"
"What did he do? Tell me about it." Mrs. Knapp gave every evidence of
absorbed interest.
"Well, he laid a trap for me at Borton's, put Terrill in as advance
guard, and raised blue murder about the place." And then I went on to
give a carefully amended account of my first night's row at Borton's,
and with an occasional question, Mrs. Knapp had soon extorted from me a
fairly full account of my doings.
"It is dreadful for you to expose yourself to such dangers."
I was privately of her opinion.
"Oh, that's nothing," said I airily. "A man may be killed any day by a
brick falling from a building, or by slipping on an orange peel on the
crossing."
"But it is dreadful to court death so. Yet," she mused, "if I were a
man I could envy you your work. There is romance and life in it, as
well as danger. You are doing in the nineteenth century and in the
midst of civilization what your forefathers may have done in the days
of chivalry."
"It is a fine life," I said dryly. "But it has its drawbacks."
"But while you live no one can harm the child," she said. There was
inquiry in her tone, I thought.
I suppressed a start of surprise. I had avoided mention of the boy.
Henry had trusted Mrs. Knapp further than I had dreamed.
"He shall never be given up by me," I replied with conviction.
"That is spoken like a true, brave man," said Mrs. Knapp with an
admiring look.
"Thank you," I said modestly.
"Another life than yours depends on your skill and courage.
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