What a fool I was to believe in
their promises!"

"But open it!" said Evan.

"I can't--I can't face any more!"

"Let me."

Deaves feebly shoved it towards him.

Evan tore open the envelope. His cue was to express surprise, and he
did not neglect it.

"Listen!" he cried. "This is extraordinary! This is not what you
expect!" He read:

"Dear Mr. Deaves:

The securities came safely to hand. Many thanks for your promptness
and courtesy in the matter. To be sure, your employee did not obey
instructions, but as it happened, no harm came of it. We trust your
father got home all right. We so much enjoyed having him with us.

Well, Mr. Deaves, this terminates our very pleasant business relations;
that is to say it will terminate them, unless you are disposed to fall
in with the new proposition we are about to put up to you----"

George Deaves groaned at this point.

"Wait!" said Evan. "It is not what you think!" He resumed:

"As a testimonial of our gratitude for your favours, we purpose with
your approval, to apply your father's great contribution to a worthy
charitable cause in his name. Let Mr. Deaves write a letter to Mr.
Cornelius Verplanck, president of the Amsterdam Trust Company,
according to the form marked enclosure No. 1. This to be mailed him at
once. If this is done in time, the enclosure marked No. 2 will appear
in all the New York evening papers.

Very sincerely,
THE IKUNAHKATSI.

P. S. It is scarcely necessary to state that Mr. Verplanck does not
know the writer or any of his associates. We have chosen him simply
because of his national reputation for philanthropy."

"I don't understand," murmured Deaves in a daze. "What are the
enclosures?"

Evan read: "Enclosure No. 1: form of letter to be sent to Mr.
Verplanck."

"Dear Mr. Verplanck:

In the course of the day you will receive from me the sum of four
hundred thousand dollars in U. S. Government bonds. My wish is that
you establish with this sum a fund to be known as the Simeon Deaves
Trust, the income of which is to be applied to providing outings on the
water for the convalescent poor children of the city. Draw the deed of
trust in such a way that the donor cannot at any time later withdraw
his gift. Let there be three trustees yourself (if you will be so good
as to serve) myself, and a third to be selected by the other two."

Deaves stared. "And the newspaper story?" he murmured.

Evan read:

"