He refused to say more, and what am I to believe ?' Rhoda was listening with livelier attention.
'He declared that he wasn't to blame ?' 'I suppose he meant that.

But it is difficult to see--' 'Of course the truth can never be known,' said Rhoda, with sudden indifference.

'And it doesn't matter.

Thank you for satisfying my curiosity.' Miss Barfoot waited a moment, then laughed.
'Some day, Rhoda, you shall satisfy mine.' 'Yes--if we live long enough.' What degree of blame might have attached to Barfoot, Rhoda did not care to ask herself; she thought no more of the story.

Of course there must have been other such incidents in his career; morally he was neither better nor worse than men in general.