now. Tell him I'll drop in later in the day,"
returned the other, a little mollified when he heard the name of the
bank president.

"He said to tell you that it was a very important matter, and that you
must come now," continued the messenger.

"Oh! well, I suppose I shall have to go. Gentlemen, excuse me for a
short time, please. Perhaps it may be good news; possibly those lost
securities have been discovered; although too late to save me; or it may
be they have some offer to make as a recompense for their disappearance
while in their charge. That would be a good thing for my creditors,
gentleman. A few minutes and I expect to be with you again."

He picked up his hat and walked out of the office, with Dick trotting
along close at his heels; though Mr. Graylock would not deign to notice
him.

When they entered the door of the bank together Dick could see that
every eye became focussed upon them; and as for Mr. Winslow, there was
an expression of actual distress upon his face, as though he realized
that he was about to lose the greatest spectacle of the whole affair in
being debarred from that room when Archibald Graylock was ushered in.

Dick managed to precede the broken-down merchant, and opening the door
allowed him to enter.

He was about to go out himself, when Mr. Gibbs said:

"Don't go, Richard. I may have need of you."

He knew that this was hardly so, and suspected that the president
intended that he should be a witness of what followed; possibly
believing that since Mr. Graylock had done all he could to cast
suspicion on the messenger it was only fair that Dick should be present
at his downfall.

At any rate, the boy was only too glad to have the opportunity, and he
thought Mr. Winslow's assertion regarding his luck must have some basis
after all.

Mr. Graylock looked around him as if surprised that there should be a
stranger present; he had met Mr. Cheever, as a bank examiner, but he
certainly could not understand how the other could have any interest in
his private affairs.

He turned, therefore, with an expression of surprise upon his thin
face, as if he would ask Mr. Gibbs what he might understand by this
gathering.

"Have a chair, Mr. Graylock, please," said the president, and he
certainly looked as solemn as though circumstances had arisen whereby he
felt it necessary, for the honor of the bank, to hand over to the
gentleman the equal of the securities that had so mysteriously vanished