Ran also took the precaution to lock the door before he came and seated himself at the table opposite John Legg. Julia drew a chair to the side of her husband, sat down and took his hands in hers.
“You look troubled, Mr. Hay. You have something more to tell me about my poor girl, and you shrink from telling it. But speak out, sir. I can bear it,” said John Legg, with stoical resignation.
“No, indeed, my friend, it is nothing more that I have to communicate of her; at least, nothing ill. I came in here only, to plead for a little change in our plans,” said Ran soothingly.
“What is it, dear sir? Your kind will should be our law.”
“By no means!” earnestly exclaimed Ran. “But the change I wished to make is this: You remember that you proposed to keep out of your daughter’s way until she should have heard the worst that she must hear of her real position?”
“Yes. I shrank, and still shrink, from adding to her pain and mortification by my presence,” sighed the unhappy father.
“But, my dear Mr. Legg, consider for one moment. She has not yet heard the humiliating facts, but it is absolutely necessary that she should hear them to-night. Now is it not better that she should hear them from your lips than from mine or from my lawyer’s? Would she not suffer less to have the truth told her gently here, in private, by the lips of her father, than out there, in public, by the lips of a stranger?”
While Ran spoke John Legg sat with his gray head bowed upon his hands in deep, sorrowful reflection, and when Ran ceased to speak the poor father made no reply.
“What do you think about this, Mr. Legg?” gently persisted Ran.
“I don’t know! I don’t know!” moaned the old man in a heartbroken tone. “What do you say, Julia?” he piteously inquired, raising his head and appealing to his wife.