‘He has had money from time to time, certainly,’ returned Mr Garland, to whom the man had put the question. ‘But that, as he always told me, was given him by Mr Brass himself.’
‘Yes to be sure,’ said Kit eagerly. ‘You can bear me out in that, Sir?’
‘Eh?’ cried Brass, looking from face to face with an expression of stupid amazement.
‘The money you know, the half-crowns, that you gave me—from the lodger,’ said Kit.
‘Oh dear me!’ cried Brass, shaking his head and frowning heavily. ‘This is a bad case, I find; a very bad case indeed.’
‘What! Did you give him no money on account of anybody, Sir?’ asked Mr Garland, with great anxiety.
‘I give him money, Sir!’ returned Sampson. ‘Oh, come you know, this is too barefaced. Constable, my good fellow, we had better be going.’
‘What!’ shrieked Kit. ‘Does he deny that he did? ask him, somebody, pray. Ask him to tell you whether he did or not!’
‘Did you, sir?’ asked the notary.
‘I tell you what, gentlemen,’ replied Brass, in a very grave manner, ‘he’ll not serve his case this way, and really, if you feel any interest in him, you had better advise him to go upon some other tack. Did I, sir? Of course I never did.’