True to his reputation the indigo bird burst once more into song, then off he flew, still singing his clear, rapid notes.
“Amanda,” the man said as the blue wings carried the bird out of sight, “you’ve helped me--I can’t tell you how much! I’m going back to the bank and face that lie. If I could only find out who started it!”
“I don’t know, but I’d like to bet Mr. Mertzheimer is back of it, somehow. The old man is a heavy depositor there, isn’t he?”
“Yes, but why under the sun would he say such a thing about me? I never liked Lyman and he had no love for me, but he has no cause to bear me ill will. I haven’t anything he wants, I’m sure.”
“No?” The girl bit her lip and felt her cheeks burn.
Martin looked at her, amazed. Why was she blushing? Surely, she didn’t like Lyman Mertzheimer!
“Oh, Martin,” she was thinking, “how blind you are! You do have something Lyman Mertzheimer wants. I can see through it all. He thinks with you disgraced I’ll have eyes for him at last. The cheat! The cheat!” she said out loud.
“What?” asked Martin.
“He’s a cheat, Lyman is. I hope he gets what’s coming to him some day and I get a chance to see it! You see if that precious father of his is not at the bottom of all this worry for you!”
“It may be. I’m going in to Lancaster and find out. If he is, and if I ever get my hands on him---”