Again Cameron hesitated.
"Come, out with it!" said his father impatiently.
His son closed his lips as if in a firm resolve. "It really has nothing
whatever to do with the case."
"Play the game, old man," said Dunn quietly.
"Oh, all right!" said Cameron. "It makes no difference anyway. He said
in a joke, 'You could easily make this fifty; it is such mighty poor
writing.'"
Still Mr. Rae showed no sign of interest. "He suggested in a joke, I
understand, that the five-pound cheque could easily be changed into
fifty pounds. That was a mere pleasantry of Mr. Potts', doubtless. How
did the suggestion strike you, Mr. Allan?"
Allan looked at him in silence.
"I mean, did the suggestion strike you unpleasantly, or how?"
"I don't think it made any impression, Sir. I knew it was a joke."
"A joke!" groaned his father. "Good Heavens! What do you think--?"
"Once more permit me," said Mr. Rae quietly, with a wave of his hand
toward the Captain. "This cheque of five pounds has evidently been
altered to fifty pounds. The question is, by whom, Mr. Allan? Can you
answer that?" Again Mr. Rae's eyes were searching the young man's face.
"I have told you I remember nothing about this cheque."
"Is it possible, Mr. Allan, that you could have raised this cheque
yourself without your knowing--?"
"Oh, nonsense!" said his father hotly, "why make the boy lie?"
His son started as if his father had struck him.
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