Generally Jessie was only too ready to help whenever it lay in her power, and a countrywoman of her mother's had naturally every claim upon her sympathy, but the side from which the demand came caused it to fill her with the darkest suspicions. In her eyes Gustave Sandow was not the man to help any fellow-creature from pure philanthropy. Such an egoist must certainly have other motives for his actions, and she returned a very cautious answer.
"This takes me quite by surprise. I am to receive a total stranger, who, as you acknowledge, is entirely destitute of introductions?"
"I undertake the responsibility," cried Gustave eagerly. "Any security you can desire I will give."
"Oh, indeed!"
A light began to dawn upon her. She saw the dreaded offer vanish into the distance. A way of escape which she had never thought of suddenly opened before her.
"You seem to know your protégée very thoroughly, Mr. Sandow, and to take an extraordinary interest in her."
"Certainly I do. Towards an orphan that is the duty of every Christian."
"I was not aware that you were such a good Christian," said Jessie, with unconcealed irony.
"Then, Miss Clifford, you have misunderstood me in that as in so many other respects. Where humanity is concerned my opinions are in the highest degree Christian," declared Sandow solemnly.
Jessie's lips curled scornfully at the word "humanity," but the thing began to interest her, so she asked--