did you manage it?"

Varney told him succinctly how he had managed it.

"Fine! Fine! Honestly, I was getting afraid that you never could do it
at all, with the rotten reputation they've pinned on you here. Good
enough! Still it's absurd to cite the opinion of a little child in a
matter like this."

"It depends upon what you call a little child, doesn't it? Miss
Carstairs is nineteen years old."

Peter straightened in his chair with a jerk, and stared at him as though
one or the other had suddenly gone mad.

"_Nineteen_! Why, I thought she was twelve."

"So did I."

"Why, how in Sam Hill did you ever make such an asinine mistake?"

Varney gave an impatient laugh.

"What difference does that make now? My impression was that the
separation took place about eight years ago. It may have been twelve. My
other impression was that the girl was about four at the time. She may
have been eight instead. If it's of any interest to you, I should say
that the mistake was natural enough. Besides, Uncle Elbert rather helped
it along."