"Had you any hand in this, Master Raymond ?" turning to the young Englishman, who had drawn near, on his way to the door.
"Ah, Master Putnam, glad to see you.

You did get here early enough however to witness my triumphant vindication.

Here is learned Dr.
Griggs, and young Mistress Williams, and your own gifted daughter, and handsome Mistress Herrick, and half-a-dozen others of my old friends who were ready to testify in my behalf, if any testimony had been needed.
Make my compliments to Mistress Putnam; and give her my best thanks for her noble course, in confessing by her absence that she was mistaken, and that she had accused the wrong person." The cool assurance with which this was uttered, quite confused Thomas Putnam.

Could his wife have stayed away purposely?
Perhaps so, for she was accustomed to rapid changes of her plans.

But why then had he been lured off on a wild-goose chase all the way to Ipswich?
While he was standing there musing, his daughter came up.