elope, the man looked at him
with a critical and yet not unkindly expression. "Perhaps it's just as
well, Brice, that you did come to me at first, and did not make your
report to the president and directors."

"I suppose," said Brice diffidently, "that they wouldn't have liked my
communicating with the highwayman without their knowledge?"

"More than that--they wouldn't have believed your story."

"Not believe it?" cried Brice, flushing quickly. "Do you think"--

The manager checked him with a laugh. "Hold on! I believe every word
of it, and why? Because you've added nothing to it to make yourself the
regular hero. Why, with your opportunity, and no one able to contradict
you, you might have told me you had a hand-to-hand fight with the
thief, and had to kill him to recover the money, and even brought your
handkerchief and hat back with the bullet holes to prove it." Brice
winked as he thought of the fair possessor of those articles. "But as a
story for general circulation, it won't do. Have you told it to any one
else? Does any one know what happened but yourself?"

Brice thought of Flora, but he had resolved not to compromise her, and
he had a consciousness that she would be equally loyal to him. "No one,"
he answered boldly.

"Very good. And I suppose you wouldn't mind if it were kept out of the
newspapers? You're not hankering after a reputation as a hero?"

"Certainly not," said Brice indignantly.

"Well, then, we'll keep it where it is. You will say nothing. I will
hand over the greenbacks to the company, but only as much of your story
as I think they'll stand. You're all right as it is. Yuba Bill has
already set you up in his report to the company, and the recovery of
this money will put you higher! Only, the PUBLIC need know nothing about
it."

"But," asked Brice amazedly, "how can it be prevented? The shippers who
lost the money will have to know that it has been recovered."

"Why should they? The company will assume the risk, and repay them just
the same. It's a great deal better to have the reputation for accepting
the responsibility than for the shippers to think that they only get
their money through the accident of its recovery."

Brice gasped at this large business truth. Besides, it occurred to him
that it kept the secret, and Flora's participation in it, from Snapshot
Harry and the gang. He had not thought of that before.

"Come," continued the manager, with official curtness. "What do you