Page:The Black Cat November 1916.djvu/14

10 His anger made Belford refuse, and John Thomas had to leave without the desired salutation, but there was a tremendously pleased twinkle in his eyes as he went out.

For almost an hour, Belford sat alone at his desk meditating on what a mess his son had got into and how best to extricate him. Finally, an idea occurred to him. He would have just one look into that envelope, to make certain everything was all right. In a moment, he had secured it from his office safe. Ripping open the folded sheet, Belford's eyes became almost as big as butter plates. He hurried to get 900 West 86th Street, Derrington's town house, on the telephone, and insisted on having Derrington himself at the wire.

"Now then, Derrington," he fairly roared, "this joke has gone far enough. What the devil did you mean by handing me that check for $20,000, when you had written your daughter Alice's name on the paper you left in my safe? Frederick hasn't married Alice; he eloped last night with a doll-faced salesgirl named Anita May Maloney."

For several seconds, all that Belford could hear over the wire was the rattling chuckle of some one who appeared to be either choking or to have heard what he considered a capital jest. Coherent words finally did reach Belford's ears.

"Oh, no, Bel'," came the thin voice of John Thomas Derrington, "Miss Maloney hasn't carried off your son; she has married your young superintendent. I happen to know because she just reminded me of a promise I made her some time ago. Frederick has married Alice; they'll be home a week from Saturday. Goodbye."