If necessary, two or three thousand—or possibly five—could be left in Simpson’s possession, in order to buy his silence, or to induce him to give some misleading explanation of the disappearance of the loot. And here was Griswold, actually ready to pay handsomely for having the robber robbed.
No wonder that Green Eye exclaimed inwardly, “Oh, joy! This is almost too good to be true!”
As if influenced by his thought, the newspaper proprietor broke the brief silence by announcing:
“There’s the whole story, so far as I know, gentlemen. I need only add, I think, that I’m prepared to pay you ten thousand dollars for your services. What do you say, Mr. Carter? Will you help us? Mr. Cray has already agreed to my proposition.”
Gordon did not answer at once, as Nick would have done, if too many cases were not already awaiting solution. He wished to impress the others with his importance and indifference to monetary considerations.
“The affair has its points of interest,” he conceded at length. “I went up to the Adirondacks two or three days ago, intending to remain there for a couple of weeks, but I was called back on urgent business. That case, though important, is a comparatively simple one, and I can attend to it at intervals.”
“Then you’ll undertake this?” Griswold asked eagerly.
The impostor slowly nodded. “I’m glad of an opportunity to oblige you, Mr. Griswold,” he said. “And, of course, I’m always desirous of helping my friend Cray, here, if possible.”
“Good!” ejaculated the millionaire. “I’m glad, indeed, to have you on the case, Mr. Carter. It’s no flattery to say that you’ve greatly impressed me this morning. That being settled so satisfactorily, however, I’ll leave you and Mr. Cray to decide upon your course of action.”