And
I say to you now that, knowin' Jim Pearson and 'Bije Warren--yes, and
knowin' the rights and wrongs of that Trolley business quite as well as
Malcolm Dunn or anybody else--I say to you that, although 'Bije was my
brother, I'd bet my life that Jim had all the right on his side. There!
that's the truth, and no hook underneath it. And some day you'll realize
it, too."

He had spoken with great vehemence. Now he took a handkerchief from his
pocket and wiped his forehead. When he again looked at his niece, he
found her staring intently at him; and her eyes blazed.

"Have you quite finished--now?" she demanded. "Steve, be quiet!"

"Why, yes, I guess so, pretty nigh. I s'pose there ain't much use to say
more. If I was to tell you that I've tried to do for you and Steve in
this--same as in everything else since I took this job--as if you
were my own children, you wouldn't believe it. If I was to tell you,
Caroline, that I'd come to think an awful lot of you, you wouldn't
believe that, either. I did hope that since our other misunderstandin'
was cleared up, and you found I wa'n't what you thought I was, you'd
come to me and ask questions afore passin' judgment; but perhaps--"

And now she interrupted, bursting out at him in a blast of scorn which
took his breath away.

"Oh, stop! stop!" she cried. "Don't say any more. You have insulted
father's memory, and defended the man who slandered him. Isn't that
enough? Why must you go on to prove yourself a greater hypocrite? We
learned, my brother and I, to-day more than the truth concerning your
_friend_. We learned that you have lied--yes, lied--and--"

"Steady, Caroline! be careful. I wouldn't say what I might be sorry for
later."

"Sorry! Captain Warren, you spoke of my misjudging you. I thought I had,
and I was sorry. To-day I learned that your attitude in that affair was
a lie like the rest. _You_ did not pay for Mr. Moriarty's accident. Mr.
Dunn's money paid those bills. And you allowed the family--and me--to
thank _you_ for your generosity. Oh, I'm ashamed to be near you!"

"There! There! Caroline, be still. I--"

"I shall not be still. I have been still altogether too long. You are
our guardian. We can't help that, I suppose. Father asked you to be
that, for some reason; but did he ask you to _live_ here where you are
not wanted? To shame us before our friends, ladies and gentlemen so far
above you in every way? And to try to poison our minds against them and
sne