What do you know about the lady?"
"The lady! I can imagine Johnny Tompkin's's ideal?"
"So can I, if you come to that."
"And she must have known his money wasn't his own."
"Why must she?" I asked. "According to what he told Hilary, she
didn't."
"I don't believe it," said Mrs. Hilary, with decision.
"Hilary believed it!"
"Oh, Hilary!"
"But, then Hilary knew the girl."
"Hilary knew--! You mean to say Hilary knew--?
"No one better," said I composedly.
Mrs. Hilary rose to her feet. "Who was the creature?" she asked
sharply.
"Come," I expostulated, "how would you like it if your young man
had taken to theft and--"
"Oh, nonsense. Tell me her name, please, Mr. Carter."
"Johnny told Hilary that just to see her and talk to her and sit
by her side was 'worth all the money'--but then, to be sure, it
was somebody else's money--and that he'd do it again to get what
he had got over again. Then, I'm sorry to say, he swore."
"And Hilary believed that stuff?"
"Hilary agreed with him," said I. "Hilary, you see, knows the
lady."
"What's her name, Mr. Carter?"
"Didn't you notice his attentions to any one?"
"I notice! You don't mean that I've seen her?"
"Certainly you have."
"Was she ever here?'
"Yes, Mrs.
Pages:
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59