were found in first class order."

"I am sure they would be, Mr. Clymer," exclaimed Kent warmly. "Any
one who knew Jimmie would never doubt his honesty."

McIntyre turned in his chair and regarded the speaker with no
friendly eye, but aside from that, took no part in the conversation.
Clymer did not at once resume speaking.

"To-day," he commenced finally, "Colonel McIntyre called at the
bank and asked the treasurer, Mr. Gilmore, for certain valuable
negotiable securities which he left in the bank's care a month ago.
Mr. Gilmore told Colonel McIntyre that these securities had been
given to Jimmie Turnbull last Saturday on his presentation of a
letter from McIntyre requesting that they be turned over to the
bank's cashier. McIntyre expressed his surprise and asked to see
the letter " - Clymer paused and took a paper from his desk. "Here
is the letter."

Kent took the paper and examined it closely.

"This is perfectly in order," he said. "A clear statement in
Colonel McIntyre's handwriting and on his stationery.

For the first time Colonel McIntyre addressed him.

"The letter is in order," he acknowledged, "and written on my
stationery, but it was not written by me. The letter is a clever
forgery."