"It might be, Owen would get home before he expected to, and I'd a heap sooner he wasn't around when we were on our way to the Pangborn house.

Somehow, I'd hate to look the boy in the face after doing what I did; though you understand it was done in the hope of clearing up this awful puzzle." "No need of saying that, Thad, because I know what your feelings are.
My plan would have been to pick up the spoon incidentally, and admire it.

Then it would be easy to tell from the manner of Mr.Dugdale whether he knew where it came from.

I don't suppose you thought to do anything like that, now ?" "Why, no," came the reply; "for you see, I'd laid out my plan of campaign, and wanted to hew close to the line.

The quickest way to settle the whole matter, according to my calculations, was to just show the old lady the spoon, and ask her if it was one of the missing ones.
But please get a move on you, Hugh.