“This is my father,” said Isabelle. The two men shook hands.
“I object to this man’s coming in here,” began the editor of Chit-Chat.
Captain O’Leary fixed him with a stormy eye.
“We’ll hear your objections later. I know all about this rotten deal. Is this Jean Jacques Petard?”
“This is none of your business,” began Clifford, but he never finished it. With one long arm Captain O’Leary reached for Monsieur Petard, lifted the gentleman by the seat of his trousers and his collar, bore him toward the door. Isabelle opened it for him.
“Don’t kill him,” she said, as he went out.
Wally and Clifford rushed after him. Isabelle followed and Miss Watts got as far as the door. Max and the editor sat still, but sounds came to them from the outer hall.
It was about ten minutes later that O’Leary strode into the room again, with heightened colour but otherwise undisturbed.
“We’ll hear no more of Mr. Petard, I think. Now sir, it is your turn.”