"Has the man that came in with me gone out?" asked Andy.

"Mr. Marvin?"

"Yes."

"He went out about five minutes ago."

"Did he say anything about coming back?"

"He said it would be late when he returned. He asked me if we kept
open after twelve. Did you want to find him?"

"I should like to have the police find him," said Andy.

"How is that?" asked the clerk, surprised.

"He has robbed me."

"Did you leave your door unlocked?"

"No; but there was a door between our rooms. He opened it, and stole a
pocketbook from the pocket of my coat."

"While you were asleep?"

"Yes; but I awoke just in time to see him go through the door."

"How much money was there in it?"

"That's the joke of it," said Andy, laughing; "there was no money at
all, only some folds of paper. He got hold of the wrong pocketbook."

Thereupon, he told the story of the "drop game," of which he came near
being a victim, and what a useful turn the bogus treasure had done
him.

"There's the right pocketbook," he said, in conclusion. "I wish you
would take care of it for me till to-morrow. The money isn't mine, and
I don't want to run any more risk with it."

"I'll lock it up in the safe for you," said the clerk. "Is there
much?"

"Several hundred dollars."

"You were very fortunate in escaping as you did," said the clerk.

"True for you," said Andy. "He may come back when he finds out how he
has been fooled."

"If he does, I'll call a policeman. We'll make short work with him."

The reader has already heard how Fairfax (or Marvin) did return, and
how he met with a reception he had not calculated upon. Andy was
informed in the morning that it would be necessary for him to appear
as a witness against him in order to secure his conviction. This he
did the next day, but the judge delayed sentence, on being informed
that the accused was charged with a more serious offense, that of
stopping a traveler on the highway. His trial on this count must come
before a higher court, and he was remanded to prison till his case was
called in the calendar. Andy was informed that he would be summoned as
a witness in that case also, as well as Colonel Preston, and answered
that he would be ready when called upon.

We will so far anticipate events as to say that the testimony of Andy
and the colonel was considered conclusive by the court, and, on the
strength of it, Mr. Fairfax, alias Marvin, was sentenced to several
years' imprisonment at hard l