Lahoma smiled pityingly. "Are you afraid of me, Atkins?"
The man looked up with open mouth. "Not exactly, kid!" There was something in her face that made him lose interest in his book. He kept looking at her.
"Then why don't you tell the truth? WE won't hurt you."
The man opened his mouth and closed it. Then he said, "It's a book."
"Did you ever read it before?"
"This is the third time I've read it."
"Seems as it hasn't accomplished no good on you, as you still tell lies."
The man rose abruptly, and laid the book on the seat. His manner was quite as discouraging as it had been from the start.
"Honey," interposed Willock, "that ain't to say a lie, not a real lie."
"IS it a hand-organ?" Lahoma demanded sternly.