“Made up out of whole cloth,” responded Enderby.
“Who made it up?”
Comprehension and pity were in his intonation as he replied: “Not Banneker, I understand. It was passed on to him.”
“Then you don’t think him to blame?” she cried eagerly.
“I can’t exculpate him as readily as that. Such a story, considering its inevitable—I may say its intended—consequences, should never have been published without the fullest investigation.”
“Suppose”—she hesitated—“he had it on what he considered good authority?”
“He has never even cited his authority.”
“Couldn’t it have been confidential?” she pleaded.
“Io, do you know his authority? Has he told you?”
“No.”