arker. This is Ralph Hamington."

"I am glad to see you," replied Mr. Sumner.

"You have been robbed?" questioned Harry Parker, coming at once to the
point.

"Yes. A tin box, containing seventy-nine thousand dollars' worth of
railroad bonds, has been stolen from that safe."

Both detectives elevated their eyebrows at this statement.

"Was the safe broken open?" continued Parker.

"No."

"Door left open?"

"I think not."

"When did you see the box last?"

"Yesterday afternoon."

"What time?"

"A little before two."

"You locked it up at that time?"

"I am under that impression."

"I see. When did you discover your loss?"

"Not over half an hour ago."

"Did any one beside yourself have the combination of the safe?"

"Not to my knowledge."

"No one in the office?"

"I know nothing of it," replied Allen.

"Who are you?"

"Caleb Allen, Mr. Sumner's partner."

"Oh!"

"Neither do I," added Hardwick. "I am the book-keeper," he explained.

"Who is this boy?"

"He belongs in the office," replied Mr. Sumner.

"I know nothing about the safe," said Hal, speaking up for himself. He
began to believe detectives were very much like other men.

"Please give me a list of the people who might have got at the safe
during your absence," continued Parker, while his companion prepared to
write down the names.

"These gentlemen," began the elderly broker.

"Yes."

"The janitor of the building."

"What is his name?"

"Daniel McCabe."

Hal started and wondered if the janitor could be any relation to Jack
McCabe, his acquaintance of the previous day.

"Go on," continued the detective.

"A strange man was in yesterday."

"Ah! tell us of him."

Mr. Sumner told what he knew. Parker turned to Hal.

"Would you know this fellow again, if you saw him?" he asked.

"I believe I would."

"Please describe him as closely as you can."

The youth started and gave a pretty accurate description of his visitor.
Both detectives listened attentively.

"Perhaps it was Larkett," suggested Hamington, in an undertone.

"Did the fellow have a cast in his eye?" asked Parker.

"How would the boy know that?" asked Hardwick, nervously. "He says he
hardly glanced at the man."

"Answer me," said Parker, paying no attention to the interruption.

Hal was doing his best to think. Had that fellow really had something
the matter with his left eye?

"I--I can't really say," he returned, slowly. "Was it the left eye?