Poor Miss Katherine was bruised all over and had considerable difficulty in hiding her physical sufferings from Mrs. White, who was a native of Ocean View, and therefore it would never do to arouse her suspicions. When that lady asked Miss Katherine how she got such a bruise on her arm, she replied that her flesh bruised at a touch and she must have struck it against something. But when Mrs. White inadvertently touched Miss Katherine upon quite another part of her body and she flinched before she recollected caution, the aforementioned lady began to wonder, and when a woman begins to wonder she soon has something to tell.
When Joseph returned his sister related all that had occurred during his absence.
His evident uneasiness concerning Mr. Murphy’s motives was quite comforting. It is so gloomy to be the only anxious one in the house.
“He can’t set foot on the property if we forbid him,” said Joseph with a determined countenance.
“But we can’t do that, at least it wouldn’t be wise,” remonstrated his sister gently. It was soothing to her bruises to note Joseph’s anxiety. “He is a perfect gentleman, a man we couldn’t treat rudely. He mightn’t be spying at all and then we’d look ridiculous, or we might arouse suspicions in him by over caution. Now my plan is to let him call if he cares to, but never to leave him alone and to watch all his movements very carefully. He might unconsciously give us a clew if he has any exact knowledge of the whereabouts of the treasure. Now don’t you think that’s the wisest course to pursue?”
Joseph had no wile in his makeup, so would have preferred a pugilistic encounter at the gate, as the best way of dealing with a spy, but his sister was undeniably the leader in this affair, so he agreed to remain passive while she matured her plan.
It was well that they made their decision concerning the stranger when they did for the next day, in the afternoon, as Joseph was digging among the flowers in the front garden, Mr. Murphy appeared at the gate. Joseph’s interest in his work had driven all thoughts of treasure and treasure seekers out of his mind. He supposed it to be one of his neighbors and merely looked up and nodded to the caller to enter.
“Good afternoon neighbor,” said Joseph with what breath his unwonted exertions allowed him, “could you tell me whether it’s too late to separate these roots and transplant them? I think they’re too thick, but I don’t want to spoil ’em for blossoming this year. I think a piny is as pretty a flower as grows.”
“Why, now, I’d think this was about the right time to separate the roots, but you want to do it right. Now, if you’d just give me the spade I’ll show you how to handle it and not cut the roots and I’ll separate them, too,” replied Joseph’s neighbor, throwing off his coat and seizing the spade.
Joseph stood by and watched for a few moments and then trotted off to get himself a spade. The two men spaded and puffed until all the peony roots lay on the fresh earth. Then the work of separation began. The supposed neighbor acted as teacher and Joseph was an interested pupil.