“You ought to; there is only one thing.”
“Do you mean fear of a petticoat scandal?”
“No; because Garrettson does not fear that. Being highly intelligent, he protects himself against all possibility of scandal. No. It is something else. It's fear!”
“Of the alleged kidnappers?”
“No. He doesn't fear men. But he might fear—” He paused.
“What?” eagerly asked the newspaper man.
“Ridicule!”
Kidder aimed what he fondly hoped was a piercing glance at Mr. Robison. He discovered nothing. Mr. Robison had a far-away look in his philosophical eyes.
“It's too much for me,” finally confessed Kidder, hoping that the frankness of his admission might induce Mr. Robison to speak on.
Robison smiled forgivingly, and said: