Harold breathed a great sigh of relief and pulled his Ford up beside the dilapidated porch. He noticed with satisfaction that the woodwork needed painting, and he was glad to recall the fact that Mrs. Higgins had said they loved money. Surely he could bribe them to do what he wanted here!
A middle-aged man, unshaven and slovenly in appearance, shuffled to the door. Harold diplomatically touched his hat, and went up the steps. Then he repeated the story he had told to Mrs. Higgins, handing the man a ten dollar gold piece and offering him half of the reward in case they were successful. He said nothing, however, about the experience at Mrs. Higgins’s. He watched the greedy eyes gleam at the glitter of the precious metal, and knew before the man made his answer that it would be favorable.
“It’ll be hard,” he objected, “because we’d have to keep the winders closed downstairs. It’d be pretty stuffy.”
“But you can keep the upstairs ones open,” said Harold, impatiently. “However, suit yourself. Ain’t it worth ten dollars to you sure, with a chance at five hundred, to stand a little heat for a day or two till I get this runaway gal’s dad on the phone?”
The allurement proved too great; the man surrendered.
“The gals is still in bed,” he said; “they only got here about four o’clock this mornin’ and my sister put ’em right t’ bed. So we’ve got a good chance to git everything locked up tight.”
“All right,” replied Harold. “I’ll go back to the telephone. The girl says her pa and ma would be out o’ town till Tuesday, so I’ll jest stop at Besley and keep at it. Then, no matter what happens, I’ll turn up Tuesday night—with either good news or bad news. But even if it’s bad news, there’s another ten-spot here for you if the girls is still with you!”
“Very good!” agreed the man, perfectly pleased with the transaction. “They’ll be here! Don’t you fret!”
Harold had just a moment to meet the “Widder Brown,” and when the man was not looking, he pressed a crumpled bill into her hand. Then he jumped into his Ford and was gone.
“And now for home and mother!” he exclaimed, making for the creek, where he stopped a few minutes to remove and wash off his disguise.