Now when did he disappear? Is this a picture of him?" and he
took one from the library table. "Suppose you let me take this to
have a cut made of it. I will return it," and before Mrs. Potter or
Grace could object Larry had it in his pocket. That is the way
reporters get along sometimes, by taking advantage of every
opportunity. Once lost these golden chances seldom can be seized
again.
Before mother or daughter could answer Larry's question the door
bell rang, and, a moment later, the butler announced:
"Some newspaper reporters, madam!"
"Oh, this is dreadful! I can't see them!" exclaimed Mrs. Potter.
"Tell them to go away. Let them see Mr. Potter's lawyer!"
"Mother, let me attend to this for you," said Grace. "I will see the
reporters. I will tell them all that is necessary. I'm not afraid.
I want to find poor, dear papa!"
"You are a brave girl," murmured Mrs. Potter, as she wiped her eyes.
"I would not dare face them all in our trouble."
Larry agreed with Mrs. Potter's characterization of Grace. It was no
easy task for a girl of eighteen to thus assume the responsibility,
but she had the courage, and Larry admired her for it.
"You had better go to your room, mother," Grace went on. "I will see
the newspaper men in here," she added to the butler who was waiting.
"You may stay," she said, looking at Larry, "and you will learn all
we ourselves know."
Larry realized there was no opportunity for a beat in this matter of
the disappearance of the millionaire, as the news the police get
they give out indiscriminately to all papers. So he was content to
get what information he needed in common with the other reporters.
But he had a picture, and he doubted if all the others would get
one.
The butler showed the reporters in. They were nearly all young men,
about Larry's age, though one or two were gray-haired veterans of
the pencil.
"What is it you wish to inquire about first?" asked Grace, as she
faced the newspaper men, more calmly than could her mother, who had
gone to her room.
CHAPTER XIII
WHERE IS HE?
"When did Mr. Potter run away?" asked a voice from the group of
press representatives, and Larry saw it was his old enemy, Peter
Manton, of the _Scorcher_--a sensational sheet--who had made the
inquiry.
"My father didn't run away!" exclaimed Grace indignantly. "If you
are going on that assumption I shall give you no information at
all."
"That was a mistake," interposed an elderly
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