“One night Mr. Ames whispered to me that he was coming up to my room at Mrs. Ames’ request as soon as I retired. I had been in my room but a few minutes when he tapped on the door. I opened it and let him in. Be drew me to the window seat and put his arms around me and said:
“‘Little girlie, I have come to tell you a few things which you or any other innocent girl ought to know. It is for your own protection that I tell you. I would that I could spare you the revelation, but I cannot, for you are unsafe, there are so many unscrupulous men in the world who would take advantage of innocence.’
“I did not understand the drift of his remarks and was half vexed. He kissed me then for the first time. Then he told me about myself and about men and women and their relations to each other.
“It was a great shock to me and I hid my face on his broad shoulder and cried as if my heart would break. After he had quieted me, we talked a long time and I could see what a good thing it was that he had told me as much as he had.
“It was one night some weeks after this had occurred that Mr. Ames and I were left alone in the parlor. We had waited a long time for grandma to retire, and when she finally went he turned out the electric light for a moment, so that he could take me in his arms and kiss me good-night. It was a mistake, for grandma stood on the landing above and saw it.
“Nothing was ever said about it, but I could feel the change in the atmosphere and luckily, as my school term was out that week, I was able to leave without occasioning comment. I returned to Chicago with little money and secured a pleasant room with a private family on Drexel boulevard. I had not been there a week, when Mr. Ames, to whom I had promised to send my address, came to see me. I was so discouraged and blue that his presence was a panacea for all my ills. He laid down on the couch and asked me to come and sit down beside him, and took me in his arms.
“I was just in the state of mind to receive caresses and to return them; his were balm to my aching heart. He caressed me until—well, I don’t know how it all happened—if anyone had asked me the next morning if I had done wrong, I should have said no, with a clear conscience, for I did not know then that that which a good woman prizes higher than life had been taken from me.
“After this he came as often as his business cares would permit, always the same, tender and true. One day he came as usual and said, ‘I have planned your vacation trip for the summer, dear, and although it will deprive me of the pleasure of your company for a long time and I hardly know how I am going to get along without the sunshine of your presence; but you are not well and I think the change will do you good.’
“Then he unfolded his plan to me. I was to go to Mackinac for the summer. He gave me $200 when I left. I staid three months and was really very lonely at times without Fred, but not as lonely as he was without me, for I had many friends among the young people, while he was obliged to come to the city regularly and stay for a day or two every week as usual, to keep up appearance at home.
“He sent me many pretty little gowns and waists, and showed rare good taste in their selection, and was so thoughtful in every way that it was little wonder that I leaned on him more than I realized. And, then, too, his letters were so beautiful, every one of them breathing of his devotion to me. When fall came, with it came the thought of what I was to do to support myself. I came back to Chicago and Fred met me. We had a long talk and he asked me if I thought I could manage to live on $10 a week. I felt very rich at the prospect of having an income assured me every week, and think I enjoyed it, small though it was, more than I did the days of prosperity that followed.