about the room."

"Vere can it pe lying?" asked Mr. Swartz angrily. "I tell you it vash
on te safe, and tere ish no use looking any where else."

"That maybe so, sir," replied the clerk, "but if you will give me
permission I will search the room well before you take any further
steps in the matter."

"You can look if you like," observed Mr. Swartz, "but I know tere ish
no chance of your finding it, and it ish only giving yourself trouble
for noting."

"Never do you mind that, sir," the clerk answered. "I am willing to
take the trouble."

Removing the books from the top of the safe he carefully shook them
out, but the package was not among them. He then replaced them and
turned the safe round, with the hope that the money might have fallen
under it. The same success, however, attended him, and he was
compelled to renew his efforts. Everything in the room was removed
without the package being found. After a minute and diligent search he
was compelled to give up the work in despair, and ceasing he stood
trembling before Mr. Swartz, who, he momentarily expected, would
charge him with having committed a theft. But for this fear he would
never have taken the trouble of upsetting and replacing everything in
the room, but would have been perfectly satisfied for his employer to
sustain the loss.

"Vell!" said Mr. Swartz. "I suppose you ish satisfied dat te monish
ain't here."

"Its disappearance is very singular," replied the clerk. "If, as you
say, the package was laid on the safe and never removed by you,
somebody must have taken it away."

"Of course, somepody tock it," remarked Mr. Swartz. "How te tevil
could it go mitout it vash taken away py somepody?"

"Do you suspect any one of having stolen it," asked the clerk, turning
as white as the shirt he wore.

"Did you ever come near de safe to-day," asked Mr. Swartz, abruptly.

"Me, sir?" said the now thoroughly frightened clerk. "No, I--No
sir--I--never came further than the door each time you called to me."

"I can't say dat Mr. Elder vould take it," observed Mr. Swartz, "and
all I remember now dat you didn't come anyvere near de safe, I can't
tink who could have taken the monish."

Assured by his manner that Mr. Swartz had dismissed all idea of
charging him with the theft, the clerk's confidence returned, and he
ceased stuttering and trembling.

"Do you think the woman who was here could have taken it?" he
enquired, and then added: "The last time I entere