little disturbed to see the glint of a fresh determination in Fanny Parran's blue eye. She did not keep him long in doubt as to what it portended. Bringing in the mail, she said:
"Pop, I've been thinking all night about something you said to Judy yesterday."
"What was that, my dear?"
"You said you couldn't make any move to help Al Yohe unless you could hear his story."
"That's right," said Lee, wondering what on earth was coming next.
"Would you consent to see Al Yohe and let him tell you his story?"
Lee almost bounced out of his chair. "Good God! Fanny, do you realize what you're saying?"
"Perfectly."
"Do you know where he is?"
"No," she said calmly.
"What am I to understand from this extraordinary proposition of yours?"
"Well," she said cautiously, "I've been approached by somebody who knows Al and presumably is able to communicate with him."
"Was it Mrs. Gartrey?" demanded Lee.
Fanny turned pink with anger. "No indeed! I believe that woman is playing a double part and Judy thinks so, too."
"Then who was it?"
Fanny's soft lips hardened. "I won't tell you that, Pop. It's useless for you to ask me."
"My dear girl," said Lee, holding himself in, "don't you understand that for you to have any truck with a fugitive from justice without informing the police, constitutes you an accessory to his crime?"
Fanny was unimpressed. "Surely, I know it. It's one of those things men make such a fuss about that you might think it was important."
"And what is more important?"
"Many things. Justice, honor, good faith--" Fanny touched her breast, "and that something in here which prompts you how to act in a specific case whatever the usual rules may be."
"I am being instructed," said Lee dryly.
"I am only applying what you have taught me," said Fanny firmly.
Though he preserved an appearance of calmness, Lee was growing a little warm. "Those are brave words," he said, "but the plain truth of the matter is that you have become infatuated with this..."
Fanny turned pink again. "That's not so, Pop. It's not desire for the man that has got me going, but a desire to see justice done. Why this woman who came to me..."
"So it was a woman!"
"She is much closer to Al Yohe than I could ever be--or wish to be. Would I be trying to help her if I wanted him myself?"
Lee shifted ground a little. "Am I to understand that this request for an interview comes from the woman or from Al himself?"
"From AL He wants nothing in the world so much as a chance to tell you his story."
"Do you know his story?"
"I do not, and neither does the person who came to me. Al will not tell it to anybody but yourself."
"Can't he write it?"
"He dare not trust it to paper."
"But if he told me his story I would have to carry it direct to the police."
"Al does not believe that you would do that after hearing his story, that is, not until you had conducted an investigation of your own. There are certain facts that have to be established. The truth is well hidden and he feels that only you can dig it up. It would be fatal to put it in the hands of the police."
Lee had recovered his good humor. "This is horribly tempting," he said. "My curiosity is at fever heat, but I must stick to the line I have adopted. Unless I play along with the police I might as well go out of business altogether."
"Then I am to send word that you refuse to see Al Yohe?"
"Unless there is a policeman present," said Lee, smiling.
"No good," said Fanny glumly. "He won't give himself up."
"And what's more," said Lee, "for your own sake I must urge you to play along with me. This is a dangerous business you're embarking in, my dear. Let the young fellow be arrested and you may rest assured that I will leave no stone unturned to discover the truth."
She shook her head. "That's your notion of the right thing to do; you must let me have mine. I couldn't betray the girl who trusts me. You can fire me if you like."
Lee was startled. "Bless your heart, I'm not going to fire you! But you
"Pop, I've been thinking all night about something you said to Judy yesterday."
"What was that, my dear?"
"You said you couldn't make any move to help Al Yohe unless you could hear his story."
"That's right," said Lee, wondering what on earth was coming next.
"Would you consent to see Al Yohe and let him tell you his story?"
Lee almost bounced out of his chair. "Good God! Fanny, do you realize what you're saying?"
"Perfectly."
"Do you know where he is?"
"No," she said calmly.
"What am I to understand from this extraordinary proposition of yours?"
"Well," she said cautiously, "I've been approached by somebody who knows Al and presumably is able to communicate with him."
"Was it Mrs. Gartrey?" demanded Lee.
Fanny turned pink with anger. "No indeed! I believe that woman is playing a double part and Judy thinks so, too."
"Then who was it?"
Fanny's soft lips hardened. "I won't tell you that, Pop. It's useless for you to ask me."
"My dear girl," said Lee, holding himself in, "don't you understand that for you to have any truck with a fugitive from justice without informing the police, constitutes you an accessory to his crime?"
Fanny was unimpressed. "Surely, I know it. It's one of those things men make such a fuss about that you might think it was important."
"And what is more important?"
"Many things. Justice, honor, good faith--" Fanny touched her breast, "and that something in here which prompts you how to act in a specific case whatever the usual rules may be."
"I am being instructed," said Lee dryly.
"I am only applying what you have taught me," said Fanny firmly.
Though he preserved an appearance of calmness, Lee was growing a little warm. "Those are brave words," he said, "but the plain truth of the matter is that you have become infatuated with this..."
Fanny turned pink again. "That's not so, Pop. It's not desire for the man that has got me going, but a desire to see justice done. Why this woman who came to me..."
"So it was a woman!"
"She is much closer to Al Yohe than I could ever be--or wish to be. Would I be trying to help her if I wanted him myself?"
Lee shifted ground a little. "Am I to understand that this request for an interview comes from the woman or from Al himself?"
"From AL He wants nothing in the world so much as a chance to tell you his story."
"Do you know his story?"
"I do not, and neither does the person who came to me. Al will not tell it to anybody but yourself."
"Can't he write it?"
"He dare not trust it to paper."
"But if he told me his story I would have to carry it direct to the police."
"Al does not believe that you would do that after hearing his story, that is, not until you had conducted an investigation of your own. There are certain facts that have to be established. The truth is well hidden and he feels that only you can dig it up. It would be fatal to put it in the hands of the police."
Lee had recovered his good humor. "This is horribly tempting," he said. "My curiosity is at fever heat, but I must stick to the line I have adopted. Unless I play along with the police I might as well go out of business altogether."
"Then I am to send word that you refuse to see Al Yohe?"
"Unless there is a policeman present," said Lee, smiling.
"No good," said Fanny glumly. "He won't give himself up."
"And what's more," said Lee, "for your own sake I must urge you to play along with me. This is a dangerous business you're embarking in, my dear. Let the young fellow be arrested and you may rest assured that I will leave no stone unturned to discover the truth."
She shook her head. "That's your notion of the right thing to do; you must let me have mine. I couldn't betray the girl who trusts me. You can fire me if you like."
Lee was startled. "Bless your heart, I'm not going to fire you! But you
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