"Assuredly not; quite the contrary; but—"
"But you do not yet understand me. The fact is, Mr. Tincroft, your name is not strange to me; and excuse me for saying that I am afraid it will have an unpleasant effect on my friend Mr. Wilson."
"I am also almost afraid that it will, at first; but I also trust that he will ultimately see no reason to regret that I have taken this long journey for the sake of a personal interview. At any rate, I must see him if possible." John added, "May I be so bold as to ask—" and here he stopped short.
"To ask in what way your name came to be so familiar to me?"
"Yes;" John acknowledged that the thought had occurred to him.
"In the simplest of all ways, Mr. Tincroft. In having heard it repeatedly at some former time, but not lately, from the lips of my friend Mr. Wilson; and also from having seen it in letters which he put into my hands."
John looked up inquisitively, but did not speak.
"I am dealing openly with you, you see, sir," continued the lady.
"And no doubt—" John found tongue at last to say, "no doubt your impressions or preconceptions are not altogether in my favour."
Mary Burgess now hesitated; in a moment or two, however, she said, "I would rather not speak of my previous impressions. It is more to the purpose to say that both my brother—"