May I
ask how you got hold of it?"
"It was simple enough. Henry had told me about you. I remembered that
you were coming from the same town he had come from. I telegraphed to
an agent in Boston. He went up to your place, made his inquiries and
telegraphed me. I suppose you will be pleased to know," she continued
with a droll affectation of malice in her voice, "that he mailed me
your full history as gathered from the town pump. It is at the house
now."
"I trust it is nothing so very disreputable," I said modestly, raking
my memory hastily for any likely account of youthful escapades.
"There was one rather serious bit," said Mrs. Knapp gravely. "There was
an orchard--"
"There was more than one," I admitted.
Mrs. Knapp broke into a laugh.
"I might have expected it. I knew the account was too good to be true.
You'll have to get Luella's permission if you want to read the charges
in full, though. She has taken possession of the document."
Luella knew! At first I was disappointed, then relieved. Something of
the promised explanation was taken off my mind.
"I tried to get something out of Mother Borton concerning you,"
continued Mrs. Knapp. "I even went so far as to see her once."
"I don't think you got any more out of her than she wanted to tell."
"Indeed I did not. I was afraid Mr. Richmond had not gone about it the
right way. You know Mr. Richmond acted as my agent with her?"
"No, I didn't know. She was as close-mouthed with me as with you, I
think.
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