“You’ll not escape me again. You’ll go with me when I leave.”
“Thank you, Hebby. I’m through here. Will you do me a favor?”
“You don’t deserve favors.”
“You never did favor the deserving, you know. Will you tell the ‘tall, solemn guy’ that you have your ring all right? I’ll see you get it. I haven’t it on me. But this is the real favor. No one here, except Mrs. Kingdon and one of the men on the place, knows very much about my chequered career and they only know me by my baptismal name.”
“Which I’m not sure that I know, Meg. You have so many names.”
“I took my own as a perfect disguise. It’s Penelope Lamont.”
“Fine name. I’ll make a note of it for future use. I’ll keep your secret if you’ll not try to run away again. You haven’t told me how you came here.”
“I was—apprehended. But I am not on a thief’s errand. It’s for a reason apart from my other life. You know, Hebby, thieves do have a code of honor.”
“You are the one and only thief! I take off my hat to you. Say, how did that tall guy know you had it?”
“He didn’t. He suspected someone else. You can have it back, Hebby. It’s so garish it puts my eyes out. I didn’t want it. I just wanted to steal it.”