"I wish I hadn't myself, as things have turned out."
They prepared to start for Gibbon's house,
when Mr. Jennings drove up. With him were
two tall muscular men, whom Stark and Gibbon
eyed uneasily. The two strangers jumped
out of the carriage and advanced toward the
two confederates.
"Arrest those men!" said Jennings, in a quiet tone.
"I charge them with opening and robbing my safe
last night about eleven o'clock."
CHAPTER XXVII.
BROUGHT TO BAY.
Phil Stark made an effort to get away,
but the officer was too quick for him.
In a trice he was handcuffed.
"What is the meaning of this outrage?"
demanded Stark, boldly.
"I have already explained," said the
manufacturer, quietly.
"You are quite on the wrong tack," continued
Stark, brazenly. "Mr. Gibbon was just
informing me that the safe had been opened
and robbed. It is the first I knew of it."
Julius Gibbon seemed quite prostrated by his arrest.
He felt it necessary to say something,
and followed the lead of his companion.
"You will bear me witness, Mr. Jennings,"
he said, "that I was the first to inform you of
the robbery. If I had really committed the
burglary, I should have taken care to escape
during the night."
"I should be glad to believe in your innocence,"
rejoined the manufacturer. "but I know more
about this matter than you suppose."
"I won't answer for Mr. Gibbon," said Stark,
who cared nothing for his confederate,
if he could contrive to effect his own escape.
"Of course he had opportunities, as bookkeeper,
which an outsider could not have.
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