That
evening there was a dinner-dance at her home, and I supposed I was
supposed to be there; but no one had bothered to invite me, and as a
matter of fact I would not have known of the affair if I had not
seen the announcement in the papers. I was too late for the dinner,
but I got myself a taxicab, and drove to my room and changed my
clothes, and hurried in my own car to the dance.
You would not be interested in the fact that when I arrived I was
treated as an unwelcome guest, and Miss Betty even went so far as to
remind me that I had not been invited. But after I had pleaded, she
consented to dance with me; and so for an hour or two I tried to
forget there were any people in the world who had anything to do but
be happy. Just as I was succeeding, the butler came, calling me to
the telephone, and I answered, and who should it be but Old Joe!
My surprise became consternation at his first words: "Billy, your
friend Carpenter is in peril!"
"What do you mean?"
"They are going to get him tonight.
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