Part 24 (1/2)
”Good- for a young gentleman named Nicholas Jasniff I believe he boards here”
”Oh, so that's it,” said the woer in a suspicioushere?”
”We heard so down at our hotel”
”He isn't here--he went away last week--owing me one pound six,” was the spiteful answer ”I wish I had my hands on him It's Kate Clever would teach hi you soer
”He did that”
”And you haven't any idea where he is?”
”I have and I haven't Are you friends of his?”
”Not exactly, but ish very much to find him”
”I a me so shabbily,”
said the wo him a favor,” returned Dave ”To tell you the truth, I want to catch hi”
”Oh, that's it, is it?” The woman became more interested ”You are from the States, aren't you?”
”Yes”
”He was from the States He pretended that he wasn't, but I knew differently He got letters froo, if you please?” asked Dave
The tall woular shoulders and pursed up her thin lips
”If you'll pay that board money I'll help you to find him”
”Very well, if we find his,” answered Dave He did not wish to waste tiht be valuable
”Come in the parlor and I'll tell you what I know,” said Kate Clever
They entered the little musty and dusty parlor, with its old haircloth furniture and its cheap bric-a-brac The woman dusted two of the chairs with her apron and told them to be seated
”I a by taking boarders This Jasniff paid et so and box and slipped away one day when I was to er ”He ran aith enough”
”Ran aith enough? Was he a thief?”
”Yes”
”O dear! Then I aht all have been murdered in our beds!” And the woman held up her thin hands in horror