Almost as if he had read my thoughts, Mr.Robinson now hastened to remark: "I find it difficult to credit these poor old souls with any such elaborate plan to empty the house, even had they possessed the most direct means of doing so, for no better reason than this one you state.
Had money been somehow involved, or had they even thought so, it would be different.

They are a little touched in the head on the subject of money; which isn't very strange considering their present straits.

They even show an interest in other people's money.

They have asked me more than once if any of their former neighbors have seemed to grow more prosperous since leaving Franklin Street." "I see; touched, touched!" I laughed, rising in my anxiety to hide any show of feeling at the directness of this purely accidental attack.

But the item struck me as an important one.