“I think,” said Grinnell, a trifle dubiously, “that I can see ways in which vast sums of money would do harm if wrongly used.”
“Unwisely used, Mr. Grinnell. And now, in view of this, I should be grateful to you from the bottom of my heart, if you could enlighten me as to how this gold came into your possession.” He looked at the young man anxiously.
“Mr. Dawson,” Grinnell answered, with a determined earnestness, “that is something I must refuse to discuss. I am sorry.”
“Not so sorry as I. But I’d be even more grateful if I could know how much more gold if any, you have, not on deposit with any bank.”
“At this moment?”
“Yes.”
“Well, I can’t tell, exactly.”
“Approximately?”
“Really, I don’t know, Mr. Dawson. I may as well tell you frankly that this subject—”
“Is of great importance to me, sir, as the president of this bank.”