hter
than when they carried it away from the bank. A sack containing five
thousand dollars in gold was then added, and when he again took it in
his hands, he exclaimed:

"That's more like it; when we left the bank the valise was fully that
heavy."

"Now, Mr. Duncan," said Mr. Silby, "this test satisfies me that Eugene
Pearson is innocent of having taken more money than he has restored to
us, and that when you left the bank, you carried away the amount he
states."

While Mr. Silby was speaking, Duncan had been recalling all the events
which had transpired during their flight, and endeavoring to trace, step
by step, all that they had done.

"I remember now," he said slowly, after a few moments, "that before we
concluded to throw away the valise, we sat down by the railroad track to
rest. We then opened the valise, to see what it contained. Among the
contents, I noticed a small, dingy sack, which was marked
'silver--$100,' and that being pretty heavy, and only a small amount, I
took it and hid it in the weeds that were growing around us. I suppose
it is there yet, provided no one has found and removed it."

At this juncture, Mr. Welton, the cashier, who had been listening
quietly, jumped to his feet and excitedly exclaimed:

"That solves the mystery! I remember distinctly having placed that gold
in a sack marked silver, as it was the only one we could find at the
time." Then turning to Duncan, he added: "You, therefore, instead of
throwing away one hundred dollars in silver, as you supposed, actually
disposed of five thousand dollars in as good gold as ever came from the
mint."

This explanation appeared to be as plain as the sun at noonday, and it
was evident that, mistaking the contents of the sack to be silver, and
of a small amount, Duncan had thrown it away, not deeming it worth the
trouble of taking.

"Can you tell the spot where you disposed of this sack?" asked William,
who still indulged in the hope of recovering the missing money.

"I think I could find it," answered Duncan. "And if you gentlemen will
accompany me, I think I can point it out to you."

Without delay, a carriage was procured, and Mr. Silby, Mr. Welton,
Duncan and my son William, started off. They proceeded in the
direction which Duncan said they had traveled after leaving the bank,
and without difficulty he found the spot where he said they had stopped
to rest.

Alighting from the carriage, Duncan pointed out the place where they had