A swift, upblazing anger leaped to her face. "How dare you say that! How dare you!"
His blue eyes met her dark, stormy ones quietly and steadily. "I'm telling you the truth. Can't you see he's been leading Phil into deviltry? You're afraid of him, afraid of his influence over the boy. That's why you knuckle down to him."
"I'm not afraid. He's Phil's friend. You're against him just because he—he—"
"Say it, Miss Ruth. Just because he gave me the whaling of my young life. Nothing to that, nothing a-tall. My system can absorb a licking without bearing a grudge. But he ain't on the level. 'Course you'll hate me for saying it, but some one's got to tell you."
"It's none of your business. I dare say it was you that was with Phil when he—when he—got into trouble."
"Yes."
"I thought so." A sob swelled up in her throat. "You come here and make trouble. I do hate you if you want to know."
With that she turned tempestuously and went flying back to the house.
Steve smiled ruefully. He did not know much about women, but he had read somewhere that they were capable of injustice. She had plenty of spirit, anyhow, for all that she looked so demure and shy.