kfast table, after Grace had opened the letter and joyfully
exhibited the check to her mother and father; "he'll have some trouble
opening that box. It was the strongest box I have ever seen of the kind,
made of iron reinforced with steel bands, with a combination lock that
would baffle even your friend, Richards, Grace, who appeared to be a
pretty sharp crook."

"How will the thief get at the money, then, father?" asked Grace.

"I can't imagine," answered Mr. Harlowe. "If he tries to blow up the box
he runs the chance of blowing up all the money at the same time, and I
don't believe there is an instrument made that would pry it open. He
can't melt it and he can't knock a hole in it. Therefore, I don't just
see what he can do, unless he finds some way to work the combination."

"It would be the irony of fate if the thief couldn't spend the money
after all his trouble," observed Mrs. Harlowe.

"I hope he never, never can," cried Grace. "I hope he'll bruise all his
knuckles and break all his finger nails trying to open the box, and
still not make the slightest impression!"

"He certainly will if he tries to open the box with his finger nails and
knuckles," replied her father, as he bestowed two kisses upon his wife
and daughter, respectively, and departed to his business.

"Who is to be custodian of the fund, Grace? Are you to have charge of
it?" asked Mrs. Harlowe.

"No, mother; Marian Barber was formally elected class treasurer last
year. She likes to keep books and add up accounts and all those things.
So I shall just turn the check over to her to put in the bank until we
give our next entertainment. Then, when we have about a thousand
dollars, we'll give it all to Miss Thompson as our contribution toward
rebuilding the gymnasium. I hear that the juniors are going to give a
dance, but I don't think they will make any large amount like this,
because they will have to pay for music and refreshments."

Grace could not help feeling proud of the success of the bazaar now that
the judge's check had arrived, although at first she had demurred about
accepting it. However, as the judge absolutely refused to take it back,
it was therefore duly presented to Marian Barber, who, with a feeling of
extreme importance at handling so much money in her own name, deposited
it in the Upton Bank, and was the recipient, for the first time in her
life, of a small, neat-looking check book. Later she showed it with
great glee to the Ph