Mrs. Talbot saw plainly that Livingston Palmer was suffering, both from humiliation and from the manner in which he had been treated physically, and her heart was touched.
"I am very sorry for you, Mr. Palmer," she said. "If there is anything I can do for you I will do it willingly. But I would first like to hear something of my son."
"I will tell you all I know," answered the young man quickly. "I was in hope that Robert's mother might aid me. We have been good friends. He's a splendid lad."
"Yes, Robert is a good boy and always was. Is he well?"
"Perfectly well, and was, as I said before, doing finely, until the fire threw us both out."
"How much was he getting a week?"
"Five dollars."
"I do not call that very good," cried Mrs. Talbot. "He cannot live very well on that in such a city as Chicago."
"He told me he had an allowance besides."
"An allowance?" Mrs. Talbot looked puzzled. "I can't understand that. I made him no allowance, for he would not permit it. He said he was going to make his own way in the world."