He was quite despondent as he went back to his hotel, while Witherby kept on to rehearsal.
“Telegram for you,” said the hotel clerk, as Larry entered the lobby. He took it, wondering what it might contain.
CHAPTER XXIII
ON A NEW TRACK
With a quick motion Larry ripped the end off the envelope. A glance gave him the contents of the message. It was from his city editor, Mr. Ember, and read:
“Come back at once. Another bank clerk has skipped. He may be the real one.”
“Another clerk disappeared!” exclaimed Larry. “Say, this is getting to be worse than the fifteen puzzle. First Witherby drops out of sight, and, after a long chase, I find him, but he isn’t the one wanted. And I believe he told the truth, for everything he said fitted in. Now here’s another one gone. I wonder who he is, and what it means?”
But Larry knew he had no time for idle speculation. He hurriedly packed his valise, and caught the first train he could for New York. Before he left, however, he received a visit from the theatrical manager who had engaged Witherby. The manager confirmed all that the former bank clerk had said.
On his way to the metropolis Larry thought of many things. Among them was the possibility that, after all, Witherby might be the guilty one, in spite of what the manager had said.
“But what could I do?” asked Larry. “I had no proof, and I could not have him held. He could have walked out of the police station, as far as the theft charge was concerned. And by Jove! I’ve wired for Mr. Bentfield to come on to Chicago! I wonder if I can stop him from making a useless trip?”
It was a slim chance, but Larry took it. At the first place his train stopped he sent a message to the bank president, apprising him of the change in the situation, and telling him not to come on west. Fortunately, Mr. Bentfield had not started yet, in response to Larry’s first telegram, so the second one caught him, and he remained in New York.