Perhaps she had not entirely believed them herself, and perhaps Mrs.Kate had not been accurately quoted by her precocious young son; she may not have said that she was disappointed in Ford.

They might not have believed whatever it was Dick told them, and they might still have full confidence in him, Ford Campbell.

Still, there was the stubborn streak which would not explain or defend.

So he left the table, and went into his own room without any word save a muttered excuse; and that in spite of the fact that Josephine looked full at him, at last, and with a wistfulness that moved him almost to the point of taking her in his arms and kissing away the worry--if he could.
He went up to the table where stood the jug, looked at it, lifted it, and set it down again.

Then he lifted it again and pulled the cork out with a jerk, wondering if the sound of it had reached through the thin partition to the ears of Josephine; he was guilty of hoping so.