“Don’t you think the house would have burned if some one hadn’t put out the fire very quickly?”
“Perhaps so, ’cause the flames jumped up mighty high.”
“And since she couldn’t move, wouldn’t she have been burned to death?”
“I hope so.”
“Why, Seth Barrows, how wicked you are!”
“No, no, Gladys, I didn’t mean I hoped she’d have burned to death; but I hoped I really an’ truly saved her life, ’cause then she won’t jump down on me so hard when I tell her.”
“Tell her what?”
“Why Snip an’ I had to run away from New York.”
“Is it something you’re ashamed of?” Gladys asked quickly and in surprise.
Seth nodded, while the flush of shame crept up into his cheeks.