“Why, yes,” said Lynn looking at him curiously, “Did you want to see him?”
“Well, if he's round I might. I got a message for him.”
She looked at him keenly:
“You haven't seen Mark to-day, have you, Billy?”
“Aw, naw, 'taint from him,” he grinned reassuringly, “He's away just now. But I might see him soon ya know, ur hear from him.”
Lynn's face cleared. “Yes, of course. His mother told me he was suddenly called back to New York.”
“Yep. That's right!” said Billy as if he knew all about it, and pulled off his old cap with a glorious wave as she turned to call the stranger.
Billy dropped his wheel at the curb and approached the steps as he saw Shafton coming slowly out leaning on a cane. He rustled the folded newspaper out from his pocket with one hand and shook it open as only a boy's sleight of hand can do, wafting it in front of the astonished Laurie, and saying with an impudent swag,
“Say, z'your name Shafton? Well, see that? Why don't you beat it home? Your ma is about t'croke, an' yer dad has put up about all his dough, an' you better rustle back to where you come from an' tell 'em not to b'leeve all the bunk that's handed out to 'em! Good night! They must need a nurse!”
Laurie paused in the act of lighting one of his interminable cigarettes with which he supplied the lack of a stronger stimulant, and stared at the boy curiously, then stared at the paper he held in his hand with the flaring headlines, and reaching out his hand for it began to laugh: