Indeed, it was hard to know what next step to take. Larry had several talks with his city editor, who suggested some new ideas. President Bentfield, likewise, was appealed to, but he could offer nothing new.
“All we want, Larry, is to get the thief,” he said. “And the money, too, if you can, for though the directors have made good the loss, it was a heavy blow to them.”
“Are the police and private detectives still seeking clews, and investigating the records of the different clerks and employees?” asked Larry.
“Yes, and I might say that the police are rather put out at me for allowing you to work on the case. I fancy, though, that they are nettled because they did not think to try the valise and brick clews, and you got all the credit for that I’m not going to take you off the case, though, Larry, so don’t worry.”
“Well, the valise clew didn’t amount to any more than the brick one did,” said the reporter ruefully, “though it did bring out the fact that a man with a black beard bought the satchel. And you have no bearded employees in the bank.”
“Only myself,” admitted the president, with a smile, “and my beard is white. I didn’t dye it in order to purchase the valise, either,” he added laughing.
“Of course the real thief might have had a confederate purchase the valise for him,” suggested Larry. “And that makes it all the harder. Miss Mason gave me all the help she could, but she did not take much notice of the man, except that he looked like Harrison Witherby from the back.”
“Not a very safe clew to go on,” commented the bank president. “Besides, Mr. Witherby is one of our most trusted employees, and has been with us for years. I would as soon think of suspecting myself as him.”
Larry did not impose such unbounded confidence in the clerk who had proved himself such a bully, but he did not care to tell Mr. Bentfield this. Nor, in fact, had the young reporter come to the point of seriously suspecting Witherby. Larry was only “keeping his eyes open.”
Several days passed, the detectives meanwhile using all their skill to unearth the thief, or discover the hiding-place of the million dollars. Naturally, to be under observation, as the bank employees were all the while, made them feel unpleasant, but there was no help for it, and they accepted it with the best grace possible. There was a mutual feeling of distrust and annoyance, for it had now come to be accepted as a fact that if some one actually employed in the bank had not taken the money, at least they had aided in its disappearance. Still, there was no change in the situation, and every clerk, teller and cashier stayed at his post.