CHAPTER V.
HAL DETERMINES TO ACT.
As Mr. Allen spoke he caught Hal by the shoulder.
"You had better own up, Carson," he said, harshly.
"Let go of me!" retorted Hal, trying to break away.
"Not much! Do you think I am going to give you the chance to slide outof the door?"
"I have nothing to own up to, and I don't intend to run away," pantedthe youth.
He broke away, and placed himself beside Mr. Sumner, who looked at himearnestly.
"I believe the boy speaks the truth," he said, firmly.
"You do?" cried Hardwick and Allen, in concert.
"I mean in so far as he says he is innocent," added the elderly broker,hastily. "Of course, I believe he is mistaken in supposing that eitherof you had anything to do with this robbery."
"Oh!" returned Mr. Allen.
"That's different," said Hardwick.
Both of them looked relieved.
"I wish he had watched this stranger."
"I wish that myself, Mr. Sumner," cried Hal. "If he stole the tin box,then I am mostly responsible, although I supposed the man was somebusiness man around here, and was to be trusted."
"I don't understand one thing," said the elderly broker. "I am almostsure I locked the safe when I went away yesterday afternoon."
"So you did," said Mr. Allen. "I saw you do it."
"Then, how could the stranger have opened it?"
"Didn't Carson know the combination?" asked Hardwick, who seemeddetermined to convict Hal.
"I think not."
"Indeed I did not!" cried the youth. "I never worked a safe combinationin my life."
"I saw him watching you open the door yesterday morning," went on thebook-keeper. "Do you dare deny it?" he continued, turning to Hal.
"I certainly do deny it," retorted Hal. "I might have been looking thatway, but I did not watch him, and I do not know how it was done."
"You did not notice if the door was open after I was gone, did you?"said Mr. Sumner, turning to the book-keeper.
"It was closed," replied Hardwick, promptly.
"You are certain?"
"Yes, sir. When I left Carson here alone I saw to it that both safes andthe main desks were closed."
"Why did you do that?" put in Mr. Allen, knowing well what the answerwould be.
"I saw no necessity for trusting Carson, who was totally unknown to us."
"That was right, Hardwick." Mr. Allen turned to his partner. "I believe,Sumner, you took in Carson without recommendations."
"I admit I did, Allen, but his face----"
"Faces are very deceitful, very. It was poor business policy, Sumner. Itwould never have happened while I was around."
"Well, I am the loser, not you," replied Mr. Sumner, rather sharply. Hedid not like the way Mr. Allen criticised his action.
"Yes, but still, it might have been----"
"But it was not," interrupted Mr. Sumner, dryly. "And as we are toseparate on the first of the year, Allen, the least said on that scorethe better."
"Well, just as you say," returned Mr. Allen, stiffly. "I hope you getyour bonds back, that's all."
"So do I," added Hardwick. "I don't want the least shadow hanging overmy name."
Mr. Sumner began to walk up and down the office uneasily. He was in aterrible state of mind. The loss of the bonds might mean utter ruin.
He hesitated and looked at Hal. The youth noticed it, and springingforward, caught him by the arm.
"Mr. Sumner, tell me you do not believe me guilty," he cried, with acurious lump rising in his throat.
"Hal, I believe you innocent," returned the elderly broker.
In after years the man looked back at those words. What had led him toutter them? Let the reader wait, and perhaps he will be able to reasonthe matter out.
Mr. Allen sneered at the words, and Hardwick's lip curled.
The youth noticed neither of them. The tears stood in his eyes, as hereplied:
"Thank you for saying that, Mr. Sumner," he returned, in a low voice. "Imay be nothing but a poor-house boy, but I am honest, and will help youget back your bonds, and prove my innocence to the world."
Again Mr. Allen's sneer was heard, and Hardwick's lip curled, even morethan before. Neither Mr. Sumner nor Hal paid any attention to either ofthem. The broker stepped to the telephone.
"Who are you going to summon?" asked Mr. Allen.
"The chief of the police department."
"That's right."
The proper connection was obtained, and a long conversation ensued overthe wires. At length Mr. Sumner closed the instrument.
"A couple of detectives will be here in ten minutes," he said. "Thechief says they are now with him and have nothing on hand to do."
Hal listened to this statement with interest. He had often heard ofdetectives, but had never seen such a personage.
Mr. Sumner continued to walk up and down. Hal watched him, the youth'sheart beating rapidly.
The clock hands moved slowly, but at last twelve minutes had passed.
Then two young men entered. They were very ordinary looking individuals,and Hal was somewhat disappointed in their appearance.
"We were sent here by the chief," explained one as he entered. "My nameis Harry Parker. This is Ralph Hamington."
"I am glad to see you," replied Mr. Sumner.
"You have been robbed?" questioned Harry Parker, coming at once to thepoint.
"Yes. A tin box, containing seventy-nine thousand dollars' worth ofrailroad bonds, has been stolen from that safe."
Both detectives elevated their eyebrows at this statement.
"Was the safe broken open?" continued Parker.
"No."
"Door left open?"
"I think not."
"When did you see the box last?"
"Yesterday afternoon."
"What time?"
"A little before two."
"You locked it up at that time?"
"I am under that impression."
"I see. When did you discover your loss?"
"Not over half an hour ago."
"Did any one beside yourself have the combination of the safe?"
"Not to my knowledge."
"No one in the office?"
"I know nothing of it," replied Allen.
"Who are you?"
"Caleb Allen, Mr. Sumner's partner."
"Oh!"
"Neither do I," added Hardwick. "I am the book-keeper," he explained.
"Who is this boy?"
"He belongs in the office," replied Mr. Sumner.
"I know nothing about the safe," said Hal, speaking up for himself. Hebegan to believe detectives were very much like other men.
"Please give me a list of the people who might have got at the safeduring your absence," continued Parker, while his companion prepared towrite down the names.
"These gentlemen," began the elderly broker.
"Yes."
"The janitor of the building."
"What is his name?"
"Daniel McCabe."
Hal started and wondered if the janitor could be any relation to JackMcCabe, his acquaintance of the previous day.
"Go on," continued the detective.
"A strange man was in yesterday."
"Ah! tell us of him."
Mr. Sumner told what he knew. Parker turned to Hal.
"Would you know this fellow again, if you saw him?" he asked.
"I believe I would."
"Please describe him as closely as you can."
The youth started and gave a pretty accurate description of his visitor.Both detectives listened attentively.
"Perhaps it was Larkett," suggested Hamington, in an undertone.
"Did the fellow have a cast in his eye?" asked Parker.
"How would the boy know that?" asked Hardwick, nervously. "He says hehardly glanced at the man."
"Answer me," said Parker, paying no attention to the interruption.
"I--I can't really say," he returned, slowly. "Was it the left eye?"
"Yes."
"He might have had. It runs in my mind so, but I am not positive."
Parker exchanged glances with his companion.
"More than likely he was the guilty party," he said to Mr. Sumner. "Ifhe is the man we imagine, he is an old offender, and it will not be avery difficult matter to run him down."
"If you recover the bonds I will give you five thousand dollars as areward," said the elderly broker.
"We will do what we can, Mr. Sumner."
"The quicker you get to work the better it will suit me."
"We shall start on our hunt at once, eh, Hamington?"
"Certainly. But let us take a look around the office first. And, Mr.Sumner?"
"Well?"
"It might be just as well to keep this matter a secret for a few days.Of course, information will be sent out from headquarters, but thegeneral public need not know of it."
"That will suit me," returned the elderly broker, with a groan. "If theword gets out it will all but ruin me. I only held the bonds in trust,and will be expected to make the loss good in case they are notrecovered."
"You will give us a list of the paper?"
"Certainly." Mr. Sumner took out a memorandum book. "Here you are.Anything else?"
"We will take a look around the premises."
And the two detectives started on a tour of investigation, in which Haltook a lively interest.
The door to the safe was carefully examined. Not a mark was found uponit.
"Either left open or opened by some one who had the combination," saidParker.
He got down on his knees and examined the carpet.
"Anything?" asked Hamington, briefly.
Parker shook his head.
In the rear of the office was a window opening upon a narrow court. Thetwo detectives glanced at the fastening of the window.
Suddenly Parker gave a cry.
"This fastening was forced not long ago."
"How do you know?" asked Mr. Sumner, while Hal pricked up his ears.
"Here are the marks made by a knife blade. They are quite fresh."
"Here are the marks of foot-prints upon the window-sill," addedHamington. "See, they lead toward that door yonder. Where does that doorlead to?"
"An alley-way," replied Mr. Allen.
"Opening on the next street?"
"Yes."
"Then these marks add a new feature to the case," said Parker. "Hasanybody been through the window to your knowledge?"
Every one shook his head.
"Queer," said Mr. Sumner. "If the thief came through the window how didhe know the combination of the safe?"
"I have it," said Hamington. "You often opened the safe during thedaytime, did you not?"
"Yes."
"Then the would-be thief watched you from the window. By looking fromthe left side he could easily see you work the combination without beingseen himself. He watched you until he was sure he had the combinationdown fine, and last night he opened the window, stepped inside, openedthe safe and took out the tin box, closed the door again, and escaped ashe had come."
The Missing Tin Box; Or, The Stolen Railroad Bonds Page 5