"Because you won't trust me. I can't straighten out this business, unless you do."
"The other thing I might tell isn't my own."
"No go. If it concerns the murder it must be told. I don't work half knowledge with any one. You can trust me."
Allen hesitated. He wanted to tell all, for he felt sure that Parkins would help him. But then it seemed terrible to reveal his father's shame to a stranger. What was he to do?
"See here, I'll tell--you everything, suppressing names."
"Won't do," said the inflexible Parkins; "good-bye."
"Will you give me a few hours to think over the matter?"
"No. If I'm not to be trusted now, I'm not to be trusted at all."
The young man bit his fingers. He couldn't let Parkins go, for he knew about Strode and Red Jerry, and might aid the case a lot. It was imperative that the truth should be discovered, else it might be that his father would be put to open shame. Better, Allen thought, to tell Parkins and get his aid, than risk the arrest of his father and see the whole story in the papers. "I'll tell all," he said.
"Good man," growled Parkins, his brow clearing.