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"Not at all, sor," interrupted the Major, sternly; "her early education has been neglected, that's all." "Come dear," pleaded Arthur to Louise; "let us go home." "By no means!" announced Beth, positively; "let us stay where we belong. Why, we're not half sold out yet!" Arthur Weldon met Mershone at a club next afternoon. "You low scoundrel!" he exclaimed.
You can scarcely blame us for cutting your acquaintance. But now " "Well, now?" he enquired coolly, trying to read her impassive face. "I need the services of just such an unscrupulous and clever individual as you have proven yourself to be. I'm willing to pay liberally for those services, and you doubtless need the money. Are we allies, then?" Mershone laughed, with little genuine mirth.
He started at seeing his enemy and began to fear a thousand terrible, indefinite things, knowing how unscrupulous Mershone was. But the Waldorf detective, who seemed friendly with the police sergeant, made a clear, brief statement of the facts he had observed. Mershone denied the accusation; the bruiser denied it; the policeman and the driver of the patrol wagon likewise stolidly denied it.
Can you pay me that much to risk my future career as a detective?" Mershone bit his lip. This fellow was not so simple, after all, boyish as he seemed. And, worse than all, he had a suspicion the youngster was baiting him, and secretly laughing at his offers of bribery. "They will take you off the job, now that I have discovered your identity," he asserted, with malicious satisfaction.
"I have come here to-day to save Louise from your wiles and carry her back to her friends. I dare you, or your confederates," with a scornful look at the detective, "to interfere with me in any way." Then she turned to Cerise and continued: "Where is Miss Merrick now?" "In your own room, ma'm'seile." "Come with me, then." With a defiant glance at Mershone she turned haughtily and left the room.
Assuredly the game was well worth playing, as Diana had asserted. He must make it his business to discover what difficulties must be overcome in winning her. Of course Arthur Weldon was the main stumbling-block; but Weldon was a ninny; he must be thrust aside; Diana had promised to attend to that. Never in his life had Charles Connoldy Mershone been in earnest before.
"I don't believe a word of it," insisted Arthur. "Mershone is a natural cad; he's been guilty of all sorts of dirty tricks, and is capable of many more. If you'll watch out, Louise, you'll see that all the girls are shy of being found in his society, and all the chaperons cluck to their fledglings the moment the hawk appears.
Because my disreputable cousin planned the abduction, without consulting me, and " "Oh, come, Di; that's a little too " "Because the girl has been carried to the Von Taer house my house in East Orange; because my own servant is at this moment her jailor, and " "How should they know all this?" interrupted Mershone, impatiently. "And how do you happen to know it yourself, Diana?"
"Can't say, sir. I was mighty stupid, and that's a fact. But my mind was so full of that assault and battery case, and the trickery of that fellow Mershone, that I wasn't looking for anything else." "Can you get away?" asked Arthur. "Can you help me on this case?" "No, sir; I must remain on duty at the hotel. But perhaps the young lady is now safe at home, and we've been borrowing trouble.
They called me up at three o'clock this morning to enquire after Louise Merrick as if I should know her whereabouts. Why did they come to me for such information? Why?" she stamped her foot for emphasis. "I suppose," said Charlie Mershone, "they called up everyone who knows the girl. It would be natural in case of her disappearance."
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