The heart of the young man sank within him, and as he spoke his lips began to quiver.
"Mr. Adams, are you going to give this news to the world at large—to the United States authorities—are you going to brand Margaret's father as a counterfeiter, or a passer of queer money? If you do that, even if you clear Margaret, you'll break her heart."
"I am going to do nothing at present but keep on investigating. We have not yet reached the end of this string by any means. Did I not tell you that another opened the safe?—a fellow who has been acting queerly ever since I caught sight of him? He is connected with this complicated affair, although how still remains to be seen."
"Who was the man?"
"He gave his name to the policeman as Jack Watkins."
"I never heard that name before. How does he look?"
Adam Adams described the fellow minutely, but Raymond Case shook his head.
"I can't place him. But that is not strange," he added. "I know very few folks in this neighborhood."
"Do you know a man named Matlock Styles."
"Not very well—I met him once, when he was calling on Mr. Langmore on business. He is an Englishman, fairly well to do, who lives in an old colonial house on the Harper road, a mile and a half, I should say, from here."