Question

select the best evidence to support the statement that there are many rumors in dörfli about the old man. barbie did not mean to lose this excellent opportunity of getting to know more about the old man... .and here was her friend detie, who was related to him and had lived all her life in dörfli, until a year ago. then her mother had died, and she had found a good job in a big hotel at ragaz. she had come from there that morning with heidi, with the help of a lift on a hay cart as far as mayenfeld. now barbie took her arm, and said coaxingly, \you could at least tell me how much of what they say is true, and how much only gossip.\ from johanna spyri, heidi. copyright 1956 by puffin books

Explanation:

The key - sentence "You could at least tell me how much of what they say is true, and how much only gossip" indicates that there are rumors (gossip) about the old man in Dörfli. Barbie's request to Detie about separating truth from gossip shows the prevalence of rumors.

Answer:

Now Barbie took her arm, and said coaxingly, "You could at least tell me how much of what they say is true, and how much only gossip."