Johnny had immediate cause to regret his melodramatic words.
“Give me his name! Tell me who he was!” the old man shouted.
And obviously Johnny could not answer truthfully. He pondered lie after lie without finding one to pass muster. Kent saw his helplessness.
“You can’t answer, eh? Well, maybe you can tell me what you’re doin’ here in this room.”
“Tony and I came to git our stuff,” Johnny replied.
“Your stuff? It ain’t in here, is it?”
“I had a little present for Miss Molly. I wanted to leave it where she’d git it. I reckoned I’d not be seein’ her again, soon.”
“Present?” Old Jackson’s lips curled contemptuously. “I’ll bring all the presents she needs. You been treated most like one of the family round here, so you show your gratitude by shinin’ up to my girl, eh?”
“You know that
