"
There was a sound from the room where the prisoner sat. He started to
his feet, and stepped to the grating which separated the cell from
the apartment in which Sandy and the Squire were.
"You say you found Isaac Apgar's hidden wealth?" he asked.
"Yes--but what is that to you?" inquired the Squire.
"A lot to me. The game is up now, and I'll confess everything. I've
been keeping still, hoping I could get out and find that box myself.
That's what my object has been in hanging around your farm," he went
on. "I was looking for that box myself. I--I thought maybe I might
get a reward if I located it."
This statement might be doubtful, but there was no way of disproving
it. The man might have been hoping only for a reward; but, on the
other hand, if he had found the wealth he might have kept it all for
himself.
"How did you come to know about this?" asked Squire Blasdell,
curiously. "Did you ever know Isaac Apgar?"
"Well, I don't know as you could exactly call it 'knowing' him," was
the slow answer, "seeing that he didn't know anybody himself, of
late years. I may as well tell you the whole story. My name is Monk
Freck, and I used to be a keeper in the state lunatic asylum where
Isaac Apgar was confined. That's how I knew him. I was his keeper!"
This was strange and startling news, but it explained many things.
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