“Mrs. Coffin, what are you saying? Do you know—Have you—”
“Yes, I know all about it. I know about the meetin's in the pines and all. Oh, why didn't you trust me and tell me? If you had, all would have been SO much better!”
He looked at her in utter amazement. The blood rushed to his face.
“You know THAT?” he whispered.
“Yes, I know.”
“Did she tell—”
“No, nobody told. That is, only a little. I got a hint and I suspicioned somethin' afore. The rest I saw with my own eyes.”
He was now white, but his jaw shot forward and his teeth closed.
“If you do know,” he said, “you must realize that my place is with her. Now, when she is in trouble—”
“Would you want to make that trouble greater? More than she could bear?”