Frank and his companion walked toward Sixth Avenue.
“My uncle tells me you have a sister to support,” said Wade, opening the conversation.
“Yes, sir.”
“Does your sister resemble you?” asked John Wade.
“No, sir! but that is not surprising, for——”
“Why is it not surprising?”
Frank hesitated.
“You were about to assign some reason.”
“It is a secret,” said our hero, slowly; “that is, has been a secret, but I don’t know why I should conceal it. Grace is not my sister. She is Mrs. Fowler’s daughter, but I am not her son. I will tell you the story.”
That story Frank told as briefly as possible. John Wade listened to it with secret alarm.