“It won’t interfere with your family, don’t worry,” replied Orilla. “I just want you to take care of some money for me. That’s not so hard to do, is it?”
“Money!” Nancy remembered what Rosa had said about that. “Why can’t you take care of it?” she asked.
“Because I suspect that someone knows I’ve got it, and they’re after it.” Orilla was very calm and composed now, and Nancy noticed how quickly her moods changed. “It’s in this little bag,” Orilla continued, showing to Nancy a square, brown bag made of khaki, just like her suit. It was bulky and seemed to contain quite a lot of money—if it were all money.
“Well, if you just want me to take it for a few days I don’t suppose there is any harm in that,” reasoned Nancy. “But suppose someone stole it from me?”
“No one would around here, that is, not up in your rooms,” replied Orilla. “Please take it, Nancy. It means an awful lot to me,” and she laid the bag on Nancy’s lap as she pleaded.
“All right. But don’t hold me responsible. I’ll do the best I can to take care of it, of course,” Nancy assured her, “but if anything does happen—”
“It won’t. Thank you for taking it, Nancy. Now I am free to—finish my work,” and she stood up to leave.
“But, Orilla, you were going to tell me something else; your secret place, wasn’t it?” Nancy felt now she should know more about Orilla’s business if she were going to act as her secret treasurer.
“Oh, I can’t wait now, but meet me here to-morrow evening at this time, and then I’ll tell you. Good-bye, I must go. Don’t mention having seen me,” and just as she had done before, Orilla slipped away, back of the bushes like a wild creature of the woods, indeed.
For a few minutes Nancy sat there, the brown bag lying in her lap, an unwelcome treasure.