"I was in town." "But you knew--" "What's Mother Howard told you ?" "A lot--and nothing." "I don't know any more than she does." "But--" "Friends did n't ask questions in those days," came quietly.

"I might 'ave guessed if I 'd wanted to--but I did n't want to." "But if you had ?" Harry looked at him with quiet, blue eyes.
"What would you guess ?" Slowly Robert Fairchild's gaze went to the ground.

There was only one possible conjecture: Sissie Larsen had been impersonated by a woman.
Sissie Larsen had never been seen again in Ohadi.
"I--I would hate to put it into words," came finally.

Harry slapped him on the shoulder.
"Then don't.

It was nearly thirty years ago.