“Because, being twins they had to inherit something silly,” laughed Cara. “But let’s hope for good news from Captain Quiller. Dad thinks he’s a rare old character. He goes down to the lighthouse often just to talk with him. I’ll tell you, Babby, we started something at that famous house party, didn’t we?”
“A lot,” agreed Babs. She threw out her arms yawning with relief. “I do feel better,” she said with a smothered sigh. “You have no idea how blue I was.”
“Haven’t I? Didn’t I suspect murder? Say, Babs, you can show more moods in your face than a whole movie show. You ought to go into the movies,” she joked. “You wouldn’t have to do a thing but look and then keep on looking, differently.”
They were able to joke now, even Babs was almost like herself again. But it was no easy matter to feel cheerful and also feel somewhat responsible for the loss of that precious model.
Not that Barbara had had anything directly to do with it, but because she had opposed everybody in keeping up her interest in the little Italian. And just now it certainly looked pretty black for Nickolas Marcusi Junior’s reputation.
“Trouble is,” said Cara without hinting at what she was going to talk about, “if they found Nicky has had anything to do with that they’ll just grab him up and clap him in a reform school.”
“Oh, Cara, they wouldn’t!” exclaimed Babs in real terror.
“Well, that’s what I think they might do,” said Cara, regretting instantly her careless remark. “Of course, with such good friends as your father and my father and Captain Quiller he might have a better chance.”
“Cara, it would be simply terrible if the State should take that boy from his mother after having taken the father. Oh, we must hurry to Captain Quiller,” wailed Babs. “Miss Davis is so nervous she might go to old Chief Morgan, and he doesn’t know any more about police work than the ugly old stupid yellow dog that hounds his heels.”
“I’m sorry I said that, Babs,” confessed Cara, seeing how newly excited Babs had become. “There is no reason in the world to worry about Nicky. Why shouldn’t he move away if his mother wanted to?”