et.

The officer on duty was questioning her. Had she done this and that?
Yes, she had. Why? Then she told her story--the story you have already
read. As she proceeded with it, every eye sparkled under the graphic
tale, and the police, who had some acquaintance with Beau Johnson,
recognized his hand in all that she told. One face only wore a sneer,
and that was Fellows's. But no sneer could discredit a story told with
such vim and straightforward earnestness. As she mentioned the emptying
of the office, each person present turned and gave him a look. The
manager had undertaken a piece of work too big for him. His explanations
of the presence of the graphophone in this inner office were feeble and
contradictory.

But he had his revenge, or thought he had, when she came to the jewels.
She had pointed them out, but only to save a worse disaster. Injury to
her father? "Yes, and----" She paused and her voice thrilled. "In one of
the secret drawers," she continued, "there was an immense amount of
currency in large denominations, the loss of which would cripple the
business, if not bankrupt Mr. Stoughton. His hand was feeling its way
along the face of this drawer. In another moment he would have
discovered the tiny knob by the manipulation of which this drawer opens.
To save the struggle which would have ensued, I directed his attention
elsewhere. I don't believe I did wrong."

"But you accepted one of these articles as your share. Do you believe
you did right in this?"

"Yes. I will not mention the smallness of the share, for that makes the
portion saved for the owner of little account. Yet that portion is
saved. I wish it had been a larger one."

"No doubt. So that was your motive--to save this souvenir for Mr.
Stoughton?"

Casting a proud look at Philip, she moved a step nearer to the table on
which the bracelet lay. "Will you be good enough," she asked her
interrogator, "to take up that bracelet and read the initials on the
inner side?"

"R. S. T.," read the official.

"Does any one here know Mrs. Stoughton's maiden name?"

Evidently not, for all remained silent.

"Does any one here know my mother's maiden name?"

Philip started.

"Yes," he cried, "I do. Her name was Rhoda Selden Titus."

[Illustration: "_'R. S. T.' read the official_"]

"R. S. T.," smiled Grace. "This bracelet was my mother's. Mr. Stoughton
allowed me to place this keepsake and some other valuables of mine in
his private safe. Gentlemen