“Well, my dear, if any ill consequences arise from this piece of folly of yours, remember, I shirk all responsibility.” 168
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“‘When a woman will, she will, you may depend on’t, And when she won’t––she won’t, and there’s an end on’t,’” |
he quoted, dryly. “I sincerely hope you will not rue it.”
“Now, you would be surprised, my dear, to find out at some future time you had been entertaining an angel unawares.”
“I should be extremely surprised; you have put it mildly, my dear––nay, I may say dumbfounded––to find an angel dwelling down here below among us sinners. My experience has led me to believe the best place for angels is up above where they belong. I am glad that you have such pretty little notions, though, my dear. It is not best for women to know too much of the ways of the world.”
“Harvey, you shock me!” cried the little lady, holding up her hands in horror at her liege lord’s remarks.
Still she had her own way in the matter, and Daisy stayed.
Every day the detective grew more mystified as to who in the world she could be. One thing was certain, she had seen some great trouble which bid fair to dethrone her reason.
At times she would clasp his hands, calling him Uncle John, begging him piteously to tell her how she could die. And she talked incoherently, too, of a dark, handsome woman’s face, that had come between her and some lost treasure.
Then a grave look would come into the detective’s face. He had seen many such cases, and they always ended badly, he said to himself. She had such an innocent face, so fair, so childish, he could not make up his mind whether she was sinned against or had been guilty of a hidden sin herself.