Page:Guy Boothby--A Bid for Fortune.djvu/264

254 "That Nikola's not long about anything," remarked the old woman.

"I hope Pipa Lannu will agree with her health—the stuck-up minx—I do!" the younger remarked spitefully. "Now where's the money he said I was to have. Let me have it and be off. I shall get the sack if this is found out."

"It was five pound I was to give yer, wasn't it?" the elder one said, pushing her hand deep down into her pocket.

"Ten," said the younger, sharply. "No larks, Sally. I know too much for you!"

"Oh, you know a lot, honey, don't you? Of course you'd be expected to know a sight more than old Aunt Sally whose never seen anything at all, wouldn't you? Go along with you!"

"Hand me over the money I say, and let me be gone."

"Of course you do know a lot more, don't you? There's a pound!"

While they were wrangling over the money I crept down the passage again to the front door. Once there I opened it softly and went out, closing it carefully behind me. Then I took to my heels and ran down the street the way I had come as fast as I could go. Enquiring my way here and there from policemen, I eventually reached home, scaled the wall, and went across the garden to the morning-room window. This I opened, and by means of it made my way into the house and up stairs. As I had expected he would have gone to bed, I was considerably surprised at meeting Mr. Wetherell on the landing.

"Well, what have you discovered?" he asked anxiously as I came up to him.