Part 8 (1/2)

Ben shook his head slowly. ”To think of it! That good old umbrella after a well-spent life to get you into a trap like that. All the same”--he looked admiringly at his companion--”there's no hay-seed in _your_ hair.

The dam-sell--pardon, Mehit, it's all right to say damsel, isn't it?--didn't think best to press things quite far enough to get into your pocket-book. You call it a rescue. Why do you? Geraldine might have got something out of the gawk.”

Miss Upton's head swung from side to side on her short neck as she gazed at her friend for a s.p.a.ce in defiant silence. His smile irritated her beyond words.

”Look here, Ben Barry,” she said at last; ”young folks think old folks are fools. Old folks _know_ young folks are. Now I want to find that girl. I see you won't help me, but you can tell me where to get a detective.”

Ben raised his eyebrows. ”Hey-doddy-doddy, is it as serious as that?

Geraldine is some actress. It would be a good thing if you could let well enough alone; but I suspect you'll have to find her before you can settle down and give Lottie that attention to which she has been accustomed. I will help you. We won't need any detective. You shall meet me in town next Sat.u.r.day. We'll go to that restaurant and others. Ten to one we'll find her.”

”She's left the city,” announced Miss Upton curtly.

”She told you so?” the amused question was very gentle.

”That cat of a stepmother had a relative on a farm, some place so G.o.d-forsaken they couldn't keep help, so the cat kindly told the girl she was desertin' that if other jobs failed she could go there. I've told you why the other jobs did fail, and it's the truth whether you believe it or not, and at the time I met her the poor child had given up hope and decided to take that last resort.”

Ben bit his lip. ”Back to the farm, Geraldine!”

Miss Upton's head again swung from side to side and again she glared at her companion.

”It would surprise you very much if we were to meet her in town next Sat.u.r.day, wouldn't it?” he added.

”I'd be so glad I'd hug her beautiful little head off,” returned Miss Mehitable fervently.

”Do that, dear, if you must. It would be better than bringing her out here to be a companion to mother.” Miss Upton's eyes were so fiery that Ben smothered his laugh. ”I'm nearly sure that Miss Melody wouldn't suit mother as a companion.”

”I wouldn't allow her to come anywhere near you,” returned Miss Upton hotly. ”I s'pose you think she didn't go to the farm. Well, I saw her go myself with that very gawk I tripped up with my umbrella.”

”Of course you did,” laughed Ben; ”and pretty mad he was doubtless when she told him she hadn't got a rise out of you. Those people usually work in pairs. We'll probably see him, too.”

Miss Upton clutched the iron table in front of her and swung herself to her feet with superhuman celerity.

”Ben Barry, you're entirely too smart for the law!” she said. ”You'll never stoop to try a case. You'll know everything beforehand. You're a kind of a mixture of a clairvoyant and a Sherlock Holmes, you are. If you'd seen as I did that beautiful, touchin' young face turn to stone when that raw-boned, cross-eyed thing looked at her so--so hungry-like, and took possession of her as though he was only goin' to wait till they got home to eat her up--and I let 'em go!” Miss Upton reverted to her chief woe. ”I let 'em go without findin' out _where_, when in all the world that poor child had n.o.body but me, a country jake she met in a restaurant, to care whether that Carder picked her bones after he got her to his cave.”

”That what?”

”Carder, Rufus Carder. The one thing I have got is his hateful name. He lives 'way off on a farm somewheres, but knowin' his name, a detective ought to--”

Ben Barry leaned forward in his chair and his eyes ceased to twinkle.

”Rufus Carder? If it is the one I'm thinking of, he's one of the biggest reprobates in the country.”

”That's him,” returned Miss Upton with conviction. ”At first I sized him up as just awkward and countrified; but the way he looked at the child and the way he spoke to her showed he wa'n't any weaklin'.”

”I should say not. He's as clever as they make 'em and he has piles of money--other people's money. He can get out of the smallest loophole known to the law. He always manages to save his own skin while he takes the other fellow's. Rufus Carder.” Ben frowned. ”I wonder if it can be.”

Miss Upton received his alert gaze and looked down on him in triumph.

”You're wakin' up, are you?” she said. ”I guess I don't meet you in town next Sat.u.r.day, do I? Oh, Ben”--casting her victory behind her--”do you mean to say you know where he lives?”