anted your evidence to establish the fact. I have also
recognized him as the alleged reporter who interviewed me yesterday
morning, and who was accidentally left alone for a minute with the leather
bag in my office. The moment I discovered that the diamonds were missing I
suspected that he must have taken them, but thought it best to keep my
suspicions to myself until I could trace him. I learned that a man
answering his description had boarded the east-bound freight somewhere
this side of Millbank and telegraphed Conductor Joe Miller to keep him in
sight. By making use of Mr. Appleby's special I hoped to overtake and pass
him before he reached New York. I thus expected to be on hand to welcome
and arrest him at his journey's end, and by so doing relieve you of all
suspicion of being anything but the honest plucky lad you have proved
yourself. At the same time I looked forward to taking some of the conceit
out of that young sprig of a secretary. That all my calculations were not
upset by last night's accident was largely owing to you, for I must
confess that, but for the shame of being outdone in bravery by a mere slip
of a boy, I should have given up the fight to save this man long before
the victory was won. Of course the evidence of his crime would have
vanished with him, and we should never have known for a certainty what had
become of the train robber or the diamonds. Some persons might even have
continued to suspect you of being connected with their disappearance,
while now your record is one that any man may well envy. Was I not right
then, in saying that this poor fellow had left you a reward for your
bravery that you will value so long as you live?"

"Indeed you were," answered Rod, in a low tone, "and it is a legacy that I
can most gratefully accept, I wish he might have lived, though. It is
terrible to think that by following him as I did I drove him to his
death."

"You must not think of it in that way," said one of the other witnesses of
the scene, taking the lad's hand as he spoke, and at the same time
disclosing the well-known features of Mr. Hill, the Superintendent, "You
must only remember that you have done your duty faithfully and splendidly.
Although I should not have approved the course you took at the outset, the
results fully justify all that you have done, and I am very proud to
number you among the employees of our company. You have certainly
graduated with honors from the ranks of brakemen, and