There was no thought of fear in Josie’s heart, her brain was clear and her hand steady. She was living to the full this moment the life that she loved best to live.
She stepped cautiously behind the fluttering curtain of the window and reconnoitered. The moon had again struggled out from behind the clouds and, shining palely down upon the white of the balcony, had lit up with a weird glow the sun dial at the end of the garden path. The man who had called out, however, remained a dark shadow against the wistaria vine that clambered over the house. She could only distinguish that a man was there leaning against the wall, and from the faint gleam of white she knew he was facing toward the balcony.
As Josie remained hidden she saw the man bend again and, gathering some pebbles from the path, proceed to toss them against the pane. At the same time he called in a louder tone than before, “Mary Louise!”
With quick presence of mind Josie leaned slightly forward, keeping always in the deepest shadow, her finger on the trigger of her weapon.
Her words were whispered in order not to show the difference between her rather deep, full voice and the quiet, musical tones of Mary Louise.
The man evidently heard her question, “What do you want with me?” for he turned eagerly, though he remained standing where he was.
“This is Danny Dexter,” he said slowly and distinctly. “Don’t be frightened, Mary Louise, but I simply had to call you to the balcony. There is something I cannot leave without telling you.”
Josie made a quick mental note of his immediate departure and proceeded to extract further information by a whispered “Yes” of encouragement.
“I wanted to make you understand that although you would not want me here any longer, still I am absolutely innocent of any forgery I understand this Crocker is accusing me of. And, Mary Louise, your car is safe in the garage.”
Astounding facts indeed for Josie to digest! The man’s tone carried absolute conviction. She could not help the firm belief that this man was not the forger O’Hara. And what was this he said, the car was safe? Had he perhaps been searching for the thief himself?