“Go on, Ralph,” insisted Barbara.
“Very well, then, Bab; I was angry and hurt because, if you did join Mollie, you couldn’t have stayed with her a minute. I saw you, just afterwards, holding a long conversation with a strange man.”
“Well, Ralph,” argued Bab, “was that such a dreadful offense? I am sure I should not have been angry with you, if you had talked to any number of strange women.” Bab’s eyes were twinkling. She had made up her mind that she wanted a confidant. Here was Ralph, the best one she could have.
“That’s not all,” Ralph continued, “I did not mean to be an eavesdropper, but I was standing just behind you and I could not help overhearing that strange man make an appointment to meet you this morning. Say, Bab,” Ralph turned toward her, all his anger gone, “don’t do things like meeting that man this morning without telling. It’s not nice, and I’ve thought you the nicest, most straightforward girl I ever knew. If there is anything between you and that fellow, why should it be a secret? A girl can’t afford to have secrets, except with other girls.”
“But I want to have a secret with you, Ralph,” rejoined Barbara. “Now listen, while I tell you everything. I have never talked to you about the scene in the conservatory, the night of Mrs. Erwin’s ball, though I did appreciate what you did to help me out when I made that strange request of Harry Townsend. I was not crazy. I saw Harry Townsend steal Mrs. Post’s emerald necklace. Ralph,” Barbara’s voice was now so low that he had to bend over to hear her, “Harry Townsend is not what the people here think him. He is a professional thief, and a dangerous one.”
“Whew!” whistled Ralph. “What did you say?”
Then Barbara told him the story of the three thefts, from the beginning, and her own part in discovering them. “The detectives are on the lookout now, Ralph,” she added, “but they want me to keep a watch from the inside.”
“Well, you are a clever one, Bab!” declared Ralph. “Look here, I am glad you told me this. I appreciate it a whole lot, and I will not mention it to anyone until you tell me I may. But, remember one thing. I shall be on the watch, too, and it’s Miss Barbara Thurston I’ll be watching. That Townsend is a dangerous rogue. I’ve known there was something crooked about him from the first. Oh, it’s easy to say that, now, after what you have told me. I am not pretending I knew his special game. Only I knew he was not our sort. He is a whole lot older than he pretends to be, for one thing.”
“Ralph,” sighed Barbara, “do you think there is any way I could warn Gladys against Harry Townsend?”
Ralph shook his head. “Not any way that I know of. She would just snub you hard, if you tried. Even if you dared to tell her the truth she would go right off and tell that Townsend fellow. She’s been pretty hateful to you, Bab. I don’t see why you should care.”