V had no time to say more.

"Where you takin' me, f'r cat's sake?"

"Oh--for a ride. Don't you like to ride?" Mary V's voice was filled
with amiability; too much so to satisfy Bland, who eyed her with
suspicion.

"Aw, a fellow can't never git a square deal no more. Here I been
hunting the town over trying to git some line on Skyrider. Went and
left me in the lurch after me helping him to a roll of kale that would
choke a nelephant! And I never charged him nothin' for flying, except
just what we agreed on before he got throwed in jail. Handed him over
close to five hundred dollars when he come out--piloted him here, took
him into town, and was planning on helping him to make more money, and
what does he do? Ducks into the Alexandria, leavin' me waitin'
outside, hungry and thirsty and tired as a dog. Him with five hundred,
me with seventy-five! And _he_ wouldn't a knowed any different if I'd
trimmed him! Who was to keep tabs on how many passengers I took up?
And what does he do? Gives me the slip right there in the Alexandria,
that's what he done. I ain't been able to locate him yet, but if ever
I do--"

Mary V swung the Bear Cat out and passed a limousine as though it were
standing still--which it emphatically was not. What if Bland were
telling the truth? What if Johnny had actually dropped out of sight
with five hundred dollars in his possession? That would mean--she
refused to consider just what it would mean. She would wait until her
dad had gotten the truth out of Bland Halliday. She was taking Bland
home, hoping that her dad was there so that she would not be compelled
to keep Bland any longer than was necessary. Bland was seedier than he
had been in Tucson, if that were possible. Too evidently he had no
part of the seventy-five dollars left, if he had ever possessed that
much. Mary V would like to disbelieve everything he said, but a
troubled doubt of his falsity assailed her.

She drove a little faster and presently brought Bland to the door of a
cheerful, wide-porched bungalow patterned somewhat after the Rolling R
home. Old Sudden was just pulling on his driving gloves ready to step
into his own car when the Bear Cat slid up and stopped. He looked at
Bland casually, looked again quickly, pursing his lips. Whereupon his
poker face hid what he thought.

"Dad, come back into the house and talk to Bland Halliday. He told me
the strangest story about Johnny, and--and I wish you'd just t