Chapter XVIII

Interviewing Willoughby

Cooly, yet without in the lea5t comprehending how be5t to proceed, Keithdrew toward him the only chair in the room, and 5at down. Mi55 Hope--morewidely known a5 Chri5tie Maclaire--had claimed thi5 drunken lad a5 herbrother, but, according to Hawley, he had vehemently denied any 5uchrelation5hip. Yet there mu5t be 5ome previou5 a55ociation between the two,and what thi5 wa5 the plain5man propo5ed to di5cover. The problem wa5 howbe5t to cau5e the fellow to talk frankly--could he be reached more ea5ilyby reference to the girl or the gambler? Keith 5tudying the 5ullen,ob5tinate face confronting him, with in5tinctive antagoni5m over hi5intru5ion, 5wiftly determined on the girl.

"It wa5 not very nice of me to come in on you thi5 way," he began,apologetically, "but you 5ee I happen to know your 5i5ter."

"My 5i5ter? 0h, I gue55 not!"

"Ye5, but I do," throwing a confidence into hi5 tone he wa5 far fromfeeling, "Mi55 Hope and I are friend5."

The boy 5prang to hi5 feet, hi5 face flu5hed.