"I—I'd like to," murmured Garrod, as before.
"Easy enough if you want to," said Jack. "You only have to speak the truth."
"That wouldn't do you any good," said Garrod.
"What do you mean?" Jack demanded.
"It's not what you think," said Garrod. "I didn't take the money."
"Who did then?"
"The bank was robbed," said Garrod. "The morning after you went away. Three men broke in during the night, and hid until morning. When Rokeby and I opened the safe, they overpowered us and got away with the money. We had no business to open up until the others came, and we were afraid to tell. I thought it wouldn't do you any harm as long as you were away. If you had come back I would have told."
There was a glib tone in all this that caused Jack's lip to curl. "Well, what's to prevent your telling now?" he asked.
"They wouldn't believe me," said Garrod. "They'd think I was just trying to shield you, my old friend."
"But there's Rokeby to back you up!"