Haven't I made it plain to you
that she is innocent of any intent to do wrong?"
"You have said so, Mr. Sprouse, but your idea of wrong and mine may
not jibe."
"There cannot be two ways of looking at it, sir," said Sprouse, after
a moment. "She could do no wrong."
Whereupon Barnes reached his hand across the table and laid it on
Sprouse's. His eyes were dancing.
"That's just what I want to be sure about," he said. "It was my way of
finding out your intentions concerning her."
"What do you mean?" demanded Sprouse, staring.
"Come with me to my room," said Barnes, suppressing his excitement. "I
think I can tell you where she is,--and a great deal more that you
ought to know."
In the little room upstairs, he told the whole story to Sprouse. The
little man listened without so much as a single word of interruption
or interrogation. His sharp eyes began to glisten as the story
progressed, but in no other way did he reveal the slightest sign of
emotion. Somewhat breathlessly Barnes came to the end.
"And now, Mr. Sprouse, what do you make of it all?" he inquired.
Sprouse leaned back in his chair, suddenly relaxing. "I am completely
at sea," he said, and Barnes looked at him in surprise.
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