“For robbery! Oh, I allers knowed he’d come t’ some bad end,” and the woman shook her head, as if this was what she had always expected.
“Do you believe I did it, Mrs. Savage?” asked Dan.
“I ain’t got nothin’ to say,” replied the woman. “I don’t know nothin’ about law business. I’m not goin’ t’ be a witness in th’ police court.”
“I don’t believe ye done it, Dan,” put in Silas Martin, who had been too astonished at the sudden turn of events to say anything up to this time. “Them was professional burglars what done th’ job. I’ll tell Dr. Maxwell, and he’ll come t’ see ye.”
“Thank you, Silas,” said Dan.
“Huh! I s’pose ye think, ’cause ye discovered it, that ye know all about th’ robbery,” sneered Mr. Wolff. “Let me tell ye it takes a detective t’ decide whether a job was done by professional robbers or not. I’ll take a look at th’ house soon as I’ve got my prisoner safe behind th’ bars.”
“Are you—are you going t’ lock me up?” asked Dan, his heart fluttering in fear and shame.
“Of course. I’m not goin’ t’ take any chances on ye’re escapin’, like ye most done. I’ve got ye, an’ I’m goin’ t’ keep ye,” and Constable Walker, who made this heartless speech, nodded his head vigorously, in which he was imitated by his companion.
“I thought maybe you could let me stay in the town hall without locking me up,” went on Dan. “Mr. Savage will surely be able to prove that I was far away when this robbery occurred. Until then, why need you lock me up? It will only be a little while.”
“We ain’t takin’ no chances,” declared Constable Wolff. “Come on now,” and he started to lead Dan away.