"I protest, your honor, that this man should not be allowed to interfere
with the case," said one of the plain-clothes officers. "He was not a
witness of the transaction. I think it would be more proper to hear
Simpkins' version of the affair."

"When I wish your advice, officer, I will ask for it," snapped the
magistrate, and turning again to Foster, he said:

"Tell me all you know about this business."

"Thank you, your honor, I will:

"I happened to be in the police station when the boy was brought in. He
told a straightforward story about having been on the way to deliver
some groceries, when he was hailed by one of three men, who asked him a
few questions, and then offered him a dollar if he would hold an
envelope, which was supposed to contain twelve hundred and fifty
dollars, for a few minutes. The thought of earning such a sum of money
so easily evidently caused the boy to forget all discretion. But as the
minutes went by and the two men did not reappear, the boy grew restless,
and finally suggested that he hand the envelope to Officer McCarty here,
and that he be allowed to go about his errand of delivering the
groceries. Then----"

Interrupting, the magistrate turned to Simpkins, and demanded suddenly:

"Is that true?"

The question was so unexpected that the countryman was surprised into