"What does he say?" she asked. "What is this old man's story?"
Sharpman repeated, in substance, old Simon's account of the rescue,
giving to it, however, an air of lightness and improbability that it
had not had before.
"It is possible," he added, "that the evidence you have of the child's
death is sufficient to refute this man's story completely. On what
facts do you rest your belief, if I am at liberty to ask?"
"The proofs," she replied, "have seemed to us to be abundant.
Neither Mr. Burnham nor myself were in a condition to make personal
investigation until some days had elapsed from the time of the
accident, and then the wreck had been cleared away. But we learned
beyond doubt that there was but one other child in the car, a bright,
pretty boy of Ralph's age, travelling with his grandfather, and that
this child was saved. No one had seen Ralph after the crash; no
article of clothing that he wore has ever been found; there were only
a few trinkets, fireproof, that he carried in the pocket of his skirt,
discovered in the ashes of the wreck."
The lady put her hands to her eyes as if to shut out the memory of
some dread sight.
"And I presume you made diligent inquiry afterward?" questioned the
lawyer.
"Oh, yes! of the most searching nature, but no trace could be found
of our child's existence. We came to the firm belief, long ago, that
he died that night. The most that we have dared to hope is that his
sufferings were not great nor prolonged.
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