Mr. Ricaby nodded to Collins.
"Very well; tell him to come in."
The old man disappeared, and the attorney turned to his client. There was a tone of reproach in his voice as he said:
"How glad you are to see this man, Paula!"
"Yes; I—I——" she stammered.
"You don't stop to think," rejoined her companion bitterly, "that his family is the cause of your present predicament. You might say it is his fault."
"His mother's fault, perhaps, but not his," corrected Paula quickly. "You don't like him—you never liked him. Yet he is my friend—the one friend I feel I can depend upon besides yourself. Won't you try and like him for my sake?"
The lawyer shook his head. Doggedly he replied:
"If I don't like him that is my affair. I don't see why you should take it so much to heart."
"Well, don't—don't say anything to him, will you?"