“Thank you,” Dick said quietly.
But the father was not content. On the contrary, he went toward the two hurriedly, with a gesture of reproval.
“You shall not go, Dick,” he declared, imperiously.
The Inspector shot a word of warning to Gilder in an aside that Dick could not hear.
“Keep still,” he replied. “It's all right.”
Dick went on speaking with a seriousness suited to the magnitude of his interests.
“You give me your word, Inspector,” he said, “that you won't notify the police in Chicago until I've been there twenty-four hours?”
“You're on,” Burke replied genially. “They won't get a whisper out of me until the time is up.” He swung about to face the father, and there was a complete change in his manner. “Now, then, Mr. Gilder,” he said briskly, “I want to talk to you about another little matter——”
Dick caught the suggestion, and interrupted quickly.
“Then I'll go.” He smiled rather wanly at his father. “You know, Dad, I'm sorry, but I've got to do what I think is the right thing.”