He is not hard up for money."
A smile actually curled the detective's lip. "A great many more young
men are harder up for money than they allow to appear. The Channings
are in what may be called difficulties, through the failure of their
Chancery suit, and the lad must have yielded to temptation."
Mr. Galloway could not be brought to see it. "You may as well set on
and suspect Hamish," he resentfully said. "He was equally alone with
the letter."
"No," was the answer of the keen officer. "Hamish Channing is in a
responsible position; he would not be likely to emperil it for a
twenty-pound note; and he could not know that the letter contained
money." Mr. Butterby was not cognizant of quite the facts of the case,
you see.
"It is absurd to suspect Arthur Channing."
"Which is the more absurd--to suspect him, or to assume that the
bank-note vanished without hands? forced its own way through the
envelope, and disappeared up the chimney in a whirlwind?" asked the
officer, bringing sarcasm to his aid. "If the facts are as you have
stated, that only the two Channings had access to the letter, the guilt
must lie with one of them. Facts are facts, Mr. Galloway."
Mr. Galloway admitted that facts _were_ facts, but he could not be
brought to allow the guilt of Arthur Channing. The detective rose.
"You have confided the management of this affair to me," he observed,
"and I have no doubt I shall be able to arrive at a satisfactory
conclusion.
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