Page:Lynch Williams--The girl and the game.djvu/120



Accordingly he sought out Preston Brown the next morning and found him on the way to the laboratory. "I want to see you a minute, old man," said Jeremiah kindly. His classmates liked Jere better before he had learned to say "old man." It did not suit Jeremiah's style, even if it had not fallen into disuse by the time he learned it.

"Certainly," said Preston. "What is it?"

Now, Reddy had not implicated Brown, but Jeremiah was a judge of human nature, and he knew that if there were any deviltry Preston had a hand in it.

"Preston, you know I don't believe in beating about the bush. Answer me this question, old man: Have you or have you not got something hid away in that cellar about which you'd rather not have people know?"

"Who said—what are you talking about, anyway?"

"And do you take that certain something