“My dear Lyle,” said Houston, slowly, “I believe you are right, and I will never consider you a child again; but I cannot understand how you, with your youth and inexperience, can think and act so wisely and well.”
“We none of us know what we can do or be,” she answered gravely, “till an emergency arises, and we are suddenly shown what is required of us.”
“I will follow your suggestion at the first opportunity,” Houston said, after a pause, “I shall tell Miss Gladden all that you know regarding my plans and my work, with but one reservation; for the present, I do not wish her to know that Mr. Cameron is related to me.”
Lyle looked slightly surprised, “Very well,” she answered, in a tone of assent, adding, “You are his nephew, are you not?”
“His nephew and his adopted son,” Houston replied, with a peculiar smile.
“Ah!” she replied quietly, “I understand; Miss Gladden is to know nothing at present of your wealth.”
“I have won her love with love, not with gold,” he said proudly, “but she will find, by and by, that the latter is not lacking.”
A remark of Miss Gladden’s, which she had made in confidence, soon after her engagement to Houston, was suddenly recalled to Lyle’s mind; “Whether he has money or not, I do not know or care, for I have enough for both of us.”
A curious smile flitted over her face for a moment, but she only said, “You must be very wealthy!”
“I have enough,” Houston responded, “to give to Miss Gladden the home of which she is worthy, but which she has never known; and,” he added, “there is one thing, my dear Lyle, upon which we are both agreed; that our home, wherever it shall be, shall be your home also, as our sister.”