"Yes; he was not a large man, if anything a trifle below the medium height."
"You think, then, that Miss Holmes made a willful effort to deceive you, when she told you that the album verse was written by Professor Bartlett? By-the-by, is there a Professor Asa Bartlett at Amora?"
"Yes, he is the Principal. If you could see him, you would never accuse him of having written a silly verse like that. I am sure Amy meant to deceive me, and I am sure that she posted Grace about it, in case I should ask her."
"But you did not ask her?"
"No. One does not care to make one's own child tell an unnecessary lie. Grace would have stood by Amy, no doubt."
It was growing late in the afternoon. There was much to do, much to think over, and no time to lose. I was not yet prepared to give Mrs. Ballou the benefit of my opinion, as regarded her daughter's escapade, so I arranged for a meeting in the evening, promising to have my plans decided upon and ready to lay before her at that time.
She wished, if possible, to return home on the following day, and I told her that I thought it not only possible, but advisable that she should do so.
Then I called a carriage, saw her safely ensconced therein, en route for her hotel, and returned to my Chief.