His small boyish face was still at the pane, when Lysander looked up.
Andy saw the upturned glance and flung himself back out of sight. Had
Letts seen him? Impelled to look out again, he drew a long breath of
relief. Tess and the child were slowly coming, hand in hand, toward the
house, and the man they feared was making his way through the orchard.
"I saw Sandy," was the dwarf's greeting. "What was he a botherin' you
about, honey?"
"I thought he was going to kill Boy. But suddenly he said good-bye and
went away. Were you at the window, Andy?"
"For just a minute, kid. I don't think he saw me. I heard Boy cry, an'
that's why I went."
A frightened feeling took possession of the girl.
"I hope he didn't see you. Did he, Andy?"
"Sure not. I was watching him all the time. I dodged back before he
looked up."
Tess considered the little man a minute.
"If you saw him look up," she argued, "maybe he saw you looking down.
Oh, I hope he didn't, but I'm afraid he did," and she sighed.
* * * * *
Sandy Letts had recognized the dwarf. The shock of the discovery sobered
him. He couldn't bother with Tess and her brat any longer. He had
business in Ithaca! Waldstricker's five thousand dollars, so long sought
and so eagerly desired, summoned him. All the way to town, he built
castles in Spain with the money. Through every dream, like a thread of
hate, ran the purpose to get Tess, and when he had the girl, to torture
her through her child.
When he arrived at Waldstricker's office, he found the elder absent. An
evil leer on his face, he swaggered up and down the street, his hands
thrust deep into his pockets.
He had made the great discovery of his life. He had lined his pockets
with gold, and more than that, he had made a lifelong friend of one of
the powerful men in Ithaca.
He saw Waldstricker when he turned the corner from State and made his
way down Tioga. The squatter turned into the large building, slunk in an
alcove, and waited. He heard the heavy tread of the elder on the stairs,
heard him pass and go higher up. A few minutes later, he followed.
When he opened the door, Waldstricker greeted him.
"Back again?"
"Yep," chuckled Letts.
"With news, I hope," stated the other.
"Sure," replied Sandy.
"Then tell me," answered Waldstricker, peremptorily. "I'm busy today."
"Did ye ever hear anything of Bishop?" asked the squatter.
"No, I never did."
"Want to?"
"Yes."
"Air that reward up, yet?"
"Certainly. But why all this talk? If you know anything speak out!"
Sandy walked very near the rich man, lowered his voice, and said,
"I found 'im, mister."
Ebenezer's nose was offended by the rank odor of liquor Sandy exuded.
"You're not telling me the truth," he asserted. "You've been drinking.
You're drunk now."
"Yep, I air drunk some, but I air tellin' ye what's so," insisted Letts.
"Andy Bishop air the man ye saw t'other day."