"I did, and he said he’d give a thousand dollars if we’d find the boy. I shouldn’t wonder if he’d pay more if we work it right, not to speak of what we get from Ringa when he’s fixed." "Lord! A thousand dollars for Ringa! Wouldn’t that make you seasick?" Vixley cackled, slapping his claw-like hand on his knee. "I say, Gertie, we ought to get a couple of good crockery teeth put in his jaw first, or the old man will want to return him for shop-worn. Ringa as Mr. Max Payson, Esquire! Gee whizz! I want to be there when the old gent falls on his neck and kills the fatted calf!" "I’ve known a heap of worse boys than Max Ringa to have for a son," Madam Spoll said, a little irritated. "You go to work and wash him and dress him up in a Prince Albert and I don’t know why he won’t do as well as anybody." "Oh, he’ll do—he’ll do elegant! He’ll do Payson, anyways, and that’s all we want." "Oh, I’m going to teach him to jump through the hoop all right. He’ll be doing the papa’s darling act so natural you’ll think he’d always slep’ in a bed!" She chuckled now till she shook like a jelly-fish. "He’s just crazy about it. Says he’ll come down and take me to ride in his automobile car. Why, Payson will be good for all sorts of money if Ringa works him right. He ought to get an allowance of two or three hundred a month if the old man’s got any proper feelings as a father." "It’s more’n likely he’ll pay Ringa to stay away," Vixley remarked cynically. "I’ve seen these here fond parents before. I don’t seem to see Ringa doin’ society somehow. He’d be tryin’ to blow the foam off his champagne and chewin’ tobacco in the ball-room the first thing. But he’ll do for a starter. If worse comes to worst we can hold the old man up to keep the story dark—and then there’s the weeklies, they wouldn’t mind gettin’ hold of it." "Say!" Madam Spoll suddenly exclaimed, "what’s become of Fancy Gray, now that Frank has thrown her down?" "Why, ain’t you heard? She’s took up with this fellow Cayley." "No!" Madam Spoll’s eyes were opened wide at the bit of gossip. "What’s he up to with her, anyway?" "Why, I expect he’s trying to use her someway, so’s to queer Frank’s game with Miss Payson. Fancy knows all about Frank, if she can be induced to tell. If Cayley can show Frank up, he stands a better show to catch Miss Payson himself. At least, that’s the way I figure it. I ain’t got no idea that Cayley cares a rap for Fancy, but he’s smooth, and as long as he can use her he’ll keep her jollied along." The Madam had been thinking hard. "Fancy ought to be pretty sore on Frank," she offered. "I don’t blame her. He’s treated her bad." "And there’s no doubt about her being stuck on Cayley?" "It certainly looks like it; she’s with him all the time."