Page:The Whisper on the Stair by Lyon Mearson (1924).djvu/56

 manent wave, as it were—and that it was up to the police to locate the mysterious lady.

“Well, we’ll just about have to beat the darn old police to it, Eddie,” remarked Val when they had thoroughly digested what the newspapers had to say concerning the affair. Eddie nodded his head gravely.

“Considering your feelings in that quarter, sir, we’ll just about have to lay a barrage all around her. We haven’t tried the Bronx yet,” remarked Eddie.

“The Bronx!” ejaculated Val. “Eddie, how often do I have to tell you that it’s bad form to kid your employer—that it just simply is not done in our best circles.”

“Just the same, if you don’t mind my saying so, sir, you never can tell,” persisted Eddie. “You’ve exhausted all of Manhattan, haven’t you?” Val nodded.

“Well, then!” Eddie said this respectfully, as one should say such things to one’s boss, but there was a touch of triumph in it, too. He was human—and he knew this was one argument he would win.

He did. Val capitulated with very little argument—he certainly was not going to give up the search simply because it led him into the upper reaches of the Bronx—one should be prepared for hardship, he said. If any residents of the Bronx read this, it is understood that no offense was intended by Val—he simply did not know that people lived there, that was all.