pt themselves, but that
was a detail to be unravelled subsequently. For the moment he must race
into his clothes and be downstairs in time to have the bank's doors open
to the public by ten.

He was nearly dressed when Mrs. Eustace returned to the room.

"Charlie, whatever has happened? Bessie can hardly stand. She's exactly
as if she had been drinking."

"Oh, don't bother me about Bessie," he said petulantly. "It's ten
o'clock, and the bank is not open."

He pushed past her and sped down the stairs. Despite his efforts to
recover his confidence, his hand still trembled as he unlocked the door
leading to the bank and entered the office.

One quick glance round set his mind at ease. The place was in the same
state of neatness and order as when he and Harding locked up the night
before.

He crossed to the street door, unlocked and unbolted it and pulled it
open. As he did so, Harding came in through the private entrance.

"I say, Eustace, hang it, what have you done with that watch?" he asked.
"It's not in my room. Where have you put it?"

"I have not seen your watch. Make haste and get the safes open and the
books out. Look at the time," Eustace replied sharply.

The keys of the big safe, or strong-room, as they termed it, were kept
in a smaller one, to which there were two keys, Eustace and Harding each
holding one. The last vestige of fear passed from Eustace's mind as the
keys of the strong-room were found lying in their usual place. He sighed
with relief as Harding picked them up, unlocked the heavy door and,
swinging the handles, threw the strong-room open.

The tray on which the cash had been placed after balancing the previous
evening was in a small upper compartment resting on the books. It was
the usual practice for Harding to remove it and hand it over to Eustace,
who checked the contents while the books and documents necessary for the
day's work were being arranged.

But Eustace was too impatient to wait for the ordinary methods. As
Harding pushed back the safe doors and bent down to remove the keys, he
reached over him and caught hold of the tray.

Instead of being heavy, as it should have been with all the gold, silver
and copper coins, it came away in his hands light--and empty!

His face went livid. He reeled back against the counter, letting the
tray fall to the floor.

"Gone!" he cried. "The money's gone!"

Harding started up and stood staring, first at Eustace, then at the tray
lying