“Why not?” said Louis, but Barry checked him with a look as Pollard came in.
“May I come?” he said, as he greeted the women. “I’m starving for a cup of tea, and you asked me to come informally and unbidden——”
“Of course we did,” Phyllis smiled; “sit down, tea is imminent.”
“I’ve been writing my head off all day,” Pollard went on, as he took an easy chair. “Haven’t even been out for a breath of air——”
“Why—” Phyllis was about to say that Barry had seen him down near the Gleason home, but she stopped herself in time. She had no wish to trip up Phil Barry—indeed, her feelings prompted her to shield him—but surely, surely, he had falsified in this instance! Why?
There was but one answer. Barry was trying to make Pollard again suspected. Notwithstanding Barry’s insistence on Pollard’s alibi, a stray hint, such as he had given about seeing him down town, made things questionable again.
Quickly changing the subject, Phyllis made the conversation general, and though the Gleason matter cropped up now and then, other topics were mentioned.
Also, Phyllis returned to her great desire to get some of her inheritance at once.
“Why, surely you can,” Pollard said; “how much do you want? Can’t I advance you some?”
“No; I want twenty thousand dollars, and I don’t want to say what for.”