“Now, don’t let us quarrel,” I said hastily. “You wouldn’t have come to any harm and I was keeping the reward as a surprise for you. Just think of all that money and how nice it’ll be to spend.”
“I’m thinking,” Myra said, tapping on the table. “I’m thinking what I’m going to do to you.”
Ansell broke in: “And what about us?” be demanded. “We weren’t going to be in this either.”
I drew myself up. “This is becoming sordid,” I said. “Here am I, trying to give the great American public an epic story and all you can do is to yap about money.”
“So you were not even interested in the reward?” Myra said, smiling at me. “You just wanted to give the great American public an epic story?”
“That’s all,” I said. “Why should I worry about a little thing like 25,000 dollars? I’m a newspaper man.”
“A minute,” Pablo said, “I have not finished. I take the seńorita now. Seńor Millan writes of the kidnapping. Then we discuss the reward.”
We all four stared at him. “You take the seńorita?” I said, suddenly realizing the spot we were in.
“Certainly,” Pablo returned, smiling at Myra. “The newspaper says she has been kidnapped, therefore I kidnap her. I shall hold her for ransom. I shall demand 50,000 dollars and you will pay. If there is much delay, I will send you her right ear and after three days I send you her left ear and then if I do not get the money, I send you a finger every day.”
Myra went a little pale. “That’ll make a swell headline in your rag,” she said to rue. “High rates for piecework or Blonde mailed in installments.”