"Nonsense!" I roared. "He don't see no such thing. Mary, I don't care—"
She held up her hand. "Please don't talk to me now," she begged. "Please—not now."
I looked at Peters. There was a look in his eyes, almost as if he was smilin' inside. I could have punched his head for it.
"But, Mary—" I begun.
"Please don't talk to me," she begged, almost cryin'. "Please go away and leave me now. Please."
I cal'late I shouldn't have gone; fact is, I know I shouldn't; but that government investigator put his hand on my arm.
"Cap'n," he says, "come with me."
"With you?" I snapped. "Why?"
"Because I want you to. It's important. I won't keep you long."
I went, but he'll never know how much I wanted to kick him. As I shut the door of the mail room I saw poor Mary's head go down on her arms on the desk.