Chick was the first to present himself.
"I suppose you have heard about the finding of the bank-note?" began Chick. "Well, there is this in addition: I found a negro—a wharf porter—who says that on the afternoon preceding the murder he had that note in his hands."
"Who gave it to him?"
"A dark-faced man of about thirty. The man wanted the negro to go into a grocery near the wharf and get the note changed. In explanation he said he owed the grocer a bill and wasn't ready to pay it. Otherwise he would go himself. The negro went to the store, but the grocer was short of small bills and so the note did not change hands."
"How does the negro know it is the same note?"
"By the number. He was afraid it was counterfeit and scrutinized it carefully."
"Had the negro ever seen the dark-faced man before?"
"No. He was a stranger."
"How was he dressed?"