Susy Lizzie emerged from behind the wire screen of the post-office counter while Jimmy O’Loughlin was speaking. She held in her hand a bundle of telegraph forms. Her uncle caught sight of her.
“What is it you’re wanting, Susy Lizzie?” he said. “Why wouldn’t you stay where you’re paid to stay and attend to the wants of the public?”
“It’s a dozen wires and more,” said Susy Lizzie, “that’s after coming for Mr. Goddard, and I thought maybe he’d like to get them at once.”
“You thought right,” said Mr. Goddard. “Hand them over.”
The first he looked at was from Derry.
“Two men, answering the description given, but without bicycles, left this last night at eight P.M., on steamer Rose for Glasgow. Have wired Chief of Police there.”
“That’ll hardly be them,” said Jimmy O’Loughlin, who was looking over Mr. Goddard’s shoulder.
“It can’t possibly be them,” said Mr. Goddard. “I defy them to get from this to Derry between twelve o’clock yesterday and eight in the evening. I hope to goodness those silly asses won’t go and arrest two total strangers and dump them down on us here. We have worry enough without that.”
“I don’t know,” said Jimmy, “if so be the men they got were decent sort of men, it might be——”
“What’s that you’re saying?” said Mr. Goddard.