“You must be joking,” I cried.
“No; it’s the sober truth. We had all our plans ready when your father’s death upset everything. It was a splendid scheme, and only needed a little nerve to carry it out.”
“And what kind of a scheme was it?” I asked eagerly, for this news was totally new to me.
“It’s the same one mentioned in those letters in my valise,” replied Mr. Norton.
CHAPTER XIV.
MR. NORTON’S STATEMENT.
I was more mystified than ever. Evidently Mr. Norton still supposed that I had taken his bag and examined its contents.
“What was the scheme?”
“Didn’t you read the letters?”
“I didn’t even see them. Carney has the valise, as well as the other things; and if you want to get the stuff back you had better go after him.”