"With what young woman?" interrupted Cap'n Ira.
"With the girl staying at the Widow Pauling's. The girl who claims
to be your niece."
"You'd better talk with the other young woman," said Cap'n Ira
sternly. "Ida May! Just you come in here and sit down. You are as
much interested as we be, I guess. _This_ is Ida May Bostwick,
Elder Minnett," he added, as Sheila entered.
"Yes, yes. I have had the pleasure," said the elder, bowing gravely
without offering to shake hands. He turned abruptly to Prudence.
"You are quite convinced in your own mind, Sister Ball, that the
young woman at the Pauling's is not your niece?"
"Why, Elder Minnett," returned Prudence, "how _can_ she be? Ida May
is Sarah Honey's only child, and Sarah was only distantly related to
me. There never was another girl in the family--not like that one
that came here the other day, for sure!" And the old woman shook her
head emphatically.
"That girl you got down there at the port, Elder, is crazy--crazy as
a loon," put in Cap'n Ira harshly.
"I am not so sure of that," the clergyman said shortly.
"I swan! Beg your pardon, Elder. No offense. But you don't mean to
say that she seems sane and sensible to you?"
"Sane--yes! As for being sensible, that is another thing," confessed
Elder Minnett.
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