ber as the good check;
after the words: "Pay to the order of---" he wrote, "Bearer," as Jack
had done; before the word "Dollars," on the next line he wrote "Five
thousand," and after the mark "$--" he put "5,000."

He left out the date and signature.

These were unnecessary in the trick he was playing.

Having satisfied himself that his writing bore a close resemblance to
that on Jack's check, he laid the check he had filled out one top of the
one Jack gave him with the greatest care, so that all the lines on one
were exactly opposite the lines on the other.

This he ascertained by holding them up to the light and staring through
the thin paper.

When he had them matched exactly, he located a spot across the width of
both where no writing was seen.

Holding the checks tightly together he tore them in two, just as if the
two checks were one thickness of paper.

Consequently both were torn exactly alike.

Taking off the two top pieces he laid them side by side, joining the
edges where they were torn, and then did the same with the other check.

This done he took the right hand piece of Jack's check, upon which were
the date at the top and signature at the bottom.

He then took the left hand piece of the check he had made out and put it
to the piece with the signature which Jack inscribed.

The check now, instead of being for ten dollars, called for $5,000 and
although a composite thing the signature was no forgery, and that was
the principal writing studied by the paying tellers of banks.

It looked like a perfectly genuine check torn in two, for as both checks
had been torn together, the curves of one fit the grooves of the other
piece to perfection.

Jesse now burned up the remaining two pieces.

"Eureka!" he exclaimed, with an evil smile. "I've done it well. The most
experienced bank clerk in the country would fail to detect the
deception. Now to get it cashed!"

He put on his hat, and holding the two pieces of check in his hand, he
left the Sea Spider House.

Making his way to the Wrightstown bank, he coolly entered, and
approaching the paying teller's little brass barred window, he thrust in
the two pieces of check and said blandly:

"Please cash that for me."

"You've torn the check in two," said the paying teller.

"I had it in my breast pocket, and as I was coming in the door I put my
hand in my pocket to draw it out, when the end of the check caught in
some books and it ripped in two."