“Joe must go to him,” insisted Barnes. “Send Aunt Philomela down to me.”
Joe himself looked frightened. He hesitated.
“Tell your father,” suggested Barnes, “that you’ve had word ‘The Lucky Find’ is on its feet. He’ll be so glad for you that he’ll forget everything else.”
“But if he suspects?” gasped Joe.
“If worst comes to worst,” said Barnes, “send for me. We’ll have to tell him then.”
Joe turned towards the door. Barnes placed his hand upon the young man’s shoulder.
“Keep your nerve,” he warned, “and play the game hard. That’s what we’ve all been doing here—even Aunt Philomela.”
Eleanor escorted her brother to the old man’s room and without waiting came down immediately with her aunt. Both women were quite breathless. They stood close together as though half expecting to hear a scream. Barnes crossed at once to Aunt Philomela and took her frail hand.
“Buck up,” he advised. “The boy will carry it through.”
“Oh,” she answered, “I’m so glad that you are here!”