The Wall Street man, sitting with his hands on his knees, stared in the detective’s face with a look of surprise mingled with consternation.
“Great God!” he exclaimed at length. “The matter wasn’t even reported to the police.”
“Very true. Perhaps you will have the kindness to tell me the reason why.[{5}]”
“It would have ruined me. My creditors, and especially the friends of these heirs, would have pounced down upon me in less than twenty-four hours.”
“And so, instead of facing the matter like a man, you endeavor to play even by staking money on the next handicap?”
“That’s it exactly, and I pledge you my word of honor that in doing so I only sought to restore to the children the money of which they have been robbed.”
“And now they are likely to lose forty thousand instead of twenty.”
“I’m afraid so.”
“What reason had you for supposing when you staked the money that Denver Bay would win the race?”
“To tell the truth, I was half crazy when I made the investment. In doing so I only followed the drift of public opinion regarding the horse.”