The president, giving him a cold, meaning look, rose from his seat, turned the key in the lock, then said: "Yes, he was right. Be seated. I have much to say, and of a painful nature." George Alden's lips trembled. For a moment neither spoke, the silence being finally broken by the president. "George, never in my whole life did I have such a painful duty to perform as now falls to my lot. You have served the bank for several years, and during that time have succeeded in winning the confidence of every officer of the institution. You have been trusted implicitly at all times, yet an examination reveals to us that this confidence placed in you has not been deserved." He paused, when George Alden sprang to his feet, and gasped: "I--I do not--that is--I cannot comprehend your meaning." "Be seated, Alden. It almost unmans me; in fact, ever since this affair came to my knowledge my confidence in mankind has been shaken as never before. I see you are overcome; why not confess your crime, and let us see that you are not as depraved as your act would indicate." "My God! what do you mean? Confess what? At least, inform me of what I am charged." "Why inform you of what you already know? The abstraction of the funds has been discovered and the worthless bonds are here." Turning to his desk and opening a drawer, he laid before the astonished cashier five thousand dollars in worthless paper. "I swear before my Maker," exclaimed George, "that I never saw those bonds before. What conspiracy is this?" The president affected surprise and answered: "You act your part well. You little thought, I suppose, that we would discover your crime. The books, however, show that some time in August last year you took five thousand dollars in money from the bank, placing these worthless bonds in the vault as collateral." George Alden rose to his feet, and lifting his clenched hand above his head, and bringing it down upon the table before him, said: "It is a lie! If anything is wrong the villain is in the other room." "Beware, young man, how you talk; the evidence is too strong for you to escape by any means whatever. Here is the entry made in your own handwriting. You cannot deny this. Look here--is that written by any other hand than your own?" "It--it--it--does look--oh, my God! I never wrote it. Am I dreaming? No, I am the victim of that man who has been at my desk." Catching hold of a chair to prevent himself from falling, and turning toward the president, in piteous tones he said: "Mr. Hamblin, certainly you do not think me capable of robbing the bank?" His answer being only a cold wave of the hand, the distracted man stared at his tormentor; as he did so, anger succeeded amazement, and he exclaimed: "It is a foul conspiracy, and _you_ are at the bottom of it! You would ruin me to satisfy your own ambition, you scoundrel!" The president turned white with rage, and said: