Joshua Peniman turned to the man, but he was paying no attention to them. With eyes fixed on the face of the little Princess he stood motionless, his thin, dissipated face almost white through its coat of tan.
Mrs. Peniman, who saw the look, seized Nina by the hand and hurried her away.
The man whirled upon Joshua Peniman.
"Who is that?" he demanded. "What's her name?"
"Who?" asked Mr. Peniman coolly. He too had seen the expression, and was on his guard immediately.
"That—that girl! Where did she come from? What's her name?"
Ruth and Nina had come out of the store together. Joshua Peniman, whose conscience would not let him lie, purposely misunderstood which little girl he meant.
"That little girl is my daughter. Her name is Ruth Peniman. She comes from the Muskingum Valley in Ohio," he answered.
The man stared at him with fiery eyes.
"Are you lying to me? If you are you'd better make your will right now."