Part 6 (2/2)
”You are trying to arrest my grandfather.”
”In the course of duty. But he is quite safe from me for to-night, while you are almost exhausted through your efforts to protect him. Go into the hotel across the way and register and get some supper and a room. To-morrow you will be able to think more clearly and may then make up your mind what to do.”
She hesitated. The voice seemed earnest and sincere, the eyes considerate and pitying, and the advice appealed to her as good; but--
”Just for to-night, put yourself in my care,” he said. ”I'm ashamed to have annoyed you to such an extent and to have interfered with your plans; but I could not help it. You have succeeded in balking the DETECTIVE, but the MAN admires you for it. I noticed, the last time you took out your purse in the dining-car, that your money is nearly gone.
If you will permit me to lend you enough for your hotel expenses--”
”No.”
”Well, it may not be necessary. Your friends will supply you with money whenever our little--comedy, shall we say?--is played to the end. In the meantime I'll speak to the landlord. Now, Miss Burrows, run across to the hotel and register.”
She gazed at him uncertainly a moment and the little man smiled rea.s.suringly. Somehow, she felt inclined to trust him.
”Thank you,” she said and took her suit case into the hotel office.
The clerk looked at her rather curiously as she registered, but a.s.signed her a room and told her that dinner was still being served.
She followed the bellboy to her room, where she brushed her gown, bathed her hands and face and rearranged her hair. Then she went to the dining room and, although the journey and worry had left her sick and nervous, she ate some dinner and felt stronger and better after it.
CHAPTER IX
OFFICER O'GORMAN
Mary Louise returned to her room and sat down to consider the best way out of her dilemma. The detective's friendliness, so frankly expressed, pleased her, in a way, yet she realized his vigilance would not be relaxed and that he was still determined, through her, to discover where Gran'pa Jim was hidden.
An uncomfortable degree of danger had already been incurred by her unconsciously leading the officer to Dorfield. He knew now that the man he was seeking was either in this city or its immediate neighborhood.
But unless she led him to the exact spot--to the dwelling of the Conants--it would take even this clever detective some time to locate the refugee. Before then Mary Louise hoped to be able to warn Gran'pa Jim of his danger. That would prevent her from rejoining him and her mother, but it would also save him from arrest.
Glancing around her comfortable room she saw a telephone on the wall.
Beside it, on a hook, hung the book containing the addresses of the subscribers. She opened the book and glancing down its columns found:
”Conant, Peter; r. 1216 Oak St. Blue 147.”
Why hadn't she thought of this simple method of communication before?
It would be quite easy to call Mr. Conant and tell him where she was and have him warn Gran'pa Jim that a detective was searching for him.
She went to the telephone and took down the receiver.
”Office!” cried a sharp voice. ”What number do you want?”
Mary Louise hesitated; then she hung up the receiver without reply. It occurred to her that the hotel office was a public place and that the telephone girl would be likely to yell out the number for all to overhear.
To satisfy herself on this point she went down stairs in the elevator and purchased a magazine at the news stand. The telephone desk was near by and Mary Louise could hear the girl calling the numbers and responding to calls, while not six feet from her desk sat a man whose person was nearly covered by a spread newspaper which he appeared to be reading. But Mary Louise knew him by his striped trousers and straightway congratulated herself on her caution. Undoubtedly the detective had figured on her telephoning and she had nearly fallen into the trap.
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