“I will.”
“Yes; remove that to a place of safety,—absolute safety. Will you?”
“I will, at once.”
Patty’s clear voice betokened her complete comprehension, and Helen said no more.
Helen drew a sigh of relief as she hung up the receiver.
She looked calmly at Mrs. Lummis. “I suppose you’re doing what you consider your duty,” she said, “as I am doing mine. There’s no use of our quarrelling, is there?”
“I’ve no desire to quarrel,” the speaker was quite evidently holding her temper under control with difficulty, “but I think this a most unkind return for the hospitality I’ve shown you.”
“So do I!” and Helen laughed. “Let’s untie the baddy old scarf!”
Still smiling, she untied the hard knots behind the chair, taking her time for it, however.
“I may misjudge you entirely,” she went on, slowly, “but sumpum tells me you’ve used my information to your own—or to some one’s advantage.”