Luther shook his head. "The very time when you should have kept it. If you had called in the police and explained how you came to be at the villa, all would have been well."
"But the money being left to me," expostulated Calvert.
"You didn't know that at the time?"
"No. I only knew when Merry wrote me."
"Then there's no motive, though the prosecution might try to prove you knew from Mrs. Brand beforehand."
"Tracey, why do you talk about prosecution? There's no chance of----"
"Of arrest," finished the American, neatly. "There just is, and don't you make any mistake about it. That professor chap won't give up the money without a try to get some."
"You mistrust him?"
"Oh, I reckon so. When he kept to his studies he was a harmless sort of cuss, but now he's taken a hand in this game with the chance of a fortune if he wins, why, he'll stick at nothing to land his stake. You go ahead, Calvert, and tell me what you told Miss Mason. Then I'll smooth it out and tot up."
Seeing that the American really wished to be a friend, and having considerable belief in his cleverness, Arnold related all that had taken place from the time he received the forged letter. When he ended, Tracey expressed a desire to see the letters. But Arnold, unprepared for this conversation, had not brought them with him.