"
"I am sorry to hear it. It hasn't a very good reputation."
* * * * * * * * *
One day Luke happened to be at the depot at the time of the arrival
of the train from New York. A small, elderly man stepped upon the
platform whom Luke immediately recognized as John Armstrong, the
owner of the missing box of bonds. He was surprised to see him,
having supposed that he was still in Europe. Mr. Armstrong, as
already stated, had boarded for several weeks during the preceding
summer at Groveton.
He looked at Luke with a half-glance of recognition.
"Haven't I seen you before?" he said. "What is your name?"
"My name is Luke Larkin. I saw you several times last summer."
"Then you know me?"
"Yes, sir, you are Mr. Armstrong. But I thought you were
in Europe."
"So I was till recently. I came home sooner than I expected."
Luke was not surprised. He supposed that intelligence of
the robbery had hastened Mr. Armstrong's return.
"I suppose it was the news of your box that hurried you home,"
Luke ventured to say.
"No, I hadn't heard of it till my arrival in New York can you
tell me anything about the matter? Has the box been found?"
"Not that I have heard, sir."
"Was, or is, anybody suspected?"
"I was suspected," answered Luke, smiling, "but I don't think
any one suspects me now."
"You!" exclaimed the capitalist, in evident astonishment.
"What could induce any one to suspect a boy like you of robbing
a bank?"
"There was some ground for it," said Luke candidly.
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