"I would rather not state—unless I am compelled to."
"You may have to, Fairfield. But of that more later. You say this is your garment?"
"I think so, yes, sir. At least there is only one other like it in this school, as far as I know, and that one———"
"Belongs to me!" interrupted Sam Heller. "I have mine here," and, opening his coat, he showed, beneath it, the brightly-colored sweater.
This time there was not an eye but what was turned on Tom. He felt the gaze and straightened up.
"But I wish to state, Doctor Meredith," he said quickly, "that I had nothing to do with the poisoning of the horses, and I did not know of the occurrence until I saw the account in the paper."
"Very well, we will note your denial, Fairfield, but about this sweater. It is rather damaging evidence, since you yourself admit that it is yours."
"I do, but, as I said, I had disposed of it some time before."
"And you do not care to state to whom?"
"No, sir, except to say that it was not to any one connected in the most remote way with Elmwood Hall."