“Perhaps she wore her old clothes because she was merely out to call on my unworthy self.”
“No. She was on her way to a reception. They’re her best clothes now. And a tiny rip in one glove and a missing snap-fastener on her bodice proves she keeps no personal lady’s maid, as people in her position usually do. So, I’m sure she isn’t offering big reward money, though she loves her brother.”
“You’re a born detectivess, Norah. You’ll beat Penny Wise at his own game, if he doesn’t watch out!”
“Maybe,” said Norah, and she laid her fingertips gracefully back on her typewriter keys.
CHAPTER XII
The Link
It was the next afternoon that Penny Wise came into my office. It was his first visit there, and I gave him a hearty welcome. Norah looked so eagerly expectant that I introduced him to her, for I couldn’t bear to disappoint the girl by ignoring her.
Wise was delightfully cordial toward her, and indeed Norah’s winsome personality always made people friendly.
I had tried to get in touch with the detective the day before but he was out on various errands, and I missed him here and there, nor could we get together until he found this leisure.
I told him all I had learned from the police, but part of it was already known to him. He was greatly interested in the news which he had not heard before, that there was somebody implicated, who was called “The Link.”
“That’s the one we want!” he cried; “I suspected some such person.”