"But what, John?"
He went over to her. Instinctively she understood that she was about to go through an ordeal. She seemed to feel that he had become acquainted with something which might interfere with the realization of her long-cherished dream. He looked at her long and searchingly. Evidently he, too, was much wrought up, but when he spoke it was with a calm dignity and force which showed the character of the man.
"Laura," he began.
"Yes?" she answered timidly.
"You know when I went downtown I said I was going to call on two or three of my friends in Park Row."
"I know."
"I told them who I was going to marry."
"Well?"
"They said something about you and Brockton, and I found that they'd said too much, but not quite enough."
"What did they say?"