Galloway, drily. "I
say that the money was taken from the letter before it left this
office, when it was under the charge of you and Channing."
"I hope you do not suspect us of taking it, sir!" said Roland, going
into a heat.
"I suspect that you have been guilty of negligence in some way, Mr.
Roland. Could the bank-note drop out of the letter of itself?"
"I suppose it could not, sir."
"Good! Then it is my business to ascertain, if I can, how it did get
out of it. You have not answered my question. Who came into this
office, while Channing was at the cathedral, on Friday afternoon?"
"I declare nobody ever had such luck as I," burst forth Roland, in a
tone half comic, half defiant, as he felt he must make a merit of
necessity, and confess. "If I get into the smallest scrape in the
world, it is safe to come out. The fact is, sir, I was not here, last
Friday afternoon, during Channing's hour for college."
"What! not at all?" exclaimed Mr. Galloway, who had not suspected that
Yorke was absent so long.
"As I say, it's my luck to be found out!" grumbled Roland. "I can't
lift a finger to-day, if it ought not to be lifted, but it is known
to-morrow. I saw one of my chums going past the end of the street, sir,
and I ran after him. And I am sorry to say I was seduced into stopping
out with him longer than I ought to have done."
Mr. Galloway stared at Roland. "At what time did you go out?" he asked.
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