“He said he would set the authorities at work and see if he could not find Porton and his confederate. I was so bewildered that I––well, I might as well admit it––I told him that I couldn’t understand how I had been deceived, and that maybe Dave had gotten the miniatures after all.”
“Oh, Mrs. Basswood, you didn’t really mean that!” cried our hero.
“I was so bewildered I didn’t know what I meant, Dave. That young man did look so very much like you. That’s the reason, when you folks drove up to the house, I ran out to ask if you had really been here or not.”
“Have you heard anything of this Ward Porton since?” asked Roger.
“I haven’t heard anything. Whether Mr. Wadsworth has learned anything or not I do not know, for he has not been here and the storm has been so awful, with all the telephone wires down, that I could not send for news.”
“Does father know about this now?” questioned Ben.
“No, Ben, I have not had the courage to tell him,” answered the mother. “I told the doctor, and he advised that I say nothing for the present.”
“I don’t think I’d tell him,” said Dave. “I think the best thing we can do is to try to follow Porton and this fellow with him and get back the miniatures. Then it will be time enough to tell Mr. Basswood about the affair.”
As soon as they had entered the parlor the lady of the house had shut the door, so that none of the conversation might reach the sick chamber overhead. In reply to numerous questions Mrs. Basswood gave all the details as to how the rascally Porton had been able to gain possession of the miniatures.