"You will see it presently. Have you examined the safes this morning?" "Yes; one of the first things I did, after you allowed me to move at all, was to examine the cash safe." "Ah, yes; the cash safe. And you found its contents intact?" "Perfectly," said the banker triumphantly. "But there is also a safe in the bookkeepers' department." "It contains nothing but the books, which of course would have no value to any one but ourselves." "You have not examined this safe?" "Why, no; I----" "If you have no objection, I should like to see the interior of that safe. I suppose, of course, you know the combination of that as well as that of the cash safe?" "Oh, yes; the combinations are changed every Saturday, and of course I am always informed of the new combination." "Then may I examine the bookkeepers' safe?" "I see no objection to your doing so, if you like." Dunlap seemed surprised at the reporter's request; but he rose and proceeded to the bookkeepers' department. Sturgis followed an instant later. When the reporter came within sight of the safe, Dunlap was closely inspecting the lock. Presently he uttered an exclamation of surprise. "What is it?" asked Sturgis. "I don't understand it," said Dunlap. "I cannot open the safe. The lock seems all right; but----" "Perhaps the combination has been changed." "Apparently it has," admitted the banker; "but how came it to be changed on a week day, and without my knowledge?" "That is rather significant, isn't it?" suggested the reporter. "Significant? What do you mean?" exclaimed Dunlap excitedly. "I mean that Arbogast was a defaulter. What his system of defrauding the bank was, I do not yet know; but an examination of the books will no doubt reveal this; and I should advise you, Mr. Dunlap, to lose no time in having it made." "But," argued Dunlap anxiously, "I tell you the books were examined last week." "Yes; by Arbogast's accomplice." "What, Chatham his accomplice?" exclaimed Dunlap faintly. "Chatham was in the plot beyond a doubt," answered Sturgis. "So long as no one had access to his books except his accomplice Chatham, of course Arbogast felt secure. But when, yesterday, the announcement was made that after the beginning of the new year his books would pass to the custody of another man, he saw that the game was up." The men had returned to the president's office. "Those are his very words," continued the reporter; "those he telegraphed to Chatham yesterday, as you will see if you hold before that mirror this sheet of blotting paper which I found on Arbogast's desk." Dunlap, with an unsteady hand, took the blotting paper; and, holding it before the glass, studied the reflection intently. "What do you make out?" asked Sturgis. "Nothing whatever," replied the banker promptly. "What?" exclaimed the reporter; "do you mean to say that you do not distinguish any marks on the blotting paper?"