“Youse-a da bet she’s a da safe,” he proudly replied.
“Ah!” It was a sigh of glad relief that she uttered, for she believed the man’s statement to be true, and with the information her spirits rose.
“How many of you are there in this?” she quietly asked.
“Eesa not-a da beeze, jess-a da myself.”
“You told me you sent the note requesting this meeting. Who wrote it? It was not you!” she demanded.
Jack was not expecting so pointed a question and was thrown somewhat off his guard by her abrupt eagerness. He answered thoughtlessly—or, it may have been, indifference to the importance.
“Eesa my good-a da friend.”
“So there are at least two of you in this ‘over the road’ business?”
Chagrined, he thought how easily he had been trapped. “Hang it! I didn’t mean to make a break like that.” And then he exclaimed, between his teeth, for he realized too late the slip of his tongue.
“See-a da here. Da mon. Eesa want. How much-a you-a da give to gett-a back-a da kid? Speak a da quick.”