Prale gasped at the man's statement. It was a bare-faced lie if one ever had been spoken.
"Why——" Prale began.
"I do not care to discuss the matter further," the banker interrupted. "I am a man of standing and cannot afford to be mixed up in a case of this sort."
"You'll not be mixed up in it," the captain said. "I just wanted to show Mr. Prale that there were some holes in his story. That is all, thank you!"
The banker left the room quickly, and Prale sprang to his feet, his face livid.
"That man lied!" he exclaimed. "You could read it in his face! I don't know why he lied, but he did!"
"Sit down, Mr. Prale, and let's have more witnesses in," the captain said.
Once more he spoke to the sergeant, and again the latter went out, this time to return with the manager of the first hotel at which Prale registered.
"Know this man?" the captain asked.
"He registered at my place as Sidney Prale, of Honduras."