"Good gracious! how could I, when I don't know you from Adam?"
"There! now that's an unkind thrust at my age. True, I am somewhat older than yourself, but if you only have a little patience, and don't get drawn into any serious scrapes—like murder, for instance—you may see the time when you will be as old-looking as I am."
Cora's face suddenly blanched, and she stared helplessly at her visitor. But he looked so innocent and unconscious that she at length mustered courage to ask:
"Why do you take the trouble to allude to serious scrapes? Do you think I am likely to be drawn into anything of the kind?"
"You lead a somewhat irregular life, do you not, my dear?" said Old Spicer.
"What do you mean by that?" asked the girl, quickly.
"You go to theaters, balls and parties, eat late suppers, and see a good deal of gentlemen's society, don't you?"
"Why—yes."
"The gentlemen of your acquaintance are not all saints, I take it?"
Cora gave a somewhat boisterous laugh.