Captain Pott's Minister Part 38

"I thought you'd come back, Sis. In fact, I meant to tell you that I wanted you to take dinner with me, but you blew in and out so suddenly that I didn't have time to collect my thoughts. What are you up to, anyway?"

"Oh, nothing much."

"How did you learn of this Phillips affair? I take it that that was what all your hurry was about."

She only laughed in reply, her eyes dancing.

"I didn't know that you were on the inside of this, and I don't know yet how much you really know."

"I know a lot."

"How did you find out?"

"Everybody has told me a little, and I have been piecing it together for several days. But can't we sit down, or go out to lunch? I'm really very tired, now that it's over, and awfully hungry."

"How did you know that I had the name and address of the firm which has been paying Father the interest on the Phillips loan?"

"Why, you told me."

"In my sleep?"

"Indeed, no. You were quite awake."

"Sis, have you been eavesdropping?"

"Harold Fox! The very idea!" she said indignantly. "I don't like you one bit for saying that. No, sir, I have not."

"I honestly didn't think it of you, but I couldn't imagine any other way you could get the notion in your head."

"You never told me a word till to-day."

"You didn't know that I had that name in my possession till you blew in here and asked for it?"

"Not really and truly, I didn't. But I took a chance. And you are such a poor actor that I was certain you'd tell me. Of course, I knew that you went over to Australia to find out about the man."

"The treats are certainly on me."

"Make it a good big lunch, please," she said smiling and starting for the door.

"Wait, Bets. What did you do over there at the George Henry Trust Company?"

"Must I tell, just now?"

"Of course not, but I'd like to know if you care to tell. It may save me from something very unpleasant."

"You mean you will force me to tell?"

"Mercy me! No. I am better acquainted with you than to try a thing like that."

"Will you keep a secret, without giving away one little word of it?"

"A client's counsel seldom repeats a confidential business transaction."

"I paid the two years of interest just a few minutes before that horrid old mortgage was due, so Uncle Josiah would not have to lose his place."

"Gosh!" was the inelegant reply. "You're a brick!"

His brow puckered.

"Won't that save him?" she asked with concern.

"Sure. But how did you know that Uncle Josiah was a party to this mix-up?"

"Father told me that."

"You should have been the lawyer of this family. I never saw any one like you for finding things out." Still apparently worried, he added: "But your check will give you away. What if that happens to fall into Dad's hands?"

"I didn't use my check. I went to our bank first, and drew out all my money. I didn't have enough left to put back, so I--well, I didn't put it back."

"What under heaven did you do with it?"

"I went down to an East River fish wharf, and----"

"Took a corner on fish?"

"Harold, don't think me foolish. Uncle Josiah had sold his boat, thinking to pay Father off and save his place. I----"

"You bought back the old fellow's boat!"

She nodded.

Harold did not laugh. Instead, he turned toward his desk and busily fumbled papers. When he spoke there was a note of tenderness in his voice. "You're the best little sport in seventeen States."

"Well, that doesn't keep me from starving."

"You didn't come for anything else?"

"No, except that I did want to talk with you. We can do that while we eat."

"I'd rather you would ask me any questions before we go out. State secrets have been known to leak out from restaurant tables."

"Tell me where this Adoniah Phillips lives."

"Whew! You don't pick the easy ones, do you? You certainly go right after what you want, Bets. But why do you ask?"

"Because I want to know."

"You'll have to think up a better reason than that."