"What of it?"
"You said he employed you to spy on me. That was another lie. There wasn't any little man."
Hester's mind worked quickly. It was likely Anton had discovered her deception, but she mustn't acknowledge it.
"I suppose they told you that at Henderson's office?" she laughed. "Of course they wouldn't spy on you. Oh, no! Say, you're easy, boy."
"It wasn't at Henderson's they told me. It was at the Ippingford telephone office. There are no records of any calls for 724 Chelsea except my calls."
The girl started to speak, but he cut her short. "Wait! If you'll let me finish you can get up a better lie. Just take a look at this—Exhibit B." He opened the table drawer and produced the false arm that Hester had hidden on the high shelf of the conservatory. "I found this where you threw it on that very busy day. Ha! Now, then, what has the dear, innocent child got to say?"
Hester sat silent for a moment, looking him straight in the eyes; then, slowly, a smile began to play about her mouth and presently she burst into a half mischievous, half impudent laugh.
"I tried to do you up, Anton," she acknowledged, "but I didn't get away with it."
"You went through the purse while I was kissing you in the car?"
"Sure I did, but the purse was empty."