rling's hand dropped to his side.

"So!" he sneered. "That's it, is it! The ordinary variety of sneak
thief!" His voice was rising gradually. "Well, sir, let me tell you
that--"

"Mr. Carling," said Jimmie Dale, in a low, even tone, "unless you
moderate your voice some one in the house might hear you--I am quite
well aware of that. But if that happens, if any one enters this room,
if you make a move to touch a button, or in any other way attempt to
attract attention, I'll drop you where you stand!" His hand, behind his
back, extracted the key from the door lock, held it up for the other to
see, then dropped it into his pocket--and his voice, cold before, rang
peremptorily now. "Come back to the desk and sit down in that chair!" he
ordered.

For a moment Carling hesitated; then, with a half-muttered oath, obeyed.

Jimmie Dale moved over, and stood in front of Carling on the other side
of the desk--and stared silently at the immaculate, fashionably groomed
figure before him.

Under the prolonged gaze, Carling's composure, in a measure at least,
seemed to forsake him. He began to drum nervously with his fingers on
the desk, and shift uneasily in his chair.

And then, from first one pocket and then the other, Jimmie Dale took
the two packages of banknotes, and, still with out a word, pushed them
across the desk until they lay under the other's eyes.

Carling's fingers stopped their drumming, slid to the desk edge,
tightened there, and a whiteness crept into his face. Then, with an
effort, he jerked himself erect in his chair.

"What's this?" he demanded hoarsely.

"About ten thousand dollars, I should say," said Jimmie Dale slowly. "I
haven't counted it. Your bank was robbed this evening at closing time, I
understand?"

"Yes!" Carling's voice was excited now, the colour back in his face.
"But you--how--do you mean that you are returning the money to the
bank?"

"Exactly," said Jimmie Dale.

Carling was once more the pompous bank official. He leaned back and
surveyed Jimmie Dale critically with his little black eyes.

"Ah, quite so!" he observed. "That accounts for the mask. But I am still
a little in the dark. Under the circumstances, it is quite impossible
that you should have stolen the money yourself, and--"

"I didn't," said Jimmie Dale. "I found it hidden in the home of one of
your employees."

"You found it--WHERE?"

"In Moyne's home--up in Harlem."

"Moyne, eh?" Carling was alert, quick now, je