“And did the foolish fellow restore the money to you?” said Van Heldre.
“Bah! no! He never had it.”
“Then how—”
“How? Don’t I tell you I watched—hung about the place, not feeling satisfied about my property, and I came upon my gentleman just as he was escaping with the plunder.”
“And—” exclaimed Crampton excitedly.
“I knocked him down—with that ruler, and got my money out of his breast. Narrow escape, but I got it.”
“Why did you not mention this before, Luke Vine?”
“Because I had got my money safe—because I wanted to give clever people a lesson—because I did not want to see my nephew in gaol—because I did not choose—because—Here, you Crampton, give me back those notes. Thank ye, I’ll take care of them in future myself.”
He replaced the notes in the case, and buttoned it carefully in his breast.
“Luke, you astonish me,” cried Van Heldre.