Hardy Boys Mystery Series by 16

Author:16 [16]
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Published: 2010-08-22T23:31:50.782000+00:00

frank, a pair of overalls covering his shabby clothes, answered Graf ton's knock at the

front door.

"Is this where Mr. Zatta lives?" asked the man in a brusque voice as he eyed the boy

sharply.

"Yes. You're the doc, ain't you?" returned Frank. "Mr. Zatta's expecting you. He's pretty

sick."

Grafton entered the house. He looked keenly at Frank again, and scowled.

"I've seen you before," he said. "Ah-now I remember. You're one of the young rowdies

who ran his car into my taxi at the station yesterday. Don't deny it. I recognize you.''

Frank shrugged. "I was ridin' in a car that your taxi ran into, if that's what you mean," he

replied.

"What are you doing here?" demanded Grafton roughly. "Are you a relative of Mr.

Zatta?"

106

A Change of Heart 107

"Nope. Just helpin' 'round the house. Well, do you want me to show you to his room?

He's waitin' for you." Frank wasted no courtesy on the visitor.

"All in good time. All in good time," said Graf ton. "There's no hurry, boy. And I hope Mr.

Zatta understands that I won't operate unless I'm paid in advance."

"Gosh! How much?"

"The entire amount. Five hundred dollars. He is prepared, I hope."

"Well, I know he's got some money. But what if the operation don't cure him? Will you

give him his money back?"

"Of course not!" snapped Graf ton. "I never return anybody his fee for the simple reason

that my operations are always successful."

"Why don't you take half now and get the rest later?"

"If I were to do that, the moment I'd cured a patient I would be left to whistle for the rest of

my fee! You don't know much about human nature, boy. Well, show me to the patient and

don't have so much to say."

Frank led the way to Mr. Zatta's room. The window shades were drawn and the place

was in such deep shadow that the old man could scarcely be seen.

"Here's the doctor, Mr. Zatta," said Frank.

108 A Figure in Hiding

"He says he won't operate on your eyes unless he gets the money first."

"Every cent of it," declared Graf ton firmly. "Five hundred dollars in cash."

"I have the money," replied the old man in a quavering voice. He reached beneath his

pillow and withdrew the packet of marked bills. "I think you'll find the count correct, doctor.

Give him the money, Frank."

The lad took the bills from Mr. Zatta and handed them to Grafton. In his excitement,

however, he let them drop on the floor just as the man reached for them.

"Clumsy!" snapped the quack.

He and Frank bent to pick up the money simultaneously, with the result that the latter

jostled against Grafton and knocked him down. The irate fellow sprang to his feet, stuttering

with anger.

"You-you fool!" he shouted at Frank. "Why can't you be more careful?"

In his rage he drew back his hand and gave the boy a violent slap on the side of his

head.

"I'm sorry," muttered Frank humbly, suppressing an impulse to return the blow.

When he tried to pick up the bills again he scattered some of them on the floor. This

made Grafton more angry than before.

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