What then ?' Jerrie asked, with as steady a voice as she could command.
'Pshaw! humbug!' Tom replied, with a laugh.

'That is impossible.

A child would have been heard from before this time.

There is no child; I'm sure I hope not, as that would seriously interfere with our prospects.

Think of some one--say a young lady--walking in upon us some day and claiming to be Arthur Tracy's daughter!' 'What would you do ?' Jerrie asked, in a tone of smothered excitement.
'I believe I'd kill her,' Tom said, laughingly, 'or marry her, if I had not already seen you.