"Well, let's have the p'ints the girl makes!" growled the old
shipmaster. "I will listen to 'em."
Elder Minnett bowed formally and began Ida May's story, checking off
the several assertions she had made when she was at the Ball house
far more clearly than the girl herself had done. As Sheila
listened, her heart sank even lower. It was so very reasonable! How
could the Balls fail to be impressed?
But Cap'n Ira and Prudence listened with more of a puzzled
expression in their countenances than anything else. It seemed
altogether wild and improbable to them. Why! There sat Ida May
before them. There could not be two Ida May Bostwicks!
"Say!" exclaimed Cap'n Ira suddenly, after Elder Minnett had
concluded, "that girl says she worked at Hoskin & Marl's?"
"Yes."
"Why, ain't that where you worked, Ida May?"
"Yes," was Sheila's faint admission.
"You never see her there, did you?"
"I do not remember of having seen her until she came here," the girl
said quite truthfully.
"Ought to be some way of proving up that," muttered Cap'n Ira.
"I have written to Hoskin & Marl, at the other young woman's
instigation, and have asked about her," said Elder Minnett.
"Well, I never!" gasped Prudence, and her withered, old face grew
pink.
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