CHAPTER XV.—Continued.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13482, 23 July 1907, Page 6

CHAPTER XV.— Continued.

Sitting dejectedly on a pile of sacks, Cathcart discovered the object of bis search. It was the lad he had seen often enough at the banker's. He touched the drooping figure on the shoulder.

" I fancy your name is Raymond Stennard," he said quietly. There was a little gasping cry, tho vision of a white, pitiful face, and limbs that trembled.

"Mr. Cathcai-t!" a hoarse voice said. "What do you want?" l 'No harm to yourself," Cathcart said kindly. "My boy, you are doing a very foolish and unkind thing in giving your mother terrible anxiety. And, arter all, you have done no great wrong." "No great wrong! No great li you only knew!" *' I know everything," said Cathcart, in the same kindly tone. " I know that you were foolish, and that Mr. Mostyn helped you out. 13y way ot a return for that, you took my pass-book from the bank, and then gave me no end of trouble. But I am quite sure you did not imagine that you were doing any harm. I daresay that scoundrel told you some plausible tale. Now, didn't he?"

1 Stennard nodded. He could not speak for the moment. A great lump seemd to have risen to his throat nnd choked him. The terror that had filled him broke and gave way to other emotions.

"He did," he contrived to say presently. '* I—lI — I robbed the bank. It wasn't much, but it was more than L could repay. I had been betting, and Mr. Mostyn was wonderfully kind to me. He told me that you had been betting too — you and Seth Powell, and —oh!"

"Never mind Seth Powell for the present," George said hastily. "Go on."

" That you had both been betting, and that you had robbed him. He h»d a great regard for both of you, and didn't want to, expose you. But lie wanted to see your pass-book, so as to bring it home to you. And I took it " The boy was .crying quietly. He was exhausted by his grief and sheer want of food. Cathcart would not hear another word until he had taken his companion into a respectable hotel hard by and seen him partake of a good meal. •• Have you got into trouble with tho bank 8 " Georce asked. '

" No ; 1 sent a message to say that I was not well enough to come to-day. But as yet they don't know there is anything serious the matter." For the first time Cathcart's face grew hard and stern. " Have you communicated with Mr. Mostyn?" he asked.

k ' I sent him a letter. I implored him to explain. I was half mad at the Itime."

" Well, you are going to be very quiet now and do as I tell you," George said grimly. " You are to go back to work to-morrow as if' nothing had happened. Under no circumstances are you to let anybody know that you have seen me. Whatever Mostyn's excuse may be — and it will be an ingenious one — you are to accept it as genuine. Mostyn is a scoundrel, and he has come near to doing me a grievous wrong. You can help to undo that wrong by keeping silence till I give you leave to speak. ' "I'll do anything you like," the boy said with great humility. . " And if you will only try and forgive me for the great wrong I have done " " You have done me no wrong at all, ' Cathcart said. " You were foolish and indiscreet, but you wore acting for the best. After all is said and done, Mostyn is going to be hoist with his own petard."

"Exactly," said Renton, speaking for the first time. v " But some while ago you were going to say something about another engaging bank customer of i i yours. What were you gbing to observe about Mr. Seth Powell?"

Stennard's eyes gleamed, his lips twitched uneasily. He glanced from one to the other of his companions in a nervous kind of way.

" You' see, I kuew him very well," ihe said rapidly. "He used to come to the bank rery often. He was a quiet man. atid reserved in his manner."

" He was a slimy rascal," Catbcart put in. ' "Go on."

"Well, I was thinking a great deal about him to-day. You see, ho was identified with my trouble. And I was wondering whether he was in the conspiracy, or whether he was, after all, only a victim like Mr. Cathcart here, whon "

" Oh, do get on," Ronton said impatiently. " Once for all, you can &et rid of the idea that Mr. Seth Powell was the least bit of a victim. If you could only show us the way whereby we can find out anything "

" Then, come this way. It's not a very respectable house, but still "

The other two followed. They ail came at tength to a kind of eatinghouse, where there were small tables, and here and there men and women feeding on what looked like the best possible refuse in the way of food. At the far end a man was eating slowly and drinking from a very dirty coffee cup. A stained morning paper was propped up before him.

"It can't bo an accidental likeness," Stennard said excitedly. "I saw him come in here an hour ago, but he did not see me. Now what do you-^ — " Renton grabbe.d Cathcart by the arm. "Who is it?" he asked. "Who is that fellow yonder?" " Seth' Powell/*- George ■ whispered ; ".as I" am alive, Seth Powell!"