"Well, my hearing's good."
"If we could get away somewhere..."
"Nothing doing! No back alley work for me. This is a first-rate public situation. Speak your piece."
"I can't," said Pen helplessly. "There must be confidence between us first. You must know that it is something I can't blurt out in a place like this."
The black eyes bored her through and through. Curiosity and suspicion were struggling there. It was strongly in Pen's favor, however, that she was being tracked by a detective. "Do you live in this town?" the girl demanded.
"No," said Pen. "I came here to meet you."
"Are you alone?"
"Yes."
"Well, I warn you I'm not. If anything is to be tried on, I got a husky friend with me."
Pen, glancing around guardedly, had no great difficulty in picking him out—a nonchalant youth leaning against a bargain counter. He was very well dressed in sporting style, topped with an exaggerated flat tweed cap. His cheeks were as smooth and pink as a girl's, but the glance of his blue eyes was disillusioned.