Blanche frowned. "Say, you talk like a fillum!" She studied Pen afresh. "You don't look dangerous but ... Say, you got to give me some line on your game or nothin' doin'!"
"You've got to trust me," said Pen earnestly, "or we've had all our trouble for nothing."
"Trusting's not what I'm good at, sister," said Blanche with a vigorous gesture. "You give me some line on your game first. Who the Hell are you?"
"Well I'm going to trust you," said Pen. She spread out her arms. "I'm Pendleton Broome."
For once the little creature was shaken out of her uncanny self-possession. She whistled like a boy. Her eyes glistened with excitement. "The Don Counsell case!" she exclaimed. "You're in that! ... Good God! has it got anything to do with me ... with Spike?"
"I think it has," said Pen. "That's for you to say when I've told you all I know."
"Well, shoot! ... shoot!" said Blanche excitedly.
They heard steps coming along the corridor.
Blanche laid a hand on Pen's arm. "Maybe it would be just as well if we saved Babe's tender ears...."
Babe himself opened the door and walked in.