Our meeting in this place is purely accidental--providential, I will rather say.

My purpose in coming was, as already explained, to meet your father.

He is away, and on business that at once sets aside all necessity for seeing him.

It will now be much better that he should not even know of my return from the South--better for me, I mean; for the interests that might suffer are mine alone.

But let me explain a little, that you may act understandingly.