he had been discharged, and my suspicions were excited."

"So it's that boy!" muttered the bookkeeper, spitefully.

"I left all to the discretion of my friend Sharpleigh, who has
justified my confidence. I shall have to ask him to throw light on the
present situation."

This the detective did in a few brief sentences.

"Am I to arrest this man?" asked the policeman.

"Yes," answered the broker, sternly. "Mr. Sharpleigh, will you
accompany the officer and prefer charges?"

"See here," said Ralston, with an ugly look, "I'm not going to be a
scapegoat. Your bookkeeper put up this job."

Mr. Fairchild turned slowly and regarded David Mullins attentively.

"I will bear in mind what you say," he answered.

"I took nothing of value," continued Ralston, "and you can't hold me.
Here are three packages filled with green paper."

"Yes," said Sharpleigh, "the bank teller was acting under my
instructions. I took care, however, to have one roll of genuine bills."

When the three had left the office Mr. Fairchild turned to the
bookkeeper.

"Mr. Mullins," he said, "what could induce you to engage in such a
wicked plot?"

"I don't admit any complicity in the affair," replied the bookkeeper,
in a surly tone.

"Have you seen Chester Rand lately?"

"I saw him last evening at the Fifth Avenue Hotel."

"Why did you discharge him?"

"I thought him unfit for his place."

"There may be a difference of opinion on that point. This boy," he
added, significantly, "is a relative of yours, I believe."

"Yes."

"Will you give me an idea of what has been done during my absence?"

Together the broker and the bookkeeper went over the books. Then Mr.
Fairchild went out to dinner.

He was no sooner out of the office than Mullins said: "Felix, remain
here till Mr. Fairchild returns. I am going out on an errand."

He opened the safe, drew therefrom a small package and left the office.

Half an hour later he was on a Cortlandt Street ferryboat bound for the
Jersey shore.

The package which he took with him contained four hundred dollars in
bills, which he had drawn from the bank the day previous without the
knowledge of his confederate. He had been providing for contingencies.

When Mr. Fairchild returned Felix delivered the message.

The broker at once looked suspicious.

"Did Mr. Mullins say where he was going?" he asked.

"Yes, sir. He said he was going out on an errand."

"Did he take anything with him?"

"I didn't