THE MISSING TIN BOX.

Less than an hour later Macklin was taken to the police station in his own coach and locked up.

As soon as this was accomplished Hal lost no time in making his way to Horace Sumner's elegant mansion.

It was now quite late, and only a single light gleamed out from the mansion, and that from the library, where the old broker sat, busy with his accounts.

His face was furrowed with care, and just before Hal rang the bell he heaved a deep sigh.

"Unless the tin box containing the stolen bonds is recovered I will be a ruined man!" he groaned. "It is impossible to cover the loss. Allen has ruined me, and even though he tries to use those slips, and I have him arrested, it will do no good."

The ring at the bell aroused him, and, as the servants had retired, he answered the summons himself.

"What, Hal!" he cried. "You must have important news, or you would not come at this hour of the night."

"I have important news, Mr. Sumner," replied the youth. "And I came because I want your a.s.sistance the first thing in the morning."

"You shall have it, Hal. But what news do you bring? Come into the library and tell me."

The two pa.s.sed into the sumptuously-furnished apartment, and, seated by the open grate fire, the youth told of all that had occurred since he had obtained employment at Allen & Parsons'.

"You have had several narrow escapes, my boy," cried the old broker, shuddering. "You must be more careful, really you must."

"I think we have about reached the end of the matter," returned Hal.

"Why, what do you mean? The tin box----"

"I have an idea Hardwick, Allen, and the others intend to come to some sort of a settlement to-morrow, either at the old house, or at the office in Broad Street. This Samuels is about to take some of the bonds to Chicago, and we must be on hand to stop the scheme."

"You are right, Hal, and mighty smart. What do you propose? You have done so well thus far I must really allow you to go on."

"I propose we go to the old house, accompanied by a couple of officers, and lay low for Hardwick and Allen. When they come I can appear before them with my hands and feet bound, and accuse them of the crime. They will not know that Macklin has been arrested--I have taken care of that--and they may give themselves away."

"A good plan. What rogues they are, and how blind I have been! Hal, I shall not forget all you have done for me."

A little more conversation ensued, and then the youth arose.

"Where are you going, now?"

"To the hotel to get some sleep."

"No need of going to the hotel. I will call up one of the servants, and she can show you to a room."

"You are very kind, Mr. Sumner----"

"It is nothing, Hal, in comparison to what you have done for me. I shall reward you well if the missing box is recovered."

Quarter of an hour later Hal was shown to a bedroom on the second floor.

It was quite the finest apartment of the kind he had ever entered. The servant opened the bed and drew the curtains, and then retired.

"Gracious, this is style!" murmured the youth, as he began to disrobe.

"I wonder if I will ever own anything as nice?"

On the walls were a number of steel engravings and etchings, and on the mantel rested a large photograph of a handsome, middle-aged lady.

Hal gazed at the portrait for fully five minutes. The features were so motherly they appealed to his heart.

"It must be a picture of the late Mrs. Sumner," he thought. "What a good woman she must have been! No wonder Mr. Sumner and Miss Laura miss her."

And then, as he thought of his own condition--that of a mere poor-house foundling--his eyes grew moist.

"How I wish I had known a mother, and that she was like her," was his soliloquy. "Or that I had a father like kind Mr. Sumner--and such a girl like Miss Laura for a sister," he added, suddenly, and then he blushed.

His mind presently turned back to the missing tin box, and thinking over this, he soon fell asleep.

He was up bright and early. When he went down to the library he found Laura Sumner there, and the old broker soon joined them.

A hasty breakfast was had, livened by the bright conversation of Laura, who was of a vivacious turn of mind, and then Mr. Sumner and Hal hurried off to police headquarters.

Their quest was soon explained to the officer in charge, and two men were detailed to accompany them to the old mansion up on the Jerome Avenue road.

It had stopped snowing, and the early morning sun made everything glisten. A large sleigh was procured, and one of the policemen and Hal mounted the box and off they drove.

It was twenty minutes to eight when the vicinity of the old Flack mansion was reached. The sleigh was driven around a bend and into a clump of trees, and then the party dismounted.

"I'll go ahead, and see if anybody is around," said Hal. "If it's all right I'll wave a handkerchief from one of the windows."

The youth was somewhat excited. Supposing Macklin had made up the story of the meeting between Hardwick and Allen? Such a thing was possible.

"But no, he wouldn't dare," thought Hal. "He is thoroughly scared, and wants to gain our good graces by giving the others away."

The deserted mansion was in a dilapidated condition. More than half the shutters were gone, and the front door stood wide open.

Sneaking up along an old hedge, Hal gained the half-tumbled-down piazza and glided swiftly into the hall, now more than quarter filled with snow, which the sharp wind had driven in.

"Certainly a cheerless place," he thought. "But I suppose they thought no one would come here, and so they would be free from interruption."

He entered the parlor of the house, and then walked through to the dining-room, the library, and then the kitchen. Nothing was disturbed, and the smooth snow, wherever it had drifted in, did not show the first sign of a footstep.

"Good! I am in plenty of time," said Hal to himself. "I must tramp around a bit, and then bind myself up as best I can."

He waved his handkerchief out of one of the windows and then proceeded to tie his feet together.

He had just finished the work, when Horace Sumner and two officers rushed in.

"They are coming!" exclaimed the old broker. "There are Allen, Hardwick, and two strangers."

"The strangers must be Parsons and Samuels," said Hal. "Here, bind my hands, and shove me into the closet, and then hide."