“What business can it be of yours?” demanded Ernest boldly.
“Don’t be impudent, boy! Hand me the package of money.”
“I have no package of money.”
“Then you have bonds.”
Ernest remained silent.
“I see that I have hit it. Now hand over the bonds, if you value your life.”
He spoke sternly and looked so fierce that the boy messenger became more and more alarmed. He saw that he must give up the package, but determined to hold out in his resistance as long as possible.
“The package is not mine, and I have no right to surrender it,” he said.
“I’ll take the responsibility, boy. You can’t be blamed, for you can’t help yourself.”
As he spoke he passed his hand over Ernest’s vest, which he saw projected more than was usual, and discovered the hiding place of the important package.