Luke would have been disturbed by this remark, had not the smile on Mr. Armstrong's face belied his words.
"Does he think you are in earnest, sir?"
"Oh, yes, he has no doubt of it. He warned me of your character, and said he was quite sure that you and your friend Mr. Reed were implicated in the bank robbery. I told him I would cross-examine you, and see what I could find out. Randolph told me that you were only a working boy, which I pronounced to be very much against you."
Luke laughed outright.
"I think you are fond of a practical joke, Mr. Armstrong," he said. "You have fooled Randolph very neatly."
"I had an object in it," said Mr. Armstrong quietly. "I may have occasion to employ you in the matter, and if so, it will be well that no arrangement is suspected between us. Randolph will undoubtedly inform his father of what happened this morning."
"As I said before, sir, I am ready to do anything that lies in my power."
Luke could not help feeling curious as to the character of the service he would be called upon to perform. He found it difficult to hazard a conjecture, but one thing at least seemed clear, and this was that Mr. Armstrong was disposed to be his friend, and as he was a rich man his friendship was likely to amount to some thing.
They had now reached the depot, and in ten minutes the train was due.
"Don't wait if you wish to get to work, Luke," said Mr. Armstrong kindly.