At first she thought of telling old William to drive round several blocks, but this she knew would be ridiculous. She hoped Mr. Welford was not in; indeed, she felt quite encouraged when she thought that at this time of day he might probably be out attending to business. But the young man at the table in the front room told her Mr. Welford was in, and she was shown into that gentleman’s private office. Mr. Welford greeted her kindly, but evidently did not recognize her.
“You don’t remember me,” she said, in rather a low voice. “I am Helen Webster.”
“Indeed!” said Mr. Welford. “I didn’t know you. I have not seen you since you were a very little girl.”
Then he shook hands with her, offered her a seat, and asked her questions about her father and mother. After these had been answered, there was a pause, and then Helen thought it was time to state her business, but she could not, for the life of her, remember how her mother had told her to begin.
“I came to talk to you about Philip Berkeley,” she said, after she had remained quiet for a time that to her seemed dreadfully long.
“That boy at Hyson Hall?” asked Mr. Welford, quickly.
“Yes, sir,” said Helen.
Mr. Welford’s face grew very dark.
“Never in all my life,” he said, “did I hear of a boy who gave so much trouble in so short a time as this Philip Berkeley! Scarcely has his uncle left him to himself when he begins a career of horse-racing and general mad-cap behavior, actually taking possession of people’s hats, and hanging them up in grocery stores to be called for; then he comes to me with a likely story of having quarrelled with one of his servants, and needing hundreds of dollars to pay her off and discharge her, and as soon as he finds he can’t get the money he tells me the quarrel is at an end; he then actually attempts to kill a young man staying in his house, and, failing in this, causes his visitor to be dreadfully beaten by one of his associates. I did not intend to say so much about him, but the very thought of the young rascal makes me indignant. And now, what has he been doing to you, or your family? I suspected that it would not be long before we should hear complaints from some of his neighbors.”
Helen sprang to her feet, pushed back her chair, and stood up in front of Mr. Welford. She did not now remember a word her mother had told her to say, nor did she care to. Her eyes sparkled, her face was flushed, and words came to her almost faster than she could utter them.