“Excuse me,” he said finally, “but just where did you come in?”
“At the arrival of the letter,” answered Barnes. “I happened to be passing.”
“Where?”
“The letter-box.”
“But I don’t see—”
“Your sister received the letter. She was crying over it when I came along. She was afraid if she read it to your father it would kill him.”
“Gee! I didn’t know it was that bad. I was busted and sore and—but I didn’t mean to make it that bad.”
“Sometimes letters sound worse than we intend when we write them.”
“But you?” persisted Van Patten.
“I was a stranger, but when I heard your sister crying, I stopped. She was very much excited, and on the spur of the moment she confided in me. I advised her to tear up the letter.”