cerned, there was every indication of
thankfulness and rejoicing.

CHAPTER XXV.

The Mystery of the Missing Five Thousand Dollars Solved at Last--The
Money Recovered--Duncan at Geneva.

On the day following the arrival of Duncan in Chicago, he was conveyed
to Geneva, in company with my son William and a trusty operative. As may
be imagined, the appearance of the fourth and hitherto unknown burglar
threw the inhabitants of the quiet little town into another state of
wild excitement, this time, however, without any indication of hostility
to my officers or their actions. A charge of sentiment had taken place
in the public mind, and now, instead of threatened resistance to our
movements, my men were received with every evidence of approbation and
indorsement.

Thomas Duncan was taken at once to the bank and here he made a full
statement of his connection with the robbery, the amount of money which
he and Newton Edwards obtained, and detailed at length his travels from
the time he left Geneva until he was arrested at Butte City by John
Manning. He fully corroborated the statement of Newton Edwards about
their disappointment in not obtaining, within five thousand dollars, as
much money as they expected, and he expressed the belief that Eugene
Pearson had taken this additional sum, and had thus deceived both his
companions and the bank.

He fully explained the disposition they made of the valise, which
contained the silver, by hiding it in the corn-field by the road-side;
after which they continued their journey unincumbered by the weight of
the coin, which they did not consider valuable enough to burden
themselves with.

After he had finished, William inquired:

"Was there no other sack or sacks than those you have mentioned as being
in the valise when you threw it away? Did you not dispose of some
before you parted with the satchel? Think carefully now; there is a
mystery about that sack of gold which we want to solve, if possible."

"Eugene Pearson declares," added Mr. Silby, the bank president, "that he
has given up everything, and is positive that you took away from the
bank nearly fifteen thousand dollars in currency and coin."

Again, as in the case of Edwards, the valise was brought out, and the
amount of money which was supposed to have been taken at the time of the
robbery, less five thousand dollars in gold, was handed to Duncan to
lift. Duncan raised it in his hand, and at once pronounced it lig