“Nor I,” admitted Larry. “It is certain, however, that after the exchange of the bags, the thief brought the one containing the million in here. Just how soon after the theft can only be guessed at. Then he cut off the backs of the ledgers, pasted them on the narrow end of the valise, shoved it in the space the books occupied, and it was as well hidden as if he had buried it.”
“Better,” commented Mr. Bentfield, “for, if he had buried the money, the ground would have been disturbed, and some one would have been suspicious. As it was, no one would ever think of looking behind these old books. Sometimes several years go by without any one referring to them. It was a safe place to hide a million dollars, and yet it was right in the bank!”
“Do you think the million was ever actually there?” asked the lawyer.
“Perhaps not,” admitted Larry. “The thief, after he switched, or changed, the bags, may have watched his chance, that very night, to take away the money. Then, to get rid of the empty valise, he may have put it behind the old ledgers. But he must have planned to do that, otherwise he would not have had the backs cut away. And he had to have glue to stick them on the valise. All that indicates the fact of preparation.”
“Well, the money is gone, that’s certain,” spoke the lawyer dryly. “And the next thing to consider is, how to arrest the thief, and get it back. I don’t suppose you now have any scruples about giving Witherby into custody, Mr. Bentfield?”
“No, and yet I can’t see how the finding of the empty bag proves anything more against him. I think he is guilty, but the latest development does not add anything to it.”
“That’s right,” admitted Larry. “But it will make a good story for me.”
“Oh, you newspaper reporters!” exclaimed the lawyer. “All you think of is to get good newspaper stories.”
“That’s our profession,” answered Larry, with a smile. And yet he could not help but think of Grace Potter—of the unpleasantness that might annoy her.
“You had better call up the police at once,” suggested the lawyer to the bank president, and Mr. Bentfield agreed. Soon he was in communication with the authorities.