k without returning it to the
safe. You made sure of that by remaining about the outer office until he
left. And then, after midnight you came down to the office here, forced
an entrance into our cellar, and went up-stairs and secured the box.

"I'm sorry--but isn't that so?"

The clerk laughed drily. "The great Mr. Sherlock Holmes, junior!" he
remarked sarcastically. "Rubbish. Run away and don't bother me with your
silly detective theories," and turned back to his desk.

Jack stood, baffled and surprised.

[Illustration: THE CLERK WAS COLORLESS, BUT ONLY FALTERED AN INSTANT.]

"Look here, Orr!" As Smith again spun about a hard look came into his
face. "Look here, how do you come to know so much about this business,
yourself? Eh?"

Jack uttered an exclamation, and a sudden fear of the clerk came over
him. Was Smith thinking of trying to place the blame upon him?

However, further discussion was clearly useless, and he turned away.

The following morning brought quick proof that Jack's suddenly inspired
fear of Smith was too well founded. As he entered the telegraph office
Mr. Black called him and handed him a note. "Now what have you to say?"
he demanded solemnly.

In a lead-pencil scrawl Jack read:

"Mr. Black: Your yung operatur Orr can tell you sumthin about thet
cash box, he was showin the key of the box to sumone yesteday and i
saw him. Mebee you will finde the key in his offis cote.

"Yours, a frend."

"It is the key," said the manager, producing a small key on a ring. "I
recall having left it in the lock."

Jack stood pale and speechless. Despite the disguised writing and poor
spelling, the letter was from Smith, he had not a doubt. But how could he
prove it? Truly matters were beginning to look serious for him.

Quickly, however, Jack's natural spirit of fight-to-the-end returned to
him, and handing the letter back, he said, respectfully but determinedly,
"Mr. Black, I still hold you to your promise to give me a week in which
to prove my innocence. And I'll prove, too, sir, that this key was placed
in my pocket by someone else, probably by the one who really took the
box. I believe I know who it is, but I'll prove it first."

Reluctantly the manager consented, for he now firmly believed at least in
Jack's complicity; and leaving him, Jack sought the operating-room, to
spend every spare moment in turning the matter over in his mind.

What next could he do? If only he could find the box!