"I must say, Loudon, it does seem kind of unexpected,"
added Jim. "It seems kind of crazy even. What did
you--what did Nares expect to gain by burning her?"
"I don't know; it didn't seem to matter; we had got all
there was to get," said I.
"That's the very point," cried Jim. "It was quite
plain you hadn't"
"What made you so sure?" asked Mamie.
"How can I tell you?" I cried. "We had been all
through her. We WERE sure; that's all that I can
say."
"I begin to think you were," she returned, with a
significant emphasis.
Jim hurriedly intervened. "What I don't quite make
out, Loudon, is, that you don't seem to appreciate the
peculiarities of the thing," said he. "It doesn't seem
to have struck you same as it does me."
"Pshaw! why go on with this?" cried Mamie, suddenly
rising. "Mr. Dodd is not telling us either what he
thinks or what he knows."
"Mamie!" cried Jim.
"You need not be concerned for his feelings, James; he
is not concerned for yours," returned the lady. "He
dare not deny it, besides. And this is not the first
time he has practised reticence.
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