“Two five-dollar gold pieces?” said Joe quickly. “Then I know who took them.”
“What do you mean, Joe?” said Luke. “Out with it!”
“You know that tramp who was here yesterday, Luke?”
“Yes.”
“He came round an hour ago, and called for a glass of whisky. ‘Where is your money?’ I asked. ‘I’ve got plenty,’ he said. Then I called upon him to show it, and he pulled out a five-dollar gold piece. Of course I was surprised. ‘Where did you get it?’ I asked suspiciously. ‘Yesterday you said you had no money.’ ‘I had that,’ he answered, ‘but I didn’t want to spend it. You see it was a gift from my dyin’ mother, and I wanted to keep it for her sake.’ With that he rolled up his eyes and looked sanctimonious. Then I asked him how it happened that he was ready to spend it now.”
“He said that he was so parched with thirst that he felt obliged to do it.”
“Did you take his money?”
“No. I was short of change. You see I changed a gold piece for the boy yesterday. Besides, I wasn’t sure the piece was good, seeing who offered it.”
“Then he didn’t get his whisky?”