"He was very kind to me on numerous occasions." "In a business way, perhaps?" "Largely in a business way, yes." "It--pardon me--usually had to do with raising money, had it not?" North laughed. "It had." "You were familiar with certain little peculiarities of his, were you not, his mistrust of banks for instance?" "Yes, he had very little confidence in banks, judging from what he said of them." "Did he ever tell you that he had large sums of money hidden away about the store?" "Never." "But always when you had business dealings with him he gave you the ready money, very rarely a check?" "Never in all my experience a check, always the cash." "Yet the sums involved were usually considerable?" "In one or two instances they reached a thousand dollars, if you call that considerable." "And he always had the money on hand?" "Well, I can't quite say that; it always involved a preliminary discussion of the transaction; I had to see him and tell him what I wanted and then go again after the money. It was as if he wished me to think he did not keep any large sum about him at the store." "Did he ever, in talking with you, express any apprehension of robbery or violence?" "No, never." "You had spoken to him about those bonds before?" "Yes, Monday I saw him and asked him if he would take them off my hand." "And he gave you to understand that if you would wait a day or two he would buy the bonds." North nodded. "Hadn't you learned prior to going to the store that McBride had just received three thousand dollars in cash from Atkinson?" "Yes, I knew that,--Langham told me." "So that it is reasonable to suppose that McBride had at least four thousand dollars in his safe Thursday afternoon." "I suppose it is, but I saw only the thousand he paid me for the bonds." "That came from the safe?" "Yes." "I guess that's all for the present, North." "Do you mean you shall want to see me again?" asked North, rising. "Yes, you won't leave town to-day; the inquest is to be held this afternoon, you will probably be wanted then, so hold yourself in readiness." "I hope you will arrange to get through with me as soon as possible, Moxlow!" "We won't put you to any unnecessary inconvenience if we can help it," returned Moxlow, with a queer cold smile. "Thank you," said North and quitted the room. He sauntered out into the street; he was disposed to consider Mr. Moxlow as something of a fool, as a rank amateur in the present crisis. He turned into the Square and halted for an instant before the dingy store that had been the scene of the recent tragedy. People on the street paused when they had passed and turned to stare after him, but North was unaware of this, as he was unaware that his name had come to be the one most frequently mentioned in connection with the McBride murder. Suddenly he quickened his step; just ahead of him was Marshall Langham. "Hello, Marsh!" he said, and stepped eagerly forward with extended hand.