He was right in his estimate.  Two minutes later the two went out of the saloon together, accompanied by Tom.

“Well, what is it?” he asked.

“Let us turn into a side street.”

They turned into Thirtieth Street, which was much less brilliantly lighted than Broadway, and sauntered leisurely along.

“Did you buy the bonds of that boy?” asked Morrison, anxiously.

“Yes.”

“Then it’s all right.  Have you brought me the money?”

“How should I?” returned Ford, impatiently.  “I couldn’t pay him, and keep the money myself.”

“Oh, well, it doesn’t matter.  He is to meet me to-morrow morning and hand over the money.”

“I am afraid you will be disappointed.”  “Disappointed,” repeated Morrison, quickly.  “What do you mean?  The boy hasn’t made off with the money, has he?  If he has—–­” and the sentence ended with an oath.

“No, it isn’t as you suppose.”

“Then why won’t he pay me the money, I’d like to know?”

“There is some trouble about the bonds.  It is charged that they are stolen.”

“How is that?  You gave them to me,” said Morrison, suspiciously.

Now came the awkward moment.  However, Ford had decided on the story he would tell.

“They were given me by a person who owed me money,” he said, plausibly.  “How was I to know they were stolen?”

“They were stolen, then?”

“I suppose so.  In fact, I know so.”

“How do you know?”

“Well—­in fact, they were stolen from my stepmother.”

Morrison whistled.

“Well,” he said.

“Of course you mustn’t say that I gave them to you.  You would get me into trouble.”

“So you want to save yourself at my expense?  I am to be suspected of stealing the bonds, am I?  That’s a decidedly cool proposal, but it won’t do.  I shall clear myself, by telling just where I got the bonds.”

“That’s what I want you to do.”

“You do!” ejaculated the gambler, in surprise.

“Yes.  You are to say that the boy gave them to you.”

“Why should I say that?”

“Because he is already suspected of stealing the bonds.”

“But I gave them to him to sell.”

“You mustn’t admit it.  There is no proof of it except his word.”

“What’s your game?  Whatever it is, it is too deep for me.”

“I’ve got it all arranged.  You are to say that the boy owed you a gambling debt, and agreed to meet you to-morrow morning to pay it.  Of the bonds, you are to know nothing, unless you say that he told you he had some which he was going to sell, in order to get money to pay you.”

“What advantage am I to get out of all this?”

“What advantage?  Why, you will save yourself from suspicion.”

“That isn’t enough.  I didn’t take the bonds, and you know it.  I believe you did it yourself.”

“Hush!” said Willis Ford, looking around him nervously.