“Waal,” drawled Ephraim, sheepishly. “I own right up, b’gosh! that I was so ’tarnally flustered when that woman began to yoop her up that I didn’t notice nothin’ till the men hed got erway.”
“Which was exactly what the woman wanted,” said Merriwell. “She grabbed me and screamed like that in order to give the men a chance to skip. They took the chance.”
“Which shows she was just as bad as the men,” said Bart.
“I haven’t a doubt of it,” nodded Frank.
“But you let her get away! Oh, it’s like you!”
“Hodge, do you remember what you said when those men in the parlor were declaring the woman was too refined-looking to be engaged in a blackmailing scheme?”
“Yes. I said they made me sick.”
“That was it. You also said that were she plain and old they would not make such a fuss over her.”
“Yes.”
“Well, old man, at that moment I realized how little chance there was of convicting that woman of blackmail were she arrested. Do you suppose a jury of twelve men would have agreed to convict a young and handsome woman like that?”