Page:The Whisper on the Stair by Lyon Mearson (1924).djvu/175

 to Virginia—and that Jessica Pomeroy was either down there already or on her way. Old Point Comfort is very close to Norfolk and Hampton, near where Peter Pomeroy’s estate was. Undoubtedly Teck had information that led him to believe that the treasure was down there—perhaps hidden on the grounds of the Pomeroy property.

In a few minutes there was the slamming of a door, and he knew that Teck was gone. The two guards consulted with each other in a whisper in the adjoining room, and it was not long before they seemed to come to some decision, because they entered Val’s room together, on business bent.

It was O’Hara who spoke first.

“Sorry you kinnot make that there promise, ole kid,” he said, almost jocularly, his one good eye gleaming wickedly, in humorous contradistinction to the tightly closed, swollen blue optic that accompanied it. “Because we gotta date, me’n Rat, so we’ll hafter hurry t’ings along er little.”

“I didn’t tell you I wouldn’t promise, Horseface,” retorted Val. He intended to make the promise, but he intended to wait the full hour before doing it.

“Oh, sure yer did, old millionbucks.” O’Hara assured him. “Me’n me pal decided yer did. Yer too good ter live, anyway. Me’n Rat, here, we don’t like yer face, see! So we’re goin’ ter put it where it won’t bother us none. We gotta date. Open yer trap,” he directed.

“What for?” asked Val.

“Well, th’ proceedings is about ter begin—an’ we don’t want no holler outta you, so I’m goin’ ter stick something inter yer mout’ that’ll stop th’ noise,” answered O’Hara.