“Bosh!” said Wilton; “who frightened him?”
“Silence, Wilton,” said Whalley. “Well, Charlie, will you question him now for us?”
“That I will,” said Charlie, advancing and putting his hand kindly round Elgood’s shoulder, as he seated himself on the desk by which Elgood was standing. “Will you tell us, as I ask you, all you told me this morning?”
“Yes,” said Elgood eagerly, while his whole manner changed from nervous tremor to perfect simplicity and quiet new that he had a friend to stand by him.
“Well, now, about the money you’ve been spending lately?” questioned Charlie, with a smile. “You usen’t to be so flush of cash, you know, a month ago.”
“I can tell you,” answered Elgood; “I had a very large present—large for me, I mean—three weeks ago. My father sent me a pound, because it was my birthday, and my big brother and aunt sent me each a pound too.”
“I can answer for that being perfectly true,” said Charlie, “for I went with my brother to the post-office this afternoon and asked, and found that Elgood had had three money-orders changed there. And now, Elgood, can you trust me with your purse?”
“Of course I can, Charlie,” said Elgood, readily producing it, and almost forgetting that the others were present.
“Ah, well, now you see I’m going to rifle it. Ah! what have we here? why, here’s a whole sovereign, and eight shillings; that looks suspicious, doesn’t it?” said Charlie archly.
“No,” said Elgood, laughing; “you went with me yourself when I bought my desk for eighteen shillings, and the rest—”