into his eyes and stared again.

Every eye was fastened upon him, and he seemed to realize that his sin
had indeed found him out, for finally with a groan that welled up from
the depths of his tortured heart he fell back into his chair.

Then he heard the clear voice of the president saying:

"We all deserve to be congratulated, Mr. Graylock--the bank, at the
recovery of the valuable papers entrusted to its care; and you, sir,
because your good name has been saved, and your creditors will receive
all that your estate will produce. It is a great thing to be able to
look your friends and neighbors in the face, Mr. Graylock, when such a
misfortune overtakes a man in business, although every one may not think
so."

Surely this was gall and wormwood to the defeated trickster, who had
been caught trying to defraud those who had trusted him.

He writhed and twisted in his chair, until a shred of his former
assurance came back to him; when he managed to look up with a sickly
smile, and almost whispered:

"Yes, it is a great thing. I suppose I ought to thank you, Gibbs, for
saving me the added humiliation of exposure. And the strange discovery
of the securities, where they must have been placed during a temporary
fit of absent mindedness, will, of course, clear the air, so that no one
now need be suspected of any criminal intent."

It was a bold bid for secrecy, and while Mr. Gibbs might feel a contempt
for the wretched man now before him, at the same time he believed it
would be policy to keep the story quiet for a short time.

"How long before you leave Riverview, Mr. Graylock?" he asked, quietly.

"I think I can say in three days more; yes, by Monday evening I shall
have departed," replied the other, eagerly, catching at a straw.

"Very well, then, for three days those of us in the secret will agree
not to whisper one word of this sad affair. After you have departed the
promise holds no longer. There will be no prosecution, Mr. Graylock,
though perhaps I am doing wrong to promise that; but I shall walk over
with these securities in half an hour, and hand them to the assignee
with the simple remark that they have been found. I think there is
nothing further to say, sir."

It was a polite way of telling Mr. Graylock that they could dispense
with his company, and getting unsteadily to his feet he made for the
door.

Before going out he had the decency to turn his face toward them, and
say:

"I thank you all, gen