ll rang that summoned him to the carpet in the cashier's office
it seemed as though the eye of everyone of his associates was raised
from the work that had employed their attention and was focussed upon
him.

He even thought he could detect something akin to pity in these looks.

He walked steadily over to the door, pushed it open and entered the
small compartment of the head official of the bank, under the president.

"Please close the door again, Richard," said Mr. Goodwyn, solemnly.

Why, it sounded like a funeral, and the cashier looked as though he
might be taken for the chief mourner; as for Mr. Graylock, he sat there
apparently wrought up to a high pitch of excitement, and drumming with
his fingers on the table.

Dick gulped something down that seemed to be inclined to half strangle
him, and then set his teeth together, resolved to put a brave face on
it, no matter what difficulty might arise.

"Sit down here, Richard, where I can talk with you," continued Mr.
Goodwyn.

The boy did as he was told, and looked calmly into the face of the
cashier; if the other had anticipated discovering anything shifty in his
manner he certainly received as great a surprise as at any time in his
life.

"Richard, do you remember the day Mr. Graylock was in here, and I called
you to ask about that Classon matter, which you explained quite
satisfactorily--let me see, what day was it?" he said, turning to the
eager merchant, who was devouring Dick with his eyes, and looking
actually savage.

"Thursday of last week. I made a note of it naturally in my memorandum
book, for I might wish to substantiate the occasion when I called for
the securities again," replied the merchant, grimly.

Then it was about that packet after all; Dick had suspected something of
the kind ever since he knew that Mr. Graylock seemed to be aroused over
something, and had mentioned the word while standing in the doorway.

"Yes, sir, I remember," he replied, calmly, even while his heart was
fluttering with an unknown dread.

"You also recall the fact that I handed you a packet, a buff envelope in
fact, secured with a rubber band and requested you to immediately place
it in the vault?"

"Yes, sir, I do," answered the boy, respectfully.

"Was this the package I gave you?" holding up the bulky envelope.

"It looks very much like it, sir."

"Take hold of it, Richard; tell me does it seem quite as full as when I
first placed it in your hands?"

"I