d, and that friend a lady; and if I can assist, by suggestion or
otherwise, I shall be most happy to do so."

"I asked your opinion the other evening," continued Miss Gladden, "as
to taking her east with me, but there were other matters pertaining to
her welfare, on which I wished your opinion and advice, but I could
not so well speak of them before her, so I asked for this interview."

Miss Gladden hesitated a moment, almost hoping that Jack might make
some remark which would give her a cue as to the best method for her
to pursue in seeking the information she desired, but his attitude was
that of respectful attention, and he was evidently waiting for her to
proceed.

"I have felt attracted toward Lyle from the first," she began slowly,
"not alone by her wondrous beauty and grace of manner, but even more
by her intelligence and intellectual ability, her natural refinement
and delicacy, which, considering her surroundings, seemed to me simply
inexplicable. From the very first, she has been to me a mystery, and
as I become better acquainted with her, the mystery, instead of being
lessened, is only deepened."

She paused, but he offered no comment, only bowed gravely for her to
continue.

"I could not, and I cannot yet, understand how one like her could ever
have been born, or could exist in such surroundings as hers; and the
fact that she has existed here, her beautiful nature untainted,
unsullied by the coarseness, the vulgarity and the immorality about
her, to me seemed an indication that she was of an altogether
different type, born in another and far higher sphere. I saw she was
unhappy, and I determined to win her confidence, and in so doing, from
a vague suspicion I have gradually arrived at a firm conviction that
Lyle is not the child of those whom she calls her parents."

Jack manifested no surprise, neither was there anything in his manner
to indicate that this was a subject upon which he had any knowledge.
He simply asked very calmly,--almost indifferently it seemed to Miss
Gladden,--

"Have you discovered any direct evidence in support of this conviction
that she is not their child?"

"No tangible evidence," replied Miss Gladden, "nothing, of course,
that could be called proof, but there are what I consider very strong
indications."

"Are the indications on Lyle's part, or on the part of Mr. and Mrs.
Maverick?" inquired Jack.

"On both sides," replied Miss Gladden, "I have very little to say
rega