The following day, however, the officer from the city appeared on the scene. He was a man of large stature and swarthy appearance, but with an excessive colouring of his facial eminence which indicated that he too was a regular patron of the financial institution which absorbed most of Bill Hagan’s income. Officer Elton, after a conference with his subordinate, visited Gardiner’s store, and heard from the lips of the merchant a detailed account of such facts as had come to light concerning the crime.
Burton was waiting on a lady customer while his employer and the two policemen discussed the affair in the office; presently they came out, and Elton, indicating Burton, said in a voice that could be heard through the store—
“So this is the young man you speak of, who alone beside yourself knows the combination of the safe? Well, my young friend, you’ve got yourself into a fine mess this time.”
Burton flushed. His father’s shanty-man blood surged in his veins.
“If you are here to solve this mystery, go ahead and unearth the facts, and no one will welcome the truth more than I; but if you are come to throw insults at innocent people, I would enjoy your company for about two minutes on the street.”
“Not so fast, not so fast, my young blood,” said Elton. “It would be more to the point if you made a clear breast of this matter. Just hand over that money intact and I have no doubt your employer will be disposed to take a lenient view of the case, and it need not come before the courts at all. I think I can promise you that much. I have some influence with the department,” he added, pompously, looking about on the crowd of curiosity seekers who had gathered in the store.
“I have nothing to confess,” said Burton, hotly. “I know nothing, absolutely nothing, of what became of that package.”
“You’ll have a job making a jury believe that, and if you turn down the fair offer I made you, I will just place you under arrest.”
“By whose authority?”
“By whose authority? By MY authority!”