“Why, ain’t she come yet?” she asked, holding the candle high and peering under it at the back of the silent figure outside.
“No,” said Bart quietly; “she ain’t.”
“Why, it’s half-after ten! She never’s b’en out this a-way before. D’you think anything c’u’d ’a’ hapened?”
“No,” said Bart, slowly; “I guess they’ll be along.”
“Well, I don’t want that she sh’u’d stay out till this time o’ night with anybody but you. She’s old enough to know better. It don’t look well.”
“It looks all right, as fur as that goes,” said Bart.
“Oh, if you think so.”
Mrs. Vaiden lowered the candle huffily.
Bart arose and came inside. He was pale but he spoke calmly, and he looked her straight in the eyes.
“It’s all right as fur as she goes; I’d trust her anywheres. But how about him? What kind of a man is he?”