He paused, with his right hand held out before him, as was customary when he was deeply in earnest, and Lester felt the candor and simplicity of this appeal. Robert was not criticizing him now. He was making an appeal to him, and this was somewhat different.
The appeal passed without comment, however, and then Robert began on a new tack, this time picturing old Archibald’s fondness for Lester and the hope he had always entertained that he would marry some well-to-do Cincinnati girl, Catholic, if agreeable to him, but at least worthy of his station. And Mrs. Kane felt the same way; surely Lester must realize that.
“I know just how all of them feel about it,” Lester interrupted at last, “but I don’t see that anything’s to be done right now.”
“You mean that you don’t think it would be policy for you to give her up just at present?”
“I mean that she’s been exceptionally good to me, and that I’m morally under obligations to do the best I can by her. What that may be, I can’t tell.”
“To live with her?” inquired Robert coolly.
“Certainly not to turn her out bag and baggage if she has been accustomed to live with me,” replied Lester.
Robert sat down again, as if he considered his recent appeal futile.
“Can’t family reasons persuade you to make some amicable arrangements with her and let her go?”
“Not without due consideration of the matter; no.”