“Certainly.”
When Ben came he found his uncle sitting with the landlord in the latter’s room.
“Do you know a New York reporter named Manning?” was the first question put to him.
“To be sure I do. He was in my class at X——, and was out here this week doing the strike for the Phonograph.”
“What sort of a character does he bear?”
“Why, pretty fair, I believe; but of course I wouldn’t like to say any thing against an old classmate.”
“In the present case if you know any thing about the young man it is your duty to tell it. He is suspected of taking that thousand dollars.”
Ben gave a well-acted start of surprise.
“Oh, that can’t be,” he said. “Myles Manning would never do such a thing as that. He may be a little wild, but he couldn’t be a thief.”
“What do you mean by a little wild?”