She counted her small fingers with an inaudible moving of the lips, and I watched her with the pleasure that one takes in watching a pretty child. She was so small it seemed impossible that she was seriously considering one of the serious problems of life. She gave a little sigh as the last finger was reached.
"I'm afraid I don't know her," she said regretfully. "All my ladies are very religious ladies, and I don't think they would approve your bargain at all. I'm not sure, on mature consideration, that I approve it myself."
"It is that or nothing."
"Isn't there a law, or a habeas corpus writ, or a policeman, or something?" said Miss Kendrick anxiously.
"I'm afraid," said I, smiling grimly at the recollection of Big Sam and his power, "that the law doesn't afford us much encouragement. We should never find her if we tried that policy."
"Well, I suppose you know best about that. So I don't see anything to do but to take her in here."
"Why, Miss Kendrick!" I exclaimed. "I didn't think of such a thing as that. What would your uncle say?"
"Uncle might be a little explosive," admitted Miss Kendrick with a smile, "but it's just possible that he could be managed."
I was perplexed to know what to do. I could see vague, unformed reasons against accepting her offer, yet it might prove that there was no other resource, if I was not to abandon the Chinese girl to her fate. I was turning over in my mind what to say when a servant appeared and announced:
"Mr. Baldwin to see you, Miss."