"Though I did get some hint
of it," I added, with a painful recollection of the candid statement of
opinion I had received from the daughter of the house.
"Oh, you did very well," said Mrs. Knapp kindly, "but no one could have
been successful in that house. Luella was quite outraged over it, but I
managed to quiet her."
"I hope Miss Knapp has not retained the unfavorable impressions of--er--"
I stammered in much confusion.
Mrs. Knapp gave me a keen glance.
"You know she has not," she said.
I felt the subconscious impression somehow that after all Mrs. Knapp
would have been better pleased if Luella had kept nearer to her first
impressions of me.
"Well," continued Mrs. Knapp, "when I saw you and guessed that
something had happened to Henry Wilton, and found that you knew little
of what was going on, I changed the plan of campaign. I did not know
that you were one to be trusted, but I saw that you could be used to
keep the others on a false scent, for you deceived everybody but us."
"There was one other," I said.
"Mother Borton?" inquired Mrs. Knapp. "Yes, I learned that she knew
you. But to every one else in the city you were Henry Wilton. I feared,
though, you would make some mistake that would betray you and spoil my
plans. But you have succeeded marvelously."
Mrs. Knapp paused a moment and then continued slowly. "It was cruel of
me. I knew that it was sending you to face death. But I was alarmed,
angry at the imposition, and felt that you had brought it on yourself.
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