JOHN WAINWRIGHT, ESQ.
MY DEAR SIR: I have at length recovered the bonds which were stolen from you, and send them by express herewith. I have not time to go into details, but will only say that I found them in a hollow tree. I secured them in the nick of time, for I have reason to think that to-morrow they would have been removed by Bowman, who has got tired of St. Victor, and will probably leave the neighborhood to-morrow. I do not dare to keep the bonds in my possession, as I may be followed, but consider it safer to express them to you at once. I shall go back to New York by a roundabout way, but shall probably arrive very nearly as soon as the package.
Yours respectfully,
FRED FENTON.
P. S. The money and U. S. bonds have been used, but you will find $13,500 in other securities in this package. They would have been spent too, but the holder found it impossible to negotiate them.
"There, Henderson, what do you think of that?" asked Mr. Wainwright, in a quiet tone of triumph. "I was a fool, was I, to trust this boy?"
"I don't know what to say, but my offer holds good. If you will release the boy I will take him into my employment at twenty dollars a week."
"I will give him as much as he can get elsewhere," repeated the banker.
There was a quick step heard outside, and Fred Fenton entered the office.
"Good morning, Mr. Wainwright," he said. "Did you receive the package?"
"It just reached me, Fred. Shake hands, my boy. You have justified my confidence in you."
"I did my best, sir."
"Tell me all about it. My curiosity is excited."
Fred gave a rapid account of his adventures in search of the missing bonds. It was listened to with equal interest by the banker and his friend.
"Wainwright, introduce me," said Henderson abruptly.
"Fred," said the banker smiling, "let me make you acquainted with my friend, Arthur Henderson. He is a commission merchant. He may have a proposal to make to you."
"Young man, if you will enter my employment I will pay you twenty dollars a week," said merchant.
Fred looked amazed.
"That is a great deal more than I am worth," said.
"Then you accept?"
Fred looked wistfully at Mr. Wainwright.
"I should not like to leave Mr. Wainwright," he said.
"Especially as he has raised your pay to twenty-five dollars a week," said the banker smiling.
"You can't be in earnest, sir?"
"When you get your first week's salary on Saturday, you will see that I am in earnest."
"I see, then, that I must do without you," said the merchant. "Wainwright, I take back all I said. I advise you to keep Fred by all means as long as he will stay with you."
The banker had opened his check book and was writing out a check. He tore it from the book and handed it to Fred. It ran thus:
No. 10,531
PARK NATIONAL BANK.
Pay to the order of FRED FENTON
ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS.