Part 11 (2/2)
Why, certainly.”
”Well, I mean you wouldn't get into no trouble if you did.”
”Of course not.”
”Well, then I'll tell you.”
CHAPTER XI
JANE opened a small shabby handbag, and took out a folded newspaper, opening it up and spreading it on the desk before him. ”There!” she said, and then watched his face critically.
Reyburn looked, and found himself looking into Betty's eyes. Only a newspaper cut, and poor at that, but wonderfully real and mournful, as they had struck him when she lifted them for that swift glance before she sank in the church aisle.
”Where did you get this?” he asked, his voice suddenly husky.
”Out o' the mornin' paper.” Her tone was low and excited. ”Were you wanting to try for the reward?” Reyburn asked.
There was a covert sneer in the question from which the girl shrank perceptibly. She sprang to her feet, her eyes flas.h.i.+ng:
”If that's what you take me for, I better be goin'!” she snapped and reached out her hand for the paper. But Reyburn's hand covered the paper, and his tone was respectful and apologetic as he said:
”Excuse me, I didn't quite understand, I see. Sit down, please. You and I must understand each other or there is no use in our talking. You can trust me to keep this conversation entirely to myself, whatever the outcome. Will you tell me what it is you want of me?”
Jane subsided into a chair, tears of excitement springing into her eyes.
”Well, you see, it's pretty serious business,” she said, making a dab at the corner of one eye. ”I thought I could trust you, or I wouldn't a come. But you gotta take me on trust, too.”
”Of course,” said Reyburn. ”Now, what have you to do with this girl? Do you know where she is?”
”I certainly do!” said Jane, ”but I ain't a-goin' ta tell until you say if there's anything you can do fer her. 'Cause you see, if you can't find a way to help her, I've gotta do it myself, an' it might get you into trouble somehow fer you to know what you ain't supposed to know.”
”I see,” said Reyburn, meekly. ”Well, what are you going to tell me? Am I allowed to ask that?”
Jane grinned.
”Say, you're kiddin' me! I guess you are all right. Well, I'll just tell you all about it. One night last November,--you can see the date there in the paper, I was goin' home to my boardin' house in Camac Street, an' I was pa.s.sin' the side of that church on 18th an' Spruce, where the weddin' was--you know, fer you was there!”
Reyburn looked at her astonished.
”How did you know I was there?”
”I saw you through the window, over against the wall to the street side of the altar,” said Jane calmly.
”How did you know me?”
”Oh, somebody I know pointed you out once an' said you was goin' to be one of the risin' lawyers of the day,” she answered nonchalantly, her face quite serious.
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