dollars a week."

"I don't think in that case I should be willing to lose his services. I
would pay him as much as he could get elsewhere."

"There is very little chance of my being called upon to redeem my
promise."

At that moment an express messenger entered the office.

"Here is a parcel for you, sir," he said.

It was a small package wrapped in brown paper, carefully tied and
sealed.

John Wainwright paid the express charges, receipted for the package,
and then eagerly opened it.

It was the same package which Fred had expressed from Hyacinth.

The banker's eyes were full of triumph.

"What do you say to that, my friend?" he asked.

"What is it?"

"The missing bonds. Nothing could have happened more apropos."

"You don't mean to say--"

"Listen. Let me read you this letter from the messenger you thought me
foolish in sending to Canada."

Here is a copy of Fred's letter.

JOHN WAINWRIGHT, ESQ.

MY DEAR SIR: I have at length recovered the bonds which were stolen
from you, and send them by express herewith. I have not time to go into
details, but will only say that I found them in a hollow tree. I
secured them in the nick of time, for I have reason to think that
to-morrow they would have been removed by Bowman, who has got tired of
St. Victor, and will probably leave the neighborhood to-morrow. I do not
dare to keep the bonds in my possession, as I may be followed, but
consider it safer to express them to you at once. I shall go back to
New York by a roundabout way, but shall probably arrive very nearly as
soon as the package.

Yours respectfully,

FRED FENTON.

P. S. The money and U. S. bonds have been used, but you will find
$13,500 in other securities in this package. They would have been spent
too, but the holder found it impossible to negotiate them.

"There, Henderson, what do you think of that?" asked Mr. Wainwright, in
a quiet tone of triumph. "I was a fool, was I, to trust this boy?"

"I don't know what to say, but my offer holds good. If you will release
the boy I will take him into my employment at twenty dollars a week."

"I will give him as much as he can get elsewhere," repeated the banker.

There was a quick step heard outside, and Fred Fenton entered the
office.

"Good morning, Mr. Wainwright," he said. "Did you receive the package?"

"It just reached me, Fred. Shake hands, my boy. You have justified my
confidence