his face
working as he listened to the sermon, and could hardly take my eyes off
him. Anyhow, no matter, I confess that when I heard Mr. Goodwyn out in
the tellers' department speaking with the customer, I just stepped on my
tiptoes and put my eye to a little knothole in the partition."

"Yes, I'm following you, Richard; it was hardly the right thing to do,
but boys seldom think of such matters. You peeked through and
saw--what."

Mr. Winslow had by this time become so excited that he caught hold of
Dick's arm and actually gripped him as though he might be afraid the boy
would suddenly decamp, and leave his thrilling story but half told.

"I saw Mr. Graylock. He was standing up and buttoning his coat
nervously. I saw him turn his head and look around as though he fancied
he had heard a noise. Perhaps I did kick a book that was lying on the
floor; but he didn't look at that little knothole, only toward the door
that led to the outside office. Then he sat down again. I could see that
he was smiling as if pleased. Mr. Goodwyn came back just then, and I
moved away."

The two looked at each other for a moment without another word being
said.

Evidently the teller was allowing the information he had just received
to soak in, where he could turn it around and begin to grasp the true
significance of the incident.

"Dick, I believe, my boy, you have struck on the true secret of this
mysterious robbery," the teller exclaimed. "It seems almost unthinkable
that any man could descend so low as to plan such a diabolical thing,
and then try as best he could to throw it on the shoulders of an
innocent lad. If it turns out to be true nothing could be too severe a
punishment for that rascal!"

"Then you don't blame me for thinking such a thing, sir? I was afraid
you might laugh at me, or even worse, accuse me of inventing something
that could never have happened. Oh! if you could only have seen the look
on his face as he stood there buttoning his coat up, you would never
forget it. I have dreamed of him every night since, and always with that
terrible look in his eyes. But, Mr. Winslow, could a man do such a
thing? I never heard of any one robbing himself before."

"Ah! you have a good deal to learn yet, my boy. It would not be the
first time a clever and unscrupulous rascal laid a plan to have it
appear as though he had been robbed, so that he could profit from the
consequences. Mr. Graylock is in a bad box. His creditors are