"I'm not at liberty to tell you."
"You won't tell?"
"I can't."
"Why not?"
"I got the money honestly—that's all I can say about it."
"Oh, ho!" exclaimed Applegate. "You got the money honestly, yet you can't tell me where it came from! That's very likely, isn't it? If you got it honestly you shouldn't be ashamed to tell where you got it."
"I'm not ashamed. But I'm not at liberty to tell."
"Mighty funny thing that you should get nine hundred dollars so quickly. You were pretty hard up last week, weren't you? Had to ask for an advance on your month's wages."
"I admit it."
"And then the day of this robbery you suddenly have nine hundred dollars that you can't explain."
Mr. Hardy's calm voice broke in.
"Of course, I don't like to pry into your private affairs, Mr. Robinson," he said; "but it would be best if you could clear up this matter of the money. You must admit yourself that it doesn't look promising."
"I know it looks bad," replied the caretaker doggedly. "But I can't tell you where that money came from."
