Coleman?" he demanded, sternly.
"It means," answered Coleman, throwing off the mask, "that
the money is mine, and that you have no right to it."
If Luke had not witnessed Coleman's search of his pockets
during the night, he would have been very much astonished at
this brazen statement. As it was, he had already come to the
conclusion that his railroad acquaintance was a sharper.
"I will trouble you to prove your claim to it," said Luke, not
at all disturbed by Coleman's impudent assertion.
"I gave it to you yesterday to place in the safe. I did not
expect you would put it in in your own name," continued Coleman,
with brazen hardihood.
"When did you hand it to me?" asked Luke, calmly.
"When we first went up into the room."
This change in his original charge Coleman made in consequence
of learning the time of the deposit.
"This is an utter falsehood!" exclaimed Luke, indignantly.
"Take care, young fellow!" blustered Coleman. "Your reputation
for honesty isn't of the best. I don't like to expose you,
but a boy who has served a three months' term in the
penitentiary had better be careful how he acts."
Luke's breath was quite taken away by this unexpected attack.
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