"Well," he whispered, "if he recovers it will be a bad go. If he could only look into the future, he would have no wish to live--but perhaps he may have a relapse." Seeming to catch a gleam of hope, he resumed his cigar again, and continued to fill the room with clouds of smoke for at least ten minutes. Then suddenly rising, he said: "There is no help for it: I must see that our programme is carried out. Sargent is ready to do his work, and I cannot let sentimentality make me lose sight of my own danger. Alden will no doubt recover, and there never will occur so good an opportunity as the present to make the necessary preparations to get rid of him. The hero-worship business is short, and by the time the good people of Cleverdale get through admiring the noble act of Cashier Alden, we will be ready with the trap." Observing Sargent was alone, he said: "I wish to speak with you for a few moments." The teller entering the president's private office, the latter said: "Have you thought over the matter we discussed the night before the fire?" "Yes, sir, it has been on my mind a great deal." "It is evident we must carry out our original intention, for I think Alden will recover." "It looks that way now." "Have you any plans to suggest?" "Yes, I can alter his books--put worthless bonds among the securities, making it appear Alden has abstracted the currency they represent, and carry the transaction along on his books until discovered." "How will you manage to clear yourself of any complicity?" "That is easily accomplished. The figures can be altered to correspond with dates in September or August, when Alden was alone in the bank, and make it appear that the worthless bonds were placed among the collaterals at the time, and only discovered by the forced absence of the cashier." "That is very good, Sargent. Public opinion and sympathy are so strong for Alden it will not do for him to remain here. When confronted with the accusation he must be induced to run away rather than face exposure. When he is accused of defalcation I can express sympathy for him--offer to make good the missing funds--even give him money with which to abscond." "But, suppose he writes back to his friends--what then?" "In that case we must plan to intercept his letters." "That will be easily done, my brother being clerk in the post-office." "Sargent, you are quick-witted. That will be the very thing; it is a most important point, and has bothered me considerably. We will do nothing until after I return home next week. By that time we shall know more about his chance of recovery." A customer entering the bank, the conversation ceased. The following Monday was cold and wintry, and before Senator Hamblin left Cleverdale for Albany he called at the bank and said to Sargent: "He is much better this morning, and we will plant our seed on Saturday."