Ward drew from his pocket the twenty-dollar bill, and held it up to open view.
"This is the bill you paid me last evening," he said. "You will observe the letters I. W. as described by the landlord. Now, where did you get this bill?" he asked searchingly.
Drops of perspiration stood on Percy's forehead, and he hesitated to reply. Finally an inspiration came to him, and he said, "I picked it up in the street, near the grocery store. The thief must have dropped it."
"You didn't tell me that when you paid it to me."
"No, I didn't think it necessary. I was anxious to get out of debt to you."
"Percy Marlowe, that statement of yours won't pass muster. Weren't you in the grocery store last evening?"
"No—yes," stammered Percy.
"And you saw this bill on Mr. Jones's desk—yes or no?"
"I don't see what right you have to question me," said Percy sullenly.
"Because you have paid me stolen money, and if I keep it I am likely to get into trouble. Indeed, I came very near it this morning. I was on the point of paying it to Mr. Holbrook for my board. You can imagine that he would have recognized it at once."