Penwell nodded.
"You should have locked that bird up, Mr. Vandervent, until he lost his love for talk."
"And money," amended Vandervent.
"Not much. Fifty dollars."
"Cheap at the price. Still," said Vandervent, "rather expensive when you can't use what he told you."
"No?" Penwell was politely interested. For all his youth, one would have judged him a good poker player.
"Miss Deane was unfortunate; a victim of circumstances. The Era wouldn't drag her into a nasty scandal, would it?" demanded Vandervent.
"News is news," stated Penwell.
"Listen to a trade?" asked Vandervent.