“I guess you mean that too. I’ve been laughing fit to bust all this evening—leading you here like a little child. And you so pleased with your cleverness.
Why, sonny, I was on to you from the start. You weren’t in with that crowd for your health. I let you play about for a while, and when you got real suspicious of the lovely Marguerite, I said to myself ‘Now’s the time to lead him to it.’
I guess your friends won’t be hearing of you for some time.”
“Going to do me in? That’s the correct expression, I believe. You have got it in for me.”
“You’ve got a nerve all right. No, we shan’t attempt violence. Just keep you under restraint, so to speak.”
“I’m afraid you’re backing the wrong horse,” said Tommy. “I’ve no intention of being ‘kept under restraint’ as you call it.”
Mr. Ryder smiled genially.
From outside a cat uttered a melancholy cry to the moon.
“Banking on that cross you put on the door, eh Sonny?” said Mr. Ryder.
“I shouldn’t if I were you. Because I know that story you mentioned. Heard it when I was a little boy. I stepped back into the alleyway to enact the part of the dog with eyes as big as cart wheels. If you were in that alley now, you would observe that every door in the alley is marked with an identical cross.”
Tommy drooped his head despondently.
“Thought you were mighty clever, didn’t you?” said Ryder.