'"
Hapgood greeted this sally with the beginning of a snarl, but evidently
thought it the part of discretion to remain friendly with the people he
wanted to persuade.
"I seem to have done this business badly," he said, "but I'll send back
for the rest of the evidence and you'll have to admit that Mary's the
girl you need to complete your family tree."
"Come here, dear," Miss Clark called to Mary in her quiet voice. "Are
your father and mother alive?"
"Father is," she thought the child answered, but her reply was
interrupted by Hapgood's loud voice, saying, "She's an orphan, poor kid.
Pretty tough just to have an old bachelor uncle to look after yer,
ain't it?"
The younger Miss Clark stepped to the window to pull down the shade
while the couple were still within the yard and she saw the man give the
girl a shake and the child rub her arm as if the touch had been too
rough for comfort.
"Poor little creature! I can't say I feel any affection for her, but she
must have a hard time with that man!"
The interview left Mr. Clark in a disturbed state in spite of the
calmness he had assumed in talking with Hapgood. He walked restlessly up
and down the room and at last announced that he was going to the
telegraph office.
"I might as well wire Stanley to send us right off the date of Emily
Leonard's birth, and, just as soon as he finds it, the name of the man
she married.
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