The morning that the steamer sailed Sarah was nervous over starting, but May settled her in a corner of the deck and got her a wrap. Then the girls went to say good-by to some friends.
"Van," Sarah said to me when we were alone. She hesitated a moment, then went on timidly, "If anything should happen to us, Van, there's one thing—"
"Nothing is going to happen! Not unless you lose your letter of credit, or the girls run off with you," I joked.
"There's one thing I want to speak about seriously, Van. It's May and Will!" She paused timidly.
"Can't you do something to make them feel differently?"
"I guess not. I've tried my best!"
"I know they are poor, and Will's in bad health, too,—quite sick."
"How did you know that?"
"Oh, I saw May once before I left. They are in Chicago again."