“What’s the joke?” demanded Jake Harrison, with a sort of sneer as he looked at the handcuffs on his wrists. “If this is one of your conjuring tricks, you’ve come to the wrong shop,” and he glared at the professor.
“It isn’t any trick,” put in Joe, “except that we’ve turned a trick against you. You’re both under arrest.”
“There! What did I tell you!” whined Burke Denton. “I said if we——”
“Stop your noise!” savagely ordered his companion. “Now then, what does all this mean?” he went on. “What right have you to arrest us?”
“The right of the law,” put in Sylvester, who seemed to enjoy the role he was playing. “I’m constable all over Folsom county, and you’re my prisoners!”
“On what charge?” demanded Harrison. “You keep still!” he directed his companion as he saw Denton about to speak. “I’ll run this end of the show. What’s the charge against us?” he asked fiercely.
“Robbing me and my wife of money—about one hundred and forty dollars,” said the deacon.
“What proof have you?” asked Harrison, sneeringly. “Did you see us take the money?”
“I saw one of you getting out of the window after the money was gone,” went on the deacon. This was practically admitting that Joe was not guilty.
“Which one of us did you see?” asked Harrison.