five thousand dollars. That
is quite a lucky windfall, Richard; but, my boy, don't you realize what
a terribly significant fact it would appear in the eyes of any one bent
upon investigating the mysterious disappearance of these valuable
documents?" and he laid a trembling hand on Dick's shoulder as he
spoke.

"Yes, sir; I thought of that," replied the boy, cheerfully.

"So that I sincerely trust you are in a position to show us some
evidence that bears you out in your remarkable assertion. Fortunes do
sometimes come to people, but seldom under such conditions as surround
you at present."

"That was just what I was telling mother, Mr. Gibbs."

"Yes, and what did she say?"

"She declared that my month in the bank was making me a shrewd business
man, just because I suggested that she let me take the letter from the
Boston lawyer, and bring it down here to show you when I told of our
good luck, sir!"

"A letter--you have a letter from a lawyer then, and with you?"
exclaimed the president, his face lighting up suddenly.

Dick put his hand in his pocket and drew the letter out.

"Here it is, sir; just as it was received yesterday by my mother."

Mr. Gibbs immediately glued his face to the pages, type written, and
filled with legal phrases, but perfectly intelligible to his trained
mind.

When he had finished he only said one word, "wonderful!" but kept
repeating it as he watched the cashier devouring the contents of the
letter.

"Did you ever hear of such a marvelous coincidence in your life,
Goodwyn? Here, just after these papers are lost, and suspicion is turned
upon Richard, he and his mother fall heir to a neat little sum of money.
My boy, I want to beg your pardon for suspecting that this incident only
added to the weight of circumstantial evidence against you. You have
proven entirely innocent in so far as this money is concerned. We will
forget all about that now, and answer me a few more questions, if you
please, about that fatal day when this deplorable accident came about
that threatens to cause us so much trouble. Depend upon it we shall
straighten it out, and no matter who is guilty they will be punished."

Still, when Mr. Gibbs said this, he did not frown and look at Dick as
though the threat was meant for him at all; no matter what the cashier
thought, the head of the establishment seemed to be ready to pin his
faith on the messenger boy, as though his ability to read character told
him there co