Mattern said, “You’ve got me.”
“Got you?” Mason asked. “What do you mean?”
“I got ten grand out of that sale,” Mattern blurted.
“That’s better,” Mason observed, walking over to a chair and seating himself. “Tell me about it.”
“There’s nothing much to tell,” Mattern said meekly. “I felt like a heel all the time, but I needed the money. I just had to have it.”
“Why?” Mason asked.
“Oh, some bum hunches on horses,” Mattern said.
“Did Bolus get in touch with you?”
“No. I got in touch with him. I knew something about the stock. I put the proposition up to him. I was to interest Tidings as trustee in the stock, and get a fifty per cent cut… And it’s really a good stock at that, Mr. Mason, a very good speculative buy.”
“But you didn’t get fifty per cent?” Mason asked.