banquet' for me at the
Hoffman.

"So, after all they had to tell me to hold me over, I was just
opening my accumulated mail, when by accident I picked up an extra.
I thought poor Clayton was away on a summer vacation."

"He's away on a devilish long one!" snarled Ferris. "Took French
leave with a quarter of a million. Who, in God's name, would have
taken him for a thief!" The mournful ring of Ferris' voice almost
deceived his secret adversary; but Ferris was, in secret, pondering
over the Detroit dispatch to the absent Clayton, which he had opened
and secreted.

"This man knows nothing," decided the wary Ferris, for Witherspoon's
face was frankness itself.

Jack looked around at two men vigorously working away at a huge
safe standing in the corner. "They're now opening Clayton's safe,"
bitterly said Ferris. "Of course, there will be nothing found
there. No! It's either a case of secret gambling, mad Wall Street
plunging, or a crazy woman intrigue."

"What do the detectives say?" soberly queried the Detroit lawyer.
"Case of sharp thief, got three days' start of us by clearing
out Saturday at eleven. I've suspended that old fool, Somers, for
trusting such a deposit to one man alone! It's a crushing disgrace
to the New York management. I shall sweep it all away as soon as
I can get Hugh's orders. I'll take charge myself, now!

"I suppose you go on to Detroit at once. We are readjusting our
whole freight schedules!"

"Yes," gravely said Witherspoon, "unless I can help you here. I'll
telegraph my people at once. Will you telegraph Hugh and see if he
might need me here? I suppose he will come on at once."

"I can hardly say," replied Ferris, caught off his guard. "He was
to have met Clayton to-day, in Cheyenne!"

In an instant Ferris regretted the lapse, and hastily added, "Of
course, you might wait a couple of days. Worthington can give
you his ideas, and then you can save time in closing the railroad
deal. Old Hugh has a clear majority of our stock now."

Though Witherspoon had instantly grasped the significance of Ferris'
dropped hint, he stilled his beating heart. "What have you done
with Clayton's rooms?" he quietly said. "You had an apartment with
him. You should search it."

Ferris started. "By Jove! Yes! I forgot all about that. I've two
men watching them now."

After a short pause, Witherspoon said calmly, "There may be some
sudden sickness, some accident in the country, some mysterious
happeni