The girl was somehow stronger than he portrait.
"Perhaps I had better leave you to talk to Mr.Festing," Mrs.Dalton said presently and moved away.
Helen waited with a calm that Festing thought must cost her much, and moving a folding chair, he sat down opposite.
"I understand Bob told you I would come," he said.

"You see, he is a friend of mine." "Yes," she replied with a faint sparkle in her eyes.

"He hinted that you would explain matters.

I think he meant you would make some defense for him." Festing noted that her voice was low like her mother's, but it had a firmer note.

He could be frank with her, but there was a risk that he might say too much.
"Well," he said, "I may make mistakes.