l he got
home and his mother found out.

So Bessie bathed his hands, and tenderly wrapped the left one in soft
linen, after greasing the inner cloth with the soothing ointment; why,
this was just fine, and Dick thought he could stand such an experience
every day in the week; although of course he would not like to know that
Bessie was placed in peril again.

The time slipped past, and Dick began to grow uneasy, for he had been
fully half an hour at the house, and he knew a party of anxious
gentlemen were waiting in the president's room at the bank, for his
return.

Finally, when he was about to beg Bessie to go in search of her mother,
the lady appeared, carrying a little package in her hands.

"Be very careful of this, Richard, for it contains valuable securities
which my husband brought out from the city with him recently in
anticipation of a sudden need. Here, let me fasten it inside your
coat--yes, it will just go in that pocket nicely, and I can pin it
there--a woman's device, but securing safety. And I have taken the
trouble to write a few lines to Harvey, explaining the delay. Give it to
him with the package. My boy, we can never cease to be grateful to you
for your bravery. God alone knows what might have happened here had you
not chanced to be at the door. Your mother has reason to be proud of
her boy," and with tears in her eyes she kissed him. And Bessie did the
same.

It was with a tumultuously beating heart that Dick Morrison ran out of
the house, down the front steps, and hastily untying the horse, jumped
into the buggy and was off like the wind.

This was another red letter day in his life, one he could never forget.

If he had made fast time in going out to the banker's home he certainly
fairly flew on the return trip, using the whip in a manner that
surprised the horse, and sending him galloping madly along the road.

He reached the bank, jumped out, threw the lines over a hitching-post,
and fairly flew up the steps.

As he burst into the president's room without even the formality of
knocking he found himself the object of frowns on all sides, showing
that his prolonged absence had been the subject of unfavorable comment.

Even Mr. Gibbs had his watch in his hand and looked at him reproachfully
as he entered; perhaps the president may even have begun to fear that he
had shown a lack of wisdom in sending a mere lad, already under the ban
of suspicion on account of one robbery, to get another