“Yes, that’s it.”
Zizi was about to insist on the name of the person when there was a tap at the door, and the head chambermaid insisted on having the services of Molly at once. The girl went away and Zizi went straight to tell Penny Wise all about it.
She tried the door of Wise’s rooms and as the knob turned she walked in. But to her surprise the man sitting at the table in the sitting-room, and reading the newspaper, was not Wise but Mr Vail.
“Good afternoon,” he said, a little blankly, as he rose.
“How do you do?” Zizi returned, with one of her attractive smiles. “I’m Mr Wise’s assistant. Can I do anything for you?”
“I’m waiting here in hope he’ll come in. I’m Vail,—I’ve rooms on the tenth. You may have heard of me; I’m interested in the Binney case, and I’d like a little talk with Mr Wise,—that is, if he cares for it.”
“He will,” and Zizi nodded confidently. “Have you any knowledge, suspicion or evidence?”
“None of those important commodities,—merely straws that may or may not show the direction of the wind.”
“There’s no knowing when Mr Wise will show up,” Zizi observed; “don’t you want to tell me? It’ll be all the same.”
“All the same! Are you and Mr Wise partners?”