Notasoulathome，anywhere，andIhadtotakemychanceofsurprisingMrs。DickKentonwhenIsawyourdooropenhere:Helaughedforlornly，asthegleamfadedoutofKenton’seyeagain。\"Andtheworstofitisthatmyownmotherisn’tathometome，figurativelyspeaking，whenIgoovertoseeheratBallardsville。Shegotwindofmymisfortune，somehow，andwhenImadeacleanbreastofittoher，shesaidshecouldneverfeelthesametometillIhadmadeitallrightwiththeKentons。Andwhenaman’sownmotherisdownonhim，judge！\"
BittridgeleftKentontoimaginethedesperatecase，andinspiteofhisdisbeliefinthemanandallhesaid，Kentoncouldnotkeephishardnessofhearttowardshim。\"Idon’tknowwhatyou’reafter，youngman，\"hebegan。\"Butifyouexpectmetoreceiveyouundermyroofagain——\"
\"Oh，Idon’t，judge，Idon’t！\"Bittridgeinterposed。\"AllIwantistobeabletotellmymother——Idon’tcareforanybodyelse——thatIsawyou，andyouallowedmetosaythatIwastrulysorryforthepain——ifitwaspain；orannoyance，anyway——thatIhadcausedyou，andtogobacktoherwiththehopeofatoningforitsometimeorsomehow。That’sall。\"
\"Lookhere！\"criedRenton。\"Whathaveyouwrittentomydaughterfor？\"
\"Wasn’tthatnatural？IprizedheresteemmorethanIdoyourseven；butdidIaskheranythingmorethanI’veaskedyou？Ididn’texpecthertoanswerme；allIwantedwastohaveherbelievethatIwasn’tasblackasIwaspainted——notinside，anyway。Youknowwellenough——anybodyknows——