et to the
police with a crime the better. You all can see how publicity and a
sizable reward offered would give Mr. Boyne a hundred thousand
assistants--conscious and unconscious--to help nab Clayte."

"And we'd be a busted bank before you found him," groaned Knapp. "We've
got to keep this thing to ourselves. I agree with Whipple."

"It's all we can do," the president repeated.

"Suppose a State bank examiner walks in on you Monday?" demanded the
attorney.

"We take that chance--that serious chance," replied Whipple solemnly.

Silence after that again till Cummings spoke.

"Gentlemen, there are here present twelve of the principal stockholders
of the bank." He paused a moment to estimate. "The capital is
practically represented. Speaking as your legal advisor, I am obliged to
say that you should not let the bank take such a risk as Mr. Whipple
suggests. You are threatened with a staggering loss, but, after all, a
high percent of money lost by defalcations is recovered--made
good--wholly or in part."

"Nearly a million dollars!" croaked old Sillsbee.

"Yes, yes, of course," Cummings agreed hastily; "the larger amount's
against you. The men who can engineer such a theft are almost as strong
as you are. You've got to make every edge cut--use every weapon that's
at hand. And most of all, gentlemen, you've got to stand together. No
dissensions. As a temporary expedient--to keep the bank sufficiently
under cover and still allow Boyne the publicity he needs--replace this
money pro rata among yourselves. That wouldn't clean any of you.
Announce a small defalcation, such as Clayte's bond would cover, so you
could collect there; use all the machinery of the police. Then when
Clayte's found, the money recovered, you reimburse yourselves."

"But if he's never found! If it's never recovered?" Knapp asked huskily;
he was least able of any man in the room to stand the loss.

"What do you say, Gilbert?" The attorney looked toward the young man,
who, all through the discussion, had been staring straight ahead of him.
He came round to the lawyer's question like one roused from other
thoughts, and agreed shortly.

"Not a bad bet."

"Well--Boyne--" Whipple was giving way an inch at a time.

"It's a peculiar case," I began, then caught myself up with, "All cases
are peculiar. The big point here is to get our man before he can get rid
of the money. We were close after Clayte; even that locked room in the
St. Dunstan needn't h