nything of value in your coat when you
are staying at a large city hotel? Somebody may have taken the
pocketbook already."

Scarlet with consternation the lad produced the check.

"If nothing has happened to that pocketbook you will be very fortunate,"
asserted the man severely. "Stay here! I will be right back."

With beating heart the boy watched him thread his way between the tables
and disappear from the dining room into the lobby.

Suppose the bill book should be gone!

What if there had been valuable papers in it, money--a great deal of
money--and now through his carelessness it had all disappeared? How
stupid he had been not to remember about it and give it to his father
the instant they had met! In fact, he would much better have taken a
chance and handed it to the bus conductor than to have done the foolish
thing he had. He had meant so well and blundered so grievously! How
often his father had cautioned him to be careful of money when he was
traveling!

Tensely he sat in his chair and waited with miserable anxiety, his eyes
fixed on the dining-room door. Then presently, to his great relief, he
saw his father returning.

"Did you--" he began.

"You will have to come yourself, Steve," said the elder man whose brow
was wrinkled into a frown of annoyance. "The maid who checked the coats
is not there, and the one who is insists that the ulster is not mine,
and in spite of the check will not allow me to search the pockets of
it."

Stephen jumped up.

"I suppose she is right, too," went on Mr. Tolman breathlessly, "but the
delay is very unfortunate."

They made their way into the corridor, where by this time an office
clerk and another man had joined the maid who was in charge of the coat
rack.

Stephen presented his check and without comment the woman handed him his
coat. With trembling hand he dived into the deep pocket and from it drew
forth the red bill book which he gave to his father.

"There it is, Dad, safe and sound!" he gasped.

Instantly the clerk was in their path.

"I beg pardon, sir," said he with deference, "but does that pocketbook
belong to you?"

Mr. Tolman wheeled about.

"Eh--what did you say?" he inquired.

"I asked, sir, if that pocketbook was your property?" repeated the
clerk.

Mr. Tolman faced his inquisitor.

"What business is that of yours?" he demanded curtly.

"I am sorry, sir, to appear rude," the hotel employee replied, "but we
have been asked to be on the