“We’ll ’tend to that,” returned Ned, quickly. “But Miss Dale is very anxious to meet you.”
“Meet me?” asked Tom Moran, for it was he. “About that runaway the other day? I’m mighty sorry the steers ran----”
“That’s not it,” said Tavia, briskly. “It’s about your sister Celia, and Miss Olaine, and----”
Tom Moran’s face changed instantly. He forgot all about Poke, who would have crept away had not Bob taken a turn in his jacket collar and held the fellow prisoner.
“I guess you’re saying something now, Miss,” said Moran, gravely. “What do you know about my little sister? I’ve been hunting for her a long time. And the other person you speak of----”
Then Dorothy arrived and, as Tavia said, “the court of inquiry went into executive session.”
Tom Moran read the besmirched letter Dorothy had received through her advertisement in the paper. Then he made Poke Daggett give up the reply he had taken addressed to “John Smith.”
“Explanation’s easy,” he said, bluntly. “These Daggetts knew me. Why, I fed ’em for a whole month this winter when Jane Daggett was sick. Ain’t that so, Poke?”
Poke whined: “Wal, ’twarn’t none o’ my doin’s, Tom. I tole ma how ’twould be. But she seen the notice in the Salvation Army paper. One o’ them Salvation Anns was round ter see us an’ lef’ the paper; maw said mebbe there was money in it for us ef we played our cards right----”
“And all we were trying to find Mr. Moran for was because of his little sister--and she wanting him so!” ejaculated Tavia. “My! but you Daggetts must be mean sort of folks.”
This frank statement drew no comment from Poke. He was too meek now.
“Well, I reckon you can get out,” said Tom Moran, grimly. “And tell your maw to bring around to the place where I’ve been boarding Miss Dale’s hat and coat, the watch, the pocket-book and the ring--and anything else they took from Miss Dale. If she doesn’t do it I’ll see that she and you and that Munsey woman all go to jail, where you belong. Believe me, I’ll do it!”
Tom Moran, although he had been only working at odd jobs about Dalton, was a person of intelligence and seemed to feel sure of his ability to do as he said. When Poke was out of the way, he turned back to Dorothy and smiled broadly.
“I get it that you have been interesting yourself in my affairs, Miss, and I thank you. If you can tell me anything about poor little Cely----”