“No, I am, because you see I have never worked before, and I couldn’t give any references.”
John was quiet for a moment; he was trying to imagine what her life had been. Evidently she came of a well-to-do family; as Mrs. Hadley had said, she was not an ordinary girl. If she had been, he knew his mother would have made some effort to help her, but she would not have brought her into her own home.
“But surely you could give some personal friends as references?” suggested John.
“No, I couldn’t!”
“Heavens! You sound as if you had been serving a term in prison!” He laughed as he said this; the remark sounded too absurd. But to his amazement, the girl’s eyes filled with tears.
“No! No! Not that!” she protested, and John took the warning, realizing that his remark had been tactless.
“I say,” said the young man hastily, “let’s celebrate by going to a show tonight! What do you say?” He looked eagerly at Dorothy.
“If—if your mother wants to,” said the girl, shyly.
“Yes, all right,” said Mrs. Hadley; “but I am tired. John and I had quite a long walk this afternoon. Why don’t you young people go alone?”
“No, I won’t go without you, Mrs. Hadley,” replied Dorothy, quietly.