I saw he felt ill at ease and could but wonder, for, after all, it was only I with whom he had to deal.
"I am ready. I 've only been waiting for you all these weeks."
"Do you know that I have been to Delia Beaseley for certain information?"
"Yes; she wrote me. I wrote her to tell you all she knew of me."
He seemed to breathe more freely after my speaking so frankly, as if I really would welcome anything he might have to say.
"Ah—this clears the atmosphere; we can talk. Of course, you know with Cale's story dovetailing so perfectly into what I told you on my first making acquaintance with you, I simply had to put two and two together; besides, your smile was a constant reminder of some one whom I had known or met—but whom I could not recall try as hard as I might. The result of it all was that I went to Delia Beaseley and put a few questions. Now,"—he hesitated a moment; he seemed to brace himself mentally in order to continue,—"do you know positively whether your father is living or dead? Have you ever known?"
"No; but dead to me even if living—that is why I said I was an orphan."
"I understand; but you don't know either the one or the other for a fact?"
"No; I have no idea."
"You never knew his name?"