“I am tickled to death to see you, of course,” declared Carroll soberly. “But at the same time I am completely staggered by your visit. This is the first time you have ever braved your uncle’s wrath by venturing into the Bulletin office, so I can’t help thinking that something serious must have happened.”
“Not at all,” was the smiling answer. “I am here merely on a matter of business. As I explained to the nice young man who greeted me at the door, I have come to try to sell you some photographs.”
She opened her hand bag, and, taking therefrom some films, threw them upon the desk.
As Carroll picked them up, he uttered an exclamation of joyous amazement.
“Look here, Frank,” he cried excitedly. “A miracle, if ever there was one! If these are not the negatives, I’ll eat my hat.”
The Camera Chap stared at the pictures.
“By Jove, so they are!” he exclaimed jubilantly. “This is too good to be true, Miss Gale. May I inquire how you got them, or is it a secret?”
Melba had no desire to make a secret of it, and, in as few words as possible, she explained the ruse she had employed.[Pg 52]
Carroll and the Camera Chap chuckled with glee over her story, but suddenly the former grew grave.
“It is mighty fine of you to have done this thing for me, little girl,” he said, “and I shall never forget it; but, of course, it is quite out of the question for us to use these pictures now.”