eeper looked amazed.

He turned to Felix.

"Was this package given you at the bank?" he asked.

"Yes," answered Felix.

"I don't understand it. Do you think they suspected anything?" he
continued, turning to Ralston.

"What could they suspect?" growled Dick. "It's a pretty trick for a
respectable bank to play on a customer."

"Was all the money bogus?" asked Mullins.

"Here are a hundred dollars in good bills."

"Have you opened any of the other packages?"

"No, but I will."

The gambler tore off a little of the outer paper from the
five-hundred-dollar and two-hundred-dollar packages, only to discover
that their contents were no more valuable than those of the first
bundle.

"I'd like to know what all this means," said Ralston. "Is it a trick of
yours?" he demanded, looking suspiciously at Mullins.

"No. On my honor, no. It is very puzzling. They must have made a
mistake at the bank."

"Send the boy back."

"It won't do. He has already reported that he has been robbed.
It's--it's very awkward."

"You must do something," said Dick Ralston, harshly. "I'm not going to
be swindled in this way."

It was at this point that the office door was heard to open. Mr.
Sharpleigh entered and fixed his glance on Ralston.

"Mr. Mullins," he said, "you wish to know who robbed your office boy of
the money he drew from the bank?"

"Yes," faltered Mullins.

"There he stands!" answered Sharpleigh, calmly, pointing to Ralston.

"It's a--lie!" exclaimed the gambler, but he turned pale.

"I saw the robbery with my own eyes." went on the detective, "and----"
he turned his eyes to the door, which opened to admit a stalwart
policeman.

"Arrest that man!" said the detective. "He lay in wait for the office
boy, and on his return from the bank robbed him of a large sum of money
which he had just drawn out."

"Who are you?" demanded Ralston, trying to brazen it out.

"I am James Sharpleigh, a detective."

Mullins listened in dismay, for Sharpleigh's name was familiar to him
as one of the cleverest detectives in the city.

"And who authorized you to meddle in a matter that did not concern
you?"

The answer came from an unexpected quarter. Mr. Fairchild, valise in
hand and dusty with travel, entered the office. He heard the question,
and quickly comprehended the situation.

"It is nearly two weeks," he said, "since I engaged Mr. Sharpleigh to
watch what was going on in the office. Chester Rand telegraphed me that