The plain clothes man from Captain Lonsdale was the next person to mount the stairs to Ursula’s apartment. He was a stolid individual, but had a kind blue eye and no doubt was more keen witted than he appeared to be. Ursula remembered Josie’s assumed stupidity when she was working on a case and felt perhaps this man Donner was pursuing the same tactics. She showed him the letter and told him what had happened, describing the ancient automobile and the man who had walked up the street immediately before she had noticed the letter under her door.
“You done right to phone the Cap’n,” said Donner. “These here blackmailers would be brought to justice oftener if the folks weren’t so scairt of them. Ladies are usually the worst of the bunch for taking them serious like and letting them get the bits between their teeth. Most ladies in your fix would have laid low about the letter and handed over whatever they asked just to make sure the kid was safe. I tell you, lady, the kid is just as safe, and a deal sight safer, with your telling us about this letter than he would have been if you had just kep’ it to yourself.”
“I had to let Captain Lonsdale know about it, because I promised Miss O’Gorman I would. Somehow I feel as though she knows best about my affairs.”
“Sure she does! I wasn’t strong for women policemen—policewomen, I believe they call them—until I had a case to work up alongside of that Miss Josie O’Gorman, and I tell you then I got to thinking that the Almighty must have took out some of Adam’s brains along with the rib when he made Eve, and that Josie girl got a good share of them. Did you ever hear about how she caught the thieves that were carrying off Mrs. Danny Dexter’s wedding presents?”
Ursula quickly assured him she had, as she could not contemplate having to hear the tale again and she felt that the sooner the kindly officer got on his job of hunting up the kidnapers the better for all concerned. She wished him good luck and politely got rid of him.
Ben came home full of the delightful time he had spent with the Dexters, also full of a good dinner.
“Did you eat anything, Sister?” he asked, pressing his rosy cheek to Ursula’s pale one.
“I forgot to eat,” confessed Ursula.
“Well, you must remember,” declared Ben. “I’m gonter get you some supper. There’s oodles in the ice box. Now you just sit still and I’ll fix you up in no time.”
Ursula held the boy to her and told him of the letter she had found under the door, and then read it to him.