I did! Do you know why?"
If he expected an answer none was given. Caroline's lids drooped
disdainfully. "Steve," she said, "let us go."
"Stop! You'll stay here until I finish. I want to say that I didn't tell
you about the Trolley fuss because I wanted you to learn some things for
yourself. I wanted you to know Mr. Pearson--to find out what sort of man
he was afore you judged him. Then, when you had known him long enough
to understand he wasn't a liar and a blackguard, and all that Steve has
called him, I was goin' to tell you the whole truth, not a part of it.
And, after that, I was goin' to let you decide for yourself what to do.
I'm a lot older than you are; I've mixed with all sorts of folks; I'm
past the stage where I can be fooled by--by false hair or soft soap. You
can't pour sweet oil over a herrin' and make me believe it's a sardine.
I know the Pearson stock. I've sailed over a heap of salt water with
one of the family. And I've kept my eyes open since I've run acrost this
particular member. And I knew your father, too, Caroline Warren. And
I say to you now that, knowin' Jim Pearson and 'Bije Warren--yes, and
knowin' the rights and wrongs of that Trolley business quite as well as
Malcolm Dunn or anybody else--I say to you that, although 'Bije was my
brother, I'd bet my life that Jim had all the right on his side.
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