“I wish to Heaven you were right.  If there had been any bonds, I would have acted on the square.  But somebody had removed them, and substituted paper.  I suspected you.”

“I am ready to swear that this has happened without my knowledge,” said Gibbon, earnestly.

“How, then, could it have occurred?” asked Stark.

“I don’t know, upon my honor.  Where is the box?”

“I—­have disposed of it.”

“You should have waited and opened it before me.”

“I asked you if you had a key that would open it.  I wanted to open it last evening in the office.”

“True.”

“You will see after a while that I was acting on the square.  You can open it for yourself at your leisure.”

“How can I?  I don’t know where it is.”

“Then I can enlighten you,” said Stark, maliciously.  “When you go home, you will find it in a chest in your woodshed.”

Gibbon turned pale.

“You don’t mean to say you have carried it to my house?” he exclaimed, in dismay.

“Yes, I do.  I had no further use for it, and thought you had the best claim to it.”

“But, good heavens! if it is found there I shall be suspected.”

“Very probably,” answered Stark, coolly.  “Take my advice and put it out of the way.”

“How could you be so inconsiderate?”

“Because I suspected you of playing me a trick.”

“I swear to you, I didn’t.”

“Then somebody has tricked both of us.  Has Mr. Jennings discovered the disappearance of the box?”

“Yes, I told him.”

“When?”

“When he came to the office.”

“What did he say?”

“He took the matter coolly.  He didn’t say much.”

“Where is he?”

“Gone to Winchester on business.”

“Look here!  Do you think he suspects you?”

“I am quite sure not.  That is why I told him about the robbery.”

“He might suspect me.”

“He said nothing about suspecting anybody.”

“Do you think he removed the bonds and substituted paper?”

“I don’t think so.”

“If this were the case we should both be in a serious plight.  I think I had better get out of town.  You will have to lend me ten dollars.”

“I don’t see how I can, Stark.”

“You must!” said Stark, sternly, “or I will reveal the whole thing.  Remember, the box is on your premises.”

“Heavens! what a quandary I am in,” said the bookkeeper, miserably.  “That must be attended to at once.  Why couldn’t you put it anywhere else?”

“I told you that I wanted to be revenged upon you.”

“I wish you had never come to Milford,” groaned the bookkeeper.

“I wish I hadn’t myself, as things have turned out.”

They prepared to start for Gibbon’s house, when Mr. Jennings drove up.  With him were two tall muscular men, whom Stark and Gibbon eyed uneasily.  The two strangers jumped out of the carriage and advanced toward the two confederates.