LITMIR.BIZ

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main safe was locked up, the rolled-top desks closed, and work was over for the day.

      Hal spent the evening at his room in the boarding-house, writing to Lawyer Gibson, his only friend in Fairham. The letter finished, he walked to the corner and posted it, and then returned and went to bed.

      The next morning he was the first at the office. He was engaged in cleaning up when Hardwick entered. The book-keeper had been out the greater part of the night, and his face plainly showed the effects of his dissipation.

      "Come, get at the books!" he growled. "The place is clean enough."

      "I will just as soon as I have dusted the rear office," replied Hal.

      "Do as I told you!" stormed Hardwick.

      At that moment Mr. Sumner entered, and with a hasty good-morning passed to the back. Hal heard him at his safe, and then came a sharp cry.

      "The safe has been robbed!"

      "What's that?" asked Hardwick, walking to the rear, while Hal followed.

      "The safe has been robbed!" gasped Mr. Sumner. "There are seventy-nine thousand dollars' worth of bonds missing."

      "You are sure?" asked the book-keeper, while Hal's heart seemed to fairly stop beating.

      "Yes, they are gone."

      "When did you leave them?"

      "Yesterday before I went out with Mr. Allen." Mr. Sumner gave a groan. "This will ruin me! Who could have robbed the safe?"

      "Was it broken open?"

      "No. Look for yourself."

      Hardwick glanced toward the iron box. Then he turned and faced Hal.

      "You were here alone yesterday afternoon," he said, sternly.

      "Did you leave him here alone?" cried Mr. Sumner.

      "I am sorry to say I did, but it was only for a few minutes," replied the book-keeper. "I called around to Mack & Heath's for that Rock Island circular."

      Hal grew red in the face.

      "Mr. Sumner," he began, "I hope you do not think – "

      "I think that boy robbed the safe," interrupted Hardwick, pointing to Hal. "I thought it was a mistake to take such a stranger into the place."

      At these words Hal's eyes flashed fire.

      "That is a falsehood!" he cried, indignantly. "I never went near the safe, excepting to dust the outside."

      Mr. Sumner clasped and unclasped his hands nervously. The ring in the youth's voice made him hesitate as to how to proceed.

      "You robbed the safe," went on Hardwick. "You know you are guilty."

      "I know no such thing," returned Hal, in a peculiar, strained tone of voice. "But there is one thing I do know."

      "And what is that?" asked Mr. Sumner, eagerly.

      "I know Mr. Hardwick contemplated robbing that safe, and I feel certain in my mind that he is the one who did it."

      Hal had hardly spoken before the book-keeper sprang upon him, forcing him over backward against the safe door.

      "I'm the thief, am I?" he cried in Hal's ear. "Take that back, or I'll make you!"

      CHAPTER IV.

      HAL STANDS UP FOR HIMSELF

      Hal now found himself in a tight situation. Felix Hardwick had him by the throat, and was slowly but surely choking him.

      "Don't! don't!" cried Mr. Sumner, in great alarm.

      "The miserable tramp!" cried Hardwick. "I'll teach him to call a gentleman a thief."

      He continued his choking process, paying no attention to his employer's efforts to haul him away.

      But by this time Hal began to realize that Hardwick was in earnest. He began to kick, and presently landed a blow in the book-keeper's stomach that completely winded the man.

      Hardwick relaxed his hold, and Hal sprang away.

      "Stop! stop!" ordered Mr. Sumner. "I will not have such disgraceful scenes in this office."

      "But he intimated I was a thief," said Hardwick, trying to catch his wind.

      "And he said the same of me," retorted Hal.

      "So you are!"

      "I never stole a thing in my life, Mr. Sumner." Hal turned to the broker. "And I am not a tramp."

      "Then supposing we make it a poor-house beggar," returned Hardwick, with a short laugh.

      Hal turned red. The shot was a cruel one.

      "Hush! Hardwick," cried Mr. Sumner. "There is no necessity for such language."

      The broker turned to Hal.

      "You just made a strange statement, Carson," he said. "How do you know Mr. Hardwick contemplated robbing the safe?"

      "Because I do."

      "That is no answer."

      "I overheard him and Mr. Allen talking about the bonds being in the safe."

      "When?"

      "The evening I came to New York."

      "What was said?"

      "I can't repeat the words, but they said the bonds were worth nearly eighty thousand dollars, and that the safe was often left open during the day."

      "It's an infamous story!" put in Hardwick, his face growing red. "Mr. Sumner, don't you believe the beggar."

      "I am telling the truth," said Hal, as calmly as he could.

      "Hush, Hardwick!"

      "But, sir – " began the book-keeper.

      "One story at a time. I will hear what you have to say later."

      "Do you mean to say you would take that boy's word against mine?" demanded Hardwick, haughtily.

      "I intend to listen to his story without further interruption from you," responded the broker, sternly. "So please keep silent until your turn comes."

      Hardwick pulled at the ends of his mustache, but he did not dare to reply after this.

      "Now go on, Carson," said Mr. Sumner to Hal.

      "I haven't much to tell, sir," replied the youth.

      And he related all he could remember of the fragment of a conversation which he had overheard.

      The broker listened attentively, but his face fell when Hal had finished.

      "And is that all?"

      "Yes, sir."

      Mr. Sumner shook his head, and then turned to Hardwick.

      "Is his story true?" he asked.

      "It is true we spoke of the bonds," replied the book-keeper. "But nothing was said about stealing them. Why, Mr. Sumner – why should your own partner and trusted book-keeper conspire to rob you? It is preposterous! I have an idea."

      "What is this?"

      "That he heard us speaking of your careless habit, and endeavored to form some scheme to get into the office and get hold of the bonds."

      "Hardly. It was I told him to come here; he did not come of himself."

      "Then he formed his plan after he got here."

      "I know nothing of railroad bonds," put in Hal. "I wouldn't know what to do with them, if I had them."

      At that moment Mr. Allen arrived. He saw that something unusual had taken place.

      "What's up?" he asked.

      "The tin box containing the Mason railroad bonds is missing," replied Mr. Sumner.

      "Missing!" ejaculated Mr. Allen.

      "Exactly."

      "And all the bonds?"

      "Yes."

      "Phew!" Mr. Allen gave a low whistle. "How did it happen?"

      Mr.

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