"You do not like it here?" he asked, letting his tone become gentle, in coaxing confidence.
"Oh, yes," she answered quickly, with a flit of trouble across her face. "At least, I think I do. I do not care to go away."
"Not to your beautiful home?" he asked insinuatingly. "And your mother?" he added, his eyes narrowing to observe her expression more closely.
"She is not my mother," answered the girl coldly, and became at once reserved, as if she were sorry for having spoken so plainly.
"Oh, I beg your pardon! I did not know," murmured the stranger, making mental note of her change of expression.
Suddenly her eyes flashed wide upon him, and she dashed a question out with a way that compelled an answer:
"Has my father come to take me home, do you know?"
"Oh, no, not at all," answered the young man suavely. He was delighted to have found this key to her thoughts. It led just where he desired. "We are merely taking a business trip together, and your father stopped off to see how things were going with you. I am sure I am delighted that he did, for it has given me great pleasure to meet you."
"Why?" asked the girl, lifting relieved eyes to his face in mild astonishment.
He gave a half-embarrassed laugh at this frank way of meeting him.