“Nonsense, my dear sir!” he exclaimed, dryly; “Alan did not take the money—neither did you. Cass took it, and you wasted a day of the bank's time covering the crime for him.”
“Cass took it?” asked Mortimer in a dazed way, looking from Crane to Allis.
“Yes; he has confessed, so you see he's ahead of you in that line” He went on, speaking hurriedly: “I ask you to forgive me now for my suspicions. Your innocence is completely established. You acted like a hero in trying to shield Alan Porter, and I like men of that stamp. The thousand dollars you paid in will be restored to you; it is yours. We will devise some scheme for clearing up the matter as far as your good name is concerned that will shield poor Cass from people who have no business in this affair.”
“But how did Cass manage to get the note?”
“Found it on the floor of the vault, he says.”
“I don't see how it could have fallen out of the box, because the three bills were pinned to the note.”
Crane drew forth a pocket book, and opening it took out the bill that had been stolen. He examined it closely, holding it up in front of the window.
“I think you are mistaken,” he said, “there are no pin holes in this bill; I see,” he continued, “the pin had not gone through this one; being detached, in handling the box, it has slipped out.”
“It must have,” concurred Mortimer. “I remember in putting the box in the compartment once I had to turn it on its edge; the bill being loose, as you say, has slipped to the floor, and as the vault was dark I did not notice it.”
“It doesn't matter,” added Crane. “I must go now. Good-bye, Miss Allis.”