“You don’t know, sir?”
“I have no idea, Crampton. I heard a noise, and went in and surprised the scoundrel, but it was quite dark, and as I tried to seize him I was struck down.”
“And you mean to assure me, sir, that you don’t know who it was?”
“I have not the most remote idea.”
“Well then, sir, I must tell you it was him who had been robbing you ever since the first day he came to us.”
“Robbing me?”
“Well, not exactly of money in hard cash but of your time, which is just the same. Time’s money. Always an hour late.”
Van Heldre turned upon him fiercely.
“Crampton, can you let your prejudice go so far as to suspect that young man?”
“Yes, sir, I can... Suspect? No, I am sure. I doubted him from the first.”