“Possibly. I wouldn’t trust Harry Grant or Corinne Pearson. Or Corinne’s mother, either, for that matter!”
“How about Mrs. Grant?”
“My sister-in-law? No, I don’t think she’d take anything. And I know it wasn’t John—or either of the servants.... No.” She looked at Elsie again. “There’s your culprit. Make her confess—and you get ten dollars!”
She paused, while everybody looked embarrassed. But she was enjoying the situation. “I’ll make it ten dollars apiece!” she added.
“It isn’t the money we want, Miss Grant,” said Mary Louise stiffly. “It’s to clear Elsie of suspicion.”
“Nonsense! Everybody wants money!”
Mary Louise took her notebook out of her pocket.
“Would you tell us just how much money was taken, Miss Grant?” she asked. “And—all about it?”
“Yes, of course I will. There was a metal box in the safe with five hundred dollars in gold——”
“Gold!” exclaimed Jane. “I thought you were supposed to turn that in to the government!”