Our hero thought of all this, and his blood boiled with manly indignation. Had he been alone with Mortimer, I fear the latter would have suffered then and there the penalty for his villainy. But discretion was now the sensible course for Herbert, and he wisely restrained himself from an unbecoming demonstration of hostility.
“Do you know these young men?” asked the banker, sharply, addressing young Mortimer.
“I know one of them, sir—that is, I saw him here the morning you advertised for a boy,” replied Felix, commencing to rally.
“I recollect the fact. You refer to Herbert Randolph, I presume?”
“Yes, sir.”
“I think you told me something about his getting another position, and this, you said, was probably the reason why he failed to continue working at this bank.”
“Yes, sir,” replied Mortimer, with bold effrontery.
“What have you to say to this young man’s statement, Mr. Randolph?” said the banker.
Felix Mortimer’s manner had already raised Mr. Goldwin’s suspicions, but he wished to be doubly sure, and thus he proceeded carefully with the investigation.
“His statement is wholly false,” was our hero’s reply. “It was his miserable villainy that deprived me of my liberty, and kept me away from my work.”