“But even that doesn’t justify Black in slandering me.”
“Certainly not; but you must agree that the coincidence is not only remarkable, but could be construed as suspicious.”
“But my part of the transaction was perfectly straight.”
“I’m sure of that,” responded Coke with fervor, “and that’s why I’m here this morning. Let me state the case in a nutshell. You have been foolish enough to make an enemy of a powerful and wealthy man. You have borrowed money of him. He demands the payment of the money from you in the belief that you are penniless and cannot comply with his demand. His house is entered and robbed of a thousand dollars. The next morning you pay him a thousand dollars in bills identical to those stolen from him.”
“But there are thousands of such bills in circulation.”
“True; but the thing for you to do is to shut the mouth of gossip at once. That can be done in a very simple manner. All you have to do is to prove what is known in the law as an alibi. Tell where you got the money and produce the man who gave it to you.”
Harkins shook his head sadly at this.
“Your suggestion seems simple enough; but I fear I cannot comply with it.”
“Why not?” in manifest astonishment.
“Because it was given to me in confidence and with the understanding that the name of the donor should not be divulged.”