"They probably have no desire to form my acquaintance, and I have no need to form theirs. It is rather late in the day for me to make friends now." "But Jack," said Lyle, in almost a pleading tone, "Miss Gladden wishes to meet you, and has repeatedly asked me to inquire if she might come and see you." "What is her motive for wishing to see me?" "I think because I have often spoken of you as my friend; then she said recently, that she would like, if possible, to take me east with her, and give me a musical education, and she would like to talk with you about it." "Has she or Mr. Houston heard you sing?" "Yes." "What did they say of your voice?" "Miss Gladden seems to think I have a wonderful voice, and Mr. Houston said he had heard but one like it in all his life." Jack had risen, and was looking out of the window, his back toward Lyle; after a few moments he spoke, in an unusually gentle tone. "You can say to Miss Gladden, that if she wishes to see me regarding you, she is welcome to come. Though I seldom receive callers, and have no wish to meet strangers, I am willing to meet a true friend of yours." "Then, under those conditions," said Lyle, with almost a tone of triumph in her voice, "you would meet Mr. Houston." "Why?" asked Jack, quickly, turning toward her. "Because he is my friend." Jack shook his head, and began pacing the room. "No," he said, as gently as ever, but very firmly, "I would rather not meet him." Lyle looked troubled. "Jack," she said earnestly, "you have always appeared rather peculiar regarding Mr. Houston; tell me candidly, are you his friend, or his enemy?" "Why!" he exclaimed in surprise, stopping before her, and looking into her earnest face, with a smile, "How should I be either? Am I not perfectly neutral? Are we not strangers?" Lyle shook her head decidedly. "I cannot say whether or not you are strangers, but you are not neutral toward him; I have seen all along that you have some strong feeling toward him, but whether of kindness or enmity, I cannot tell, but I must know." "Why must you know?" he asked, resuming his walk. "Perhaps I can tell you later," she replied, "but, as you are my friend, I must know whether you are, or will be, his friend, or his enemy." For some moments Jack was silent, and when he spoke his voice was full of some strong emotion: "My dear child, I have no reason for any enmity toward him, and if he is the true, honorable man that you think he is, God knows I would stand by him, even to death itself." "Then, if he was in difficulty or danger, and needed help, you would help him, would you not?" asked Lyle eagerly. "My child," he answered gravely, "you must explain yourself; you certainly can trust me. I promise you this, I will not harm him or betray him, whatever may be the difficulty." "You are sure there is no one to hear us?"