Then, as if to give him time in which to recover himself fully, she went on, speaking rapidly: “And, after all, it may only be a put-up job or a mistake. Half the women they pinch in them big stores ain't reg'lar thieves. They get tempted, or they can't find anybody to tell 'em the price o' things, especially these holiday times, and they carry 'em round from counter to counter, and along comes a store detective and nabs 'em with the goods on 'em. They did that to me once, over at Cryder's, and I told him I'd knock him down if he put his hand on me, and somebody come along who knew me, and they was that scared when they found out who I was that they bowed and scraped like dancin' masters and wanted me to take the skirt along if I'd say nothin' about it. That might have happened to this poor child—”
“Has Father Cruse seen her?” asked Felix. No word of the recital had reached his ears.
“No—that's why I come to ye.”
“And where did you say she was?” He had himself under perfect control again, and might have been a man bent only on aiding Father Cruse in some charitable work.
“Locked up in the station-house not far from here. It won't take ye ten minutes to get there.”
Felix glanced at the big-faced clock, facing the side window of the store.
“Yes, of course I will go, since Father Cruse wishes it. Thank you for bringing his message. You need not wait.”
“Needn't wait! Ye're not goin' one step without me. They'd chuck ye out if ye did, and that's what they won't do to me if the captain's in his office. Besides, Mike run over a boy, and Tim Kelsey is up there now standin' bail for him. There's no use goin' unless ye see her. That's what the Father wanted ye to do, and that ain't easy unless ye've got the run of the station. So, ye see, I got to go with ye whether ye want me or not, or ye won't get nowheres. I'll wait till ye get yer hat and coat.”
All the way to the station-house, Kitty beside him, Felix was putting into silent words the thoughts that raced through his mind.
“Barbara arrested as a vulgar thief!” he kept saying over and over. “A woman brought up a lady—with the best blood of England in her veins—her father a man of distinction! The woman I married!”