he took off his hat with a great deal of manner, and
said "Miss Kilburn?" with so much insinuation of gentle disinterestedness,
that it flashed upon her that it might be Mr. Peck.

"Yes," she said, with confusion, while the flash of conjecture faded away.

"Mr. Brandreth," said her visitor, whom she now saw to be much younger than
Mr. Peck could be. He looked not much more than twenty-two or twenty-three;
his damp hair waved and curled upon his temples and forehead, and his blue
eyes lightened from a beardless and freshly shaven face. "I called this
morning because I felt sure of finding you at home."

He smiled at his reference to the weather, and Annie smiled too as she
again answered, "Yes?" She did not want his books, but she liked something
that was cheerful and enthusiastic in him; she added, "Won't you step into
the study?"

"Thanks, yes," said the young man, flinging off his gossamer, and hanging
it up to drip into the pan of the hat rack. He gathered up his books from
the chair where he had laid them, and held them at his waist with both
hands, while he bowed her precedence beside the study door.

"I don't know," he began, "but I ought to apologise for coming on a day
like this, when you were not expecting to be interrupted."

"Oh no; I'm not at all busy. But you must have had courage to brave a storm
like this."