ightest doubt that this is an
inside case and I have the men I want right here. Mr. Rogers, your bank
is closed for to-day. Everyone in it will be searched and then all those
not needed to close up will be sent away. I will get a squad of men here
to go over your building and locate the hiding place. Your money is
still on the premises unless these men slipped it to a confederate who
got out before the alarm was given. I'll question the guards about that.
If that happened, a little sweating will get it out of them."

"Are you going to arrest me?" demanded Trier in surprise.

"Yes, dearie," answered the detective. "I am going to arrest you and
your two little playmates if these Washington experts will allow me to.
You will save a lot of time and quite a few painful experiences if you
will come clean now instead of later."

"I demand to see my lawyer and to communicate with my firm," said the
paymaster.

"Time enough for that when I am through with you," replied the
detective.

He turned to Carnes.

"Have I your gracious permission to arrest these three criminals?" he
asked.

"Yes indeed, Captain," replied Carnes sweetly. "You have my gracious
permission to make just as big an ass of yourself as you wish. We're
going now."

* * * * *

"By the way, Captain," said Dr. Bird as he followed Carnes out. "When
you get through playing with your prisoners and start to look for the
thief, here is a tip. Look for a left-handed man who has a thorough
knowledge of chemistry and especially toxicology."

"It's easy enough to see that he was left-handed if he pulled that money
out through the grill from the positions occupied by Trier and his
guard, but what the dickens led you to suspect that he is a chemist and
a toxicologist?" asked Carnes as he and the doctor left the bank.

"Merely a shrewd guess, my dear Watson," replied the doctor with a
chuckle. "I am likely to be wrong, but there is a good chance that I am
right. I am judging solely from the method used."

"Have you solved the method?" demanded Carnes in amazement. "What on
earth was it? The more I have thought about it, the more inclined I am
to believe that Sturtevant is right and that it is an inside job. It
seems to me impossible that a man could have entered in broad daylight
and lifted that money in front of three men and within sight of a
hundred more without some one getting a glimpse of him. He must have
taken the money out