“Look here,” said Lee, “do you mean that the Widow Deane was one of old Coventry’s heirs?”
“Of course! Didn’t you know it? She was a half-sister. She lived over in New Jersey, she told me, until her husband died. Then she wrote to old Coventry, asking him to help her because she didn’t have much money, and he invited her to come here. She thought he meant to give her a home with him; but when she got here, the best he would do was rent her that little house around on Pine Street and stock it up for her as a store. Then he built a fence between the two places. It used to be open right through.”
“Gee, you certainly know a lot of ancient history!” marveled Lee.
“I believe in being thorough,” laughed George. “When I tackle a subject I get a fall out of it.”
“So when I trail the murderer—I mean the thief,” reflected Starling, “I’ll be doing the old lady back there a good turn, won’t I?”
“Surest thing you know!” agreed George.
“And she needs the money, I guess. I don’t believe she makes a fortune out of that emporium. And that daughter of hers is a nice kid, too.”
“How many other heirs are there to share in the money when Starling finds it?” asked Laurie.
“I don’t know. Quite a bunch, I believe. The old chap wasn’t married, and the heirs are nephews and nieces and things like that. The Widow’s the only one living around here, though.”
“Well, when I do find it,” laughed Starling, “I’ll keep it quiet and hand it all over to the Widow.”