The boy smiled.
"It seems such an absurd thing, sir," he answered, "and yet I must ask you to excuse me, because I do not possess a dress suit!"
"Then you will come without one until it is purchased. A dress suit does not make the gentleman. If you have not the money that is required, do not hesitate to call upon me. There must be none of that false pride about you that is so despicable in most young men. I have taken a great liking to you, and I am determined to see you succeed in the world. There are very few of us who would have occupied our present positions had there not been a helping hand extended to us. Mine will be the hand to assist you up the ladder to social prominence and wealth. We dine at 6:30. I shall expect you."
Neil Lowell bowed respectfully, but quietly, and passing up the stairs, went to his own room.
Andrew Pryor looked after him.
"That is the most extraordinary boy that I ever knew!" he muttered. "Some day I must get him to tell me the story of his life. I would be willing to stake my head that his parents were somebody!"
And in his own room, a comfortable nest, not elegant, but cozy and homelike, Neil Lowell threw aside his hat and coat, and seating himself in front of the fire, bowed his chin upon his breast and was lost in reflection.
"What a strange world it is!" he muttered. "Only a little while ago, and as a girl, as poor, unfortunate Leonie Cuyler, my heart seemed breaking. I was friendless, and helpless, made desperate by my struggle with life. Driven to bay, I gave myself the appearance of a boy. For a time I feared the tracing of detectives. I lived in constant terror, hiding by day, living in dread at night, subsisting upon the few crumbs that came in my way, or starving, as occasion demanded, until I could bear it no longer! I threw aside fear, and determined that whatever the consequences might be, I would brave it out. I obtained some light work; I went from that to my old work of typewriting, but the girls monopolized that, and I was a—boy. However, I got enough money together to buy a decent suit of clothes, accidentally performed a slight service for Andrew Pryor, was taken into his employ to do anything that came my way that was not menial, though I don't know that I should have refused that had it come my way, and now I am his private secretary. It is a curious world! I wonder what in Heaven's name is in store for me? They must all discover sooner or later that I am not what I appear, but how can I help it? It is useless to repine now! There is no going back. It is forward or die, and I am not ready for that yet. Thank God for one thing. It will enable me to repay the debt that I owe to Lynde Pyne! Suppose that he knew the truth? Suppose that he knew that but yesterday he had stood beside me, Leonie Cuyler? Suppose—— But the time for supposing anything is over. I am Neil Lowell now, and Neil Lowell I shall remain to the end of the chapter. I even intend to try to forget that I am not the boy that I appear. There is no reason why I should not remain Neil Lowell. I have as much right to that name as any other. As a boy, life promises something to me, as a girl, it holds nothing but disgrace and shame. Let me see! If I am to appear at that dinner-table I must be presentable. I shall have just time to go down-town and make some necessary purchases before the dinner hour. Ha! ha! It does seem too absurd to think of Leonie Cuyler in the bosom of the family of Andrew Pryor as a fine young man, and his private secretary. I suppose I shall be making love to one of the girls next."
The expression of the beautiful face was nearer to amusement than any that had shadowed it since that death on the top floor of the tenement, that Leonie Cuyler had called her home.
The black derby was pulled down to carefully conceal the broad brow, and with a very boyish swing to his gait, Neil Lowell passed out of the house again.