HAL EXPRESSED HIS OPINION.
The perspiration was standing out upon Mr. Sumner's forehead. He took
out his handkerchief and mopped himself. Hardwick shot an angry glance
at him.
"I don't see what you find so interesting in the boy," he muttered.
"I am interested in him because he saved my life."
"Saved your life?"
"Exactly. It is true that he came from the poor-house, but he is a young
hero, and I will not have him imposed on, especially when he is doing
his best to get along."
"Well, every one to his taste," returned Hardwick.
"I want none of your impudence," cried the broker. "You were not as much
of a man as this boy when I took you in, eight years ago."
"Thanks," returned Hardwick, coolly. "Perhaps you would just as soon I
would quit your service?"
"I would."
"Then I will quit on the first of the year."
"You will quit to-day, and without recommendations."
"Without recommendations!"
"Yes. Let me tell you something. All last evening and this morning early
I spent the time examining your books. I find you have made false
entries, how many I do not know, and that you are a defaulter in the sum
of several thousands of dollars."
Hal was almost as much surprised at Mr. Sumner's statement as Hardwick.
"You--have--examined--the--books?" said the book-keeper, slowly.
"I have."
Hardwick breathed hard. It was a terrible blow Mr. Sumner had dealt him.
He had supposed his little crooked actions in the office well hidden
from prying eyes.
"You may have to prove what you say," he exclaimed, haughtily.
"I can easily do so," returned Mr. Sumner, coolly. "Shall I send for an
officer to take charge of you in the meanwhile?"
At the mention of an officer, Hardwick grew white, and his lips
trembled.
"N-no!" he cried. "There must be some mistake."
"There is no mistake whatever. Do you deny that you have appropriated
the bank funds of the firm----"
"Mr. Allen gave me the right to----"
"Mr. Allen had no rights, as you are aware. Our partnership is a limited
one, and I shall settle with Mr. Allen later."
"You can't hold me accountable for that money."
"I can, but I won't, for I imagine the greater part of it has been
spent. How much have you in your pocket now?"
"Sir!"
"You heard my question; answer me."
"I will not! I'm no fool!"
"Very well. Hal, will you call a policeman?"
Hal started for the door. Hardwick caught him by the arm, and shoved him
back.
"Stay here! There is my pocket-book."
"Hal, you may remain." Mr. Sumner took the pocket-book and counted the
money in it. "A hundred and eighty dollars," he went on. "Have you any
more with you?"
"No."
"Is that a genuine diamond you are wearing?"
"Yes."
"What is it worth?"
"It cost seventy-five dollars."
"Then listen to me; I have found out that you are a pretty high liver,
Hardwick, and you have probably squandered nearly all of what you have
stolen----"
"Look here, I----"
"Stop, or Hal shall go at once for the officer. Now, what I propose to
do is this: I will keep this money and that pin and the one hundred and
twenty-five dollars of salary coming to you and let the matter drop, so
far as that crookedness in the books is concerned."
"And if I refuse?"
"Then Hal shall go for an officer, and you can stand trial."
Hardwick muttered something under his breath, not at all complimentary
to his employer. He felt that he was in a tight place.
"There is no alternative?" he asked.
"None."
"And you will let this matter rest?"
"Yes. I wish to give you a chance to turn over a new leaf, if there is
any turn over in you."
Hardwick hesitated for a moment.
"I accept," he said, doggedly.
"Very well, hand over the pin."
The diamond scarf pin was transferred to the broker's hand.
"Here is your pocket-book and ten dollars. I don't wish to see you go
away without a cent."
"Keep the money; you might as well rob me of all of it," exclaimed
Hardwick. He reached for his hat and coat. "You will rue this day,
Horace Sumner; mark my word for it. And you, you young tramp!"--Hardwick
turned to Hal--"I will get square, and don't you forget it."
He went out, slamming the door behind him. Hal watched him from the
window, and saw him turn down Broad Street.
Mr. Sumner gave a long sigh.
"I am glad I am rid of that man," he said.
"So am I," responded Hal. "He is a worse villain than you think, Mr.
Sumner."
The elderly broker smiled faintly.
"You still think him connected with the disappearance of the tin box, I
suppose."
"I do."
"The police are almost certain they are on the right track of the
criminal. I cannot give you the details, but the party is not Hardwick."
"The police don't know everything. Hardwick is thoroughly bad, and he is
in league with Dick Ferris and Mr. Allen."
"You speak very positively, Hal."
"Because I know what I am speaking about, sir."
"You say Hardwick is in with Dick Ferris?"
"Yes, sir."
"How do you know?"
"Because they formed a plot to have me arrested. But that is not the
worst of it. Hardwick made an attempt on my life because I followed
him."
"Is it possible?" Mr. Sumner was now thoroughly interested. "Why did you
not tell me of this before?"
"Because I wished to follow out the matter on my own hook, and, besides,
I am almost a stranger to you, and you might think I was making up a
yarn."
"No, Hal, I trust you thoroughly. I don't know why, but you have
something about you that seems perfectly honest."
"Thank you." The youth was blushing. "I will never deceive you, Mr.
Sumner, and you may depend on it."
"Tell me about this attempt on your life?" said the broker.
Standing by Mr. Sumner's desk, Hal related very nearly all that had
occurred since his first appearance at the office. The broker listened
with eager attention.
"You are right," he said, when Hal had concluded. "And apparently Ferris
is as bad a villain as Hardwick. But how do you account for Mr. Allen
being in with them?"
"On account of that conversation I overheard on the ferry-boat that
night. They may try to explain it away as they please, I am convinced
that they were talking of robbing your private safe."
"But Mr. Allen comes of very fine connections----" began the broker.
"That may be, but didn't you just say he didn't do just right?"
"So I did, and it is true. But that might be put down to a mere matter
of sharp business practice, legally right if not morally so. But this
other----"
And the elderly broker shook his head.
"If a man will cheat legally, I don't think he will stop at cheating any
other way," replied Hal. "He may for a while, but his conscience soon
gets blunted, and that's the end of it. You say the police think
somebody else is guilty?"
"Yes."
"Do they think the thief came through the window?"
"Yes."
"That the man who came in while I was here had nothing to do with it?"
"That is their theory."
"But that doesn't explain one point."
"And what is that?"
"Why the marks on the window-sill, which are very plain and made by dirt
and ashes, did not extend to the safe."
"Didn't they?"
"No."
"Humph! Who discovered that?"
"I did."
"When?"
"The day the two detectives were here."
"Did you say anything about it?"
"No, sir."
"Why not?"
"Because, as I said before, I wished to sift the matter myself, if I
could. I know I am nothing but a boy, but I intend to do all I can
toward getting back your bonds."
"Well, you are smart, Hal, there is no denying that. What is your
opinion of the marks?"
"I think they were only a blind."
"Put there to form a wrong impression?"
"Exactly, sir. That robbery was committed by somebody who came in
through the office, and who knew the combination of the safe."
"Possibly. But that doesn't fasten the crime on Hardwick."
"It does not. But I look at it in this light. As one of the detectives
said, it is possible that somebody stood outside of the rear window and
saw you work the combination, but I doubt very much if they could learn
the process in that way. There is a glare of light on the window that
renders it very difficult to see at all."
"Yes, but----"
"Now wait a moment, please," Hal was growing enthusiastic. "Do you keep
the combination written down anywhere?"
"I do not. I gave it to my daughter, Laura, in case something happened
to me, and I suppose she has it down, but I do not know."
"Then it isn't likely any one could get the combination unless they
watched you?"
"I suppose not."
"Very well. Now, the only persons employed in the office were you, Mr.
Allen, Hardwick, Ferris and myself. I know you and I are innocent. Now,
who knew of the bonds being in the tin box?"
Mr. Sumner started.
"By Jove! I never thought of that!"
"Please answer me."
"We all knew of it."
"Did any outsider know?"
"I think not."
"Was the tin box locked?"
"Yes."
"After you placed the bonds in it no outsider heard of their being
there?"
"Not unless the others told them."
"Which they would not likely do. Now, tell me, was anything else taken?"
"Not a thing."
"Not even placed out of position?"
"As far as I could see, no."
"Was there any trace of the tin box having been opened?"
Mr. Sumner shook his head.
"Doesn't it seem probable that if the thieves had not been certain of
what was in the box they would have opened it, and if they were ordinary
fellows that they would have taken something else of value?"
"Hal, you ought to be a detective!" cried the broker, in admiration of
the body's logical reasoning.
"I tell you that robbery was committed by somebody who knew all about
your private affairs, and was here to obtain the combination of your
safe, and _that_ somebody was either Hardwick, Mr. Allen, Ferris, or
else the three of them."