Then she heard McNally again, answering a low-spoken question from her father.
“He was a good man, or perhaps you would call him a bad one. He was just getting down to work on the vault door when West and his gang of Pinkertons broke in on him and nailed him.”
Another question from Porter.
“No, Porter, they are on to us now. You see, the books are gone, and there's no use in trying to get hold of that end of the road; but we can seize it from this end and get everything except their building.”
With cheeks burning and with conscience troubling, Katherine rose and stood before the window.
“I didn't intend to put myself in your way,” she said, laughing nervously, “but I couldn't help hearing.”
Looking in through the dim light Katherine thought she saw McNally start. After a brief but embarrassing pause Porter spoke, using the tone Katherine associated with the stern but kindly rebukes of her childhood.
“Did you hear all we said, Katherine?”
“Most of it, I'm afraid.”
“You understand, dear, that this is very confidential business?”