And why should Mrs.Armstrong care, anyway?
"Let folks talk," he said that evening, in conversation with his daughter.

"Let 'em talk, that's my motto.

When they're lyin' about me I know they ain't lyin' about anybody else, that's some comfort.

But women folks, I cal'late, feel different." Maud was interested and a little suspicious.
"You don't suppose, Pa," she said, "that this Mrs.Armstrong has a past, do you ?" "A past?
What kind of a thing is a past, for thunder sakes ?" "Why, I mean a--a--well, has she done something she doesn't want other people to know; is she trying to hide something, like--well, as people do in stories ?" "Eh?
Oh, in the books! I see.

Well, young woman, I cal'late the first thing for your dad to do is to find out what sort of books you read.