"The poor fish!" was Gardner's comment. "He doesn't even say that she
isn't there. He's got to lie better than that if he goes into the
newspaper game."
Further, the reporter had received a note from the cowman whom Ban and
Io had encountered in the woods, modestly requesting five dollars in
return for the warranted fact that a "swell young lady" had been seen in
Banneker's company. Other journalistic matters were pressing, however;
he concluded that the "Manzanita Mystery," as he built it up
headline-wise in his ready mind, could wait a day or two longer.
Banneker, through the mechanical course of his office, debated the
situation. Should he tell Io of the message? To do so would only add to
her anxieties, probably to no good purpose, for he did not believe that
she would desert Miss Van Arsdale, ill and helpless, on any selfish
consideration. Fidelity was one of the virtues with which he had
unconsciously garlanded Io. Then, too, Gardner might not come anyway. If
he did Banneker was innocently confident of his own ability to outwit
the trained reporter and prevent his finding the object of his quest. A
prospective and possible ally was forecast in the weather. Warning of
another rainfall impending had come over the wire.
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