“What, not in that safe of yours, there?”
“Certainly not,” said Hardie stoutly.
“Open the safe: the keys are in it.”
“Open the safe? What for?”
“To show me It is not in the right-hand partition of that safe; there: there.” And David pointed at the very place where it was.
The dignified Mr. Hardie felt ready to sink with shame: a kind of shudder passed through him, and he was about to comply, heart-sick; but then wounded pride and the rage of disappointment stung him, and he turned in defiance. “You are impertinent, sir, and I shall not reward your curiosity and your insolence by showing you the contents of my safe.”
“My money! my money!” cried David fiercely: “no more words, for I shan't listen to them: I know you now for what you are—a thief! I saw you put it into that safe: a liar is always a thief. You want to steal my children's money: I'll have your life first. My money! ye pirate! or I'll strangle you.” And he advanced upon him purple with rage, and shot out his long threatening arm and brown fingers working in the air. “D'ye know what I did to a French land-shark that tried to rob me of It? I throttled him with these fingers till his eyes and his tongue started out of him. He came for my children's money, and I killed him so—so—so—as I'll kill you, you thief! you liar! you scoundrel!”
His face black and convulsed with rage, and his outstretched fingers working convulsively, and hungering for a rogue's throat, made the resolute Hardie quake. He whipped out of the furious man's way, and got to the safe, pale and trembling. “Hush! no violence!” he gasped: “I'll give you your money this moment you ruffian.”
While he unlocked the safe with trembling hands, Dodd stood like a man petrified, his arm and fingers stretched out and threatening; and Skinner saw him pull at his necktie furiously, like one choking.
Hardie got the notes and bills all in a hurry, and held them out to Dodd.