“I beg your pardon, Mr. Leland, but have you not a sister?” A flush slowly mounted his brow, even to the roots of his hair. The surprised look in his face deepened. Who was this lady that she should ask him such a question?
“I believe I have a sister. Yes, but how could you know of this?”
“Her name is Margaret?” entirely ignoring the latter part of the young man’s answer.
“I believe that is her name,” he again answered becoming still more mystified.
“And her home is in Chicago, where she lives with your mother?” Again the flush mounted to his brow. There was a little stiffening of the lines about the mouth as he answered somewhat coldly.
“She lives in Chicago with her mother,” placing a marked emphasis upon the “her.” Imelda noticed it and a pained look crept about her lips. She hesitated, scarcely knowing how to proceed. Alice was watching her. Quickly she understood that the young man who had rendered them such signal service must be the brother of the precious friend of Imelda, whom she herself had learned to love in the short time she had known her, for her own sake. Imelda had told her all the sad story. The boy had been many years under the influence of that worthless father. Had he instilled the poison into his heart? It would almost seem so. How would Imelda proceed? She seemed to hesitate for a few moments, then suddenly,—
“I left Chicago only a few months ago. Margaret Leland was my most precious friend in that great city. A woman pure as pure gold; reared, instructed and cared for by her mother whose life is consecrated to truth and purity. Margaret Leland and her mother are women whom any man in the land might well be proud to own as sister and mother.”
Imelda had spoken quickly, her words savoring just a little of excitement. They sounded like a defense, with just an undercurrent of pleading for justice for those loved ones, to one whom fate had placed in a position where he was ignorant of that which ought to concern him most in life. He seemed to understand her desire. After a slight hesitation, his embarrassment growing greater every moment.
“If the ladies will kindly permit I would be thankful to avail myself of the permission to call upon them.”
Imelda reached out her hand.