"
"That's nice of you. By the way, Shirley, you may inform your uncle
at breakfast Friday morning about my connection with the N. C. O. In
fact, I think it would be far better for you if you made it a point
to do so."
"Why?"
"Because both Ogilvy and myself have a very strong suspicion that
your uncle has a detective or two on our trails. There was a strange
man rather prevalent around him all day yesterday and I noticed a
fellow following my car last night. He was on a bicycle and followed
me home. I communicated my suspicions to Ogilvy, and this morning he
spent two hours trying to shake the same man off his trail--and
couldn't. So I judge your uncle will learn to-day that you dined with
Ogilvy, Moira, and me last night."
"Oh, dear! That's terrible." He could sense her distress.
"Ashamed of having been seen in my company, eh?"
"Please don't. Are you quite serious in this matter?"
"Quite."
"Uncle Seth will think it so--so strange."
"He'll probably tell you about it. Better beat him to the issue by
'fessing up, Shirley. Doubtless his suspicions are already aroused,
and if you inform him that you know I am the real builder of the N.
C. O., he'll think you're a smart woman and that you've been doing a
little private gum-shoe work of your own on behalf of the Laguna
Grande Lumber Company.
Pages:
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326