"
"Miss Sprague only did her duty," said the squire. "But we
are losing time. We require you to produce the box."
"I will get it, gentlemen," said the widow, calmly.
While she was upstairs, Mr. Manning inquired: "Where did
you get the box, Luke?"
"If you identify it as the box taken from the bank," answered
Luke, "I will tell you. Otherwise I should prefer to say nothing,
for it is a secret of another person."
"Matters look very suspicious, in my opinion, gentlemen," said
Squire Duncan, turning to his associates.
"Not necessarily," said Mr. Beane, who seemed inclined to
favor our hero. "Luke may have a good reason for holding
his tongue."
Here Mrs. Larkin presented herself with the missing box.
Instantly it became an object of attention.
"It looks like the missing box," said the squire.
"Of course, I can offer no opinion," said Mr. Beane, "not
having seen the one lost. Such boxes, however, have a general
resemblance to each other."
"Have you the key that opens it?" asked the squire.
"No, sir."
"Squire Duncan," asked Mr. Beane, "have you the key unlocking
the missing box?"
"No, sir," answered Squire Duncan, after a slight pause.
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