“In my own good time,” sulkily. “If they know too soon....”
“They’ll send you away from my baleful influence.” A mocking smile lighted her eyes and lips. Joe winced, the remark was too near the truth to be pleasant.
“It’s no thanks to your friend, Mrs. Hemmingway, that father doesn’t know now,” he grumbled.
“What do you mean?” in startled surprise.
“I found a letter from her in father’s mail last Monday,” he pulled out a much soiled envelope. “Your letters used to come under cover of her address, so I recognized her writing, and guessing something devilish was up, hooked it before father came home.”
“I see,” said Kathryn slowly. “And what did my amiable landlady say in her letter to your father?”
“I don’t know,” handing her the unopened envelope. “I waited to give it to you to read; I would have told you of it sooner, but you would not see me.”
“Could not see you,” she corrected gently; then without further words opened and read the letter. A sharp intake of her breath attracted Joe’s attention, and he turned from the window in time to see her tearing the letter into infinitesimal pieces, her face white with fury.
“The cat!” she exclaimed. “The vile, treacherous cat! And after I’ve been so good to her. Thank heaven you caught the letter, Joe; it was clever of you, my dearest.”
“Luck was with me,” admitted Joe frankly, pleased, however, at the implied compliment. “I never trusted Mrs. Hemmingway; you remember I warned you against her.”