“Oh, come on now, Johnny,” Peter said in a pleading voice. “You know a lot more than you’re telling us. How about a break? We don’t want to bite the man. We just want to offer him a job.”
Johnny seemed startled. “A job? But he’s retired!”
“He’ll come out of retirement for this part,” Peter said confidently.
“Oh, it’s a play?”
Peter nodded. “A wonderful chance.”
Johnny shook his head and smiled. “Tom Agate’s heard that so many times. Believe me, he won’t listen. He’s finished with the theater.”
“Do you know why?” Peggy asked.
“I don’t have the slightest notion,” Johnny replied blandly. Despite his innocent expression, Peggy was almost certain the old man was lying to Peter. “All I know,” he went on smoothly, “is that fifteen years ago, Tom Agate told me he was quitting the stage. He didn’t give any reason and I didn’t ask. After all, you don’t stick your nose into someone else’s affairs.”
“Have you seen Tom lately?” Peter persisted.
“The last time I saw Tom was”—the old man cocked his head to one side—“oh, it must have been four years ago.”