preserved the utmost good feeling and cordiality in his dealings with
Eugene Pearson, and had succeeded in establishing a friendly intimacy
with him, that would have allayed any fears which the young man might
have had, as to the opinions entertained by the detectives with regard
to himself. Mr. Pearson was very positive that one of the robbers was
the same man who had left the valise at the bank during the afternoon,
and, after learning that Manning had paid a visit to Miss Patton, he
stated his belief that this same person had called at the bank a few
weeks before. He could not remember the name he had given at that time,
but thought he had inquired as to the financial standing of several of
the business men of Geneva. During all these interviews Mr. Pearson
displayed the utmost willingness to assist the detectives in their
investigation, and with a frankness that was refreshing, answered every
question that was put to him as if with the earnest desire of
facilitating their labors and contributing to the accomplishment of
their success.

Eugene Pearson was a young man, it was learned, who had first seen the
light in the little town of Geneva, then a straggling little village
with none of the pretensions it now presented. His parents were most
exemplary people, and his father at one time had been a wealthy grain
merchant, but during one of the financial panics that swept over the
country, he was unfortunate enough to suffer embarrassments which
stripped him of his fortune and left him penniless in his old age to
begin again the battle of life. At the present time, he was a
benevolent-looking, intelligent old gentleman, who occupied the
honorable and not very lucrative position of postmaster of Geneva, from
the receipts of which, and a few other interests he was enabled to
maintain his family in comparative comfort.

Young Pearson had grown to manhood surrounded by the refining influences
of his family, and, save for a few months spent at a business college
in a neighboring city, had always dwelt in his native town. Among the
residents of Geneva he was universally respected and admired. Possessed,
as he was, of more than ordinary intelligence, and evincing good
business qualifications, he had occupied his present position in the
bank for several years, and at the time of the robbery, arrangements
were being made for his promotion to the position of cashier, owing to
the contemplated retirement of Mr. Welton, the presen