incerity, "I give you my word
of honor, as a Ripley, that I know nothing more about the missing
money than you have just told me."

"You are sure of that, Fred?"

"Sure of it, sir? Why, I will take any oath that will satisfy-----"

"We don't want any perjury here," cut in the lawyer, crisply,
and touched a bell.

The folding doors behind them flew open with a bang. As Fred
started and whirled about he beheld a stranger advancing toward
them, and that stranger was escorting---Tip Scammon.

The stranger halted with his jailbird companion some five or six
feet away. The stranger did not appear greatly concerned. Tip,
however, looked utterly abashed, and unable to raise his gaze
from the floor.

"With this exhibit, young man," went on the lawyer, in a sorrowful
tone, "I don't suppose it is necessary to go much further with
the story. When I first began to miss small sums from the safe
I thought I might merely have made a mistake about the sums that
I had put away. Finally, I took to counting the money more carefully.
Then I puzzled for a while. At last, I sent for this man, who
is a detective. He has come and gone so quietly that probably
you have not noticed him. This man has had a hiding place from
which he could watch the safe. Early last evening you took the
key and opened the safe---robbed it! You took four five-dollar
bills, but they were marked. This man saw you meet Tip Scammon,
saw you pass the money over, and heard a conversation that has
filled me with amazement. So my son has been paying blackmail
money for months!"

Fred stood staggered, for a few moments. Then he wheeled fiercely
on Scammon.

"You scoundrel, you've been talking about me---telling lies about
me," young Ripley uttered hoarsely.

"I hain't told nothing about ye," retorted Tip stolidly. "But
this rich man's cop (detective) nabbed me the first thing this
morning. He took me up inter yer father's office, an' asked me
whether I'd let _him_ explore my clothes, or whether I'd rather
have a policeman called in. He 'splained that, if he had to call
the poor man's cop, I'd have to be arrested for fair. So I let
him go through my clothes. He found four five-spots on me, and
told me I'd better wait an' see yer father. So I'm here, an'
not particular a bit about having to go up to the penitentiary
for another stretch."

"It hasn't been necessary, Fred, to question Scammon very far,"
broke in the elder Ripley. "That'll do