"No, don't say a word, and don't talk about writin' out. That ain't what I want. I want to know, and letters won't tell me nothing. Do this for me—send some one; 'cause if you don't I'll start myself to-morrow. I'm goin' to know how life's usin' John Brierly."
She leaned over and touched the lawyer's hand.
"Don't always be agin me, Mr. Thornton. I got my heart in this. John Brierly meant all the world to me once, and although I'm old now I ain't forgot. There's some things, you know, we don't forget."
Mr. Thornton looked at the flushed old face before him, and a softness came into his voice that surprised even himself.
"I'll do it at once, Miss Doane. I'm always glad to be of any service to you."
"I'm glad to hear you say it; though sometimes you have to be backed into the shafts. But you will send at once—to-morrow?"
"Yes, I'll—let me see—I'll send Mr. Burns."
"Send a bright young man, some one that'll nose around and find out everything. John's proud, and he may be poor, and I want to know jest how he's fixed; and I don't want him to feel that any one's inquiring into his affairs, 'cause then he'd shut up like a clam and I couldn't find out nothin'. Send some one with sense. Hadn't you better go yourself?"
Mr. Thornton laughed.
"That's the first compliment you ever gave me, Miss Doane; but I don't think it is necessary that I go myself. I have a very clever young man in the office who will do better than I would."