“With all my smartness I have fallen into a trap. Now, what do you want?”
“Perhaps you might have some idea—can’t you now?”
“I can think of nothing except money. I suppose you want to rob me.”
“My dear boy!” protested Standish, “you misjudge me. What, Samuel Standish a common thief? I am indeed mortified. I was not aware that you carried a large sum of money with you,” he added, not without curiosity.
“I don’t,” answered Gerald. “I have only fifteen dollars in my pocketbook.”
Samuel Standish in spite of his disclaimer looked somewhat disappointed, but he kept up appearances.
“Keep the money, my boy!” he said with a wave of the hand. “Keep the money! Heaven forbid that I should deprive you of it. Samuel Standish is a man of honor.”
Gerald gazed at him with increasing bewilderment. He had not expected such a display of honesty. Moreover, if Standish did not want money, what did he want? What could be his object in trapping him?
“If I have done you injustice, Mr. Standish, I apologize,” he said. “I supposed it must be money you wanted, for I could think of nothing else. Of course in confining me you are committing an illegal act. If you will release me at once I will overlook what has already passed.”
“You are a smart boy, Gerald,” said Samuel Standish jocosely. “You ought to have been a lawyer.”
[Illustration: Samuel Standish leaned forward and said: “I want some papers that you are carrying about with you.”—Page 215.]
“I must trouble you to release me at once, as Mr. Brooke expects me back at the hotel. We had arranged to take an excursion.”
“I shouldn’t like to interfere with any little arrangement you have made. Gerald, I am your friend, though you may not think it.”
“Well, your treatment of me this morning doesn’t seem like it. Is it your custom to trap and kidnap those to whom you are friendly?”
“Not in general,” he answered, “but I wanted an interview with you for special reasons.”
“It was not necessary to kidnap me in order to obtain it. If you had requested an interview I would have granted it.”
“Well, perhaps so, but I wanted to make sure. I wanted an interview somewhere _where we were not likely to be interrupted_.”
“As you have your wish, will you please come to business, and let me know what you want of me?”