Jack looked worried. "My money was all in smallish bills, and either Geoffrey or I (I forget which) suggested that I had better take these two American one-thousand-dollar bills, as they would be smaller in my pocket. He slipped these two out of a package of bills which I imagine were all of the same denomination."
Rankin evidently was wishing to spin out the time, for he glanced at the side door whenever it was opened.
He went on asking questions and showing that Geoffrey had been at the bottom of everything, and in the mean time three men appeared in the room, and one of them handed Rankin a parcel.
"During your trial this morning I think I heard you say that the bills you saw on Hampstead's desk were all dark-green colored?"
"I think they were all the same color as these two. He ran his finger over them as he drew these two out."
"I have some money here," said Rankin. "Does this package look anything like the one you then saw?"
"I could not swear to it. It looks like it."
Even the magistrate was excited now. The news had flown through the business part of the city that Geoffrey Hampstead had been arrested and was on trial for stealing the fifty thousand dollars. The news stirred men as if the post-office had been blown up with dynamite. The court-room was jammed. When word had been passed outside that things looked bad for Hampstead, as much as five dollars was paid by a broker for standing room in the court. It had also become known that Maurice Rankin had caused the arrest to be made himself, and that nobody but he knew what could be proved. People thought at first that the bank authorities were forcing the prosecution, and wondered that they had not employed an older man. The fact that this young sprig, professionally unknown, had assumed the entire responsibility himself, gave a greater interest to the proceedings.
The magistrate leaned over his desk and asked quietly:
"What money is that you have there, Mr. Rankin?"