the futile hope that some one would hear their cries and come to their
rescue.

At last, however, Mr. Pearson succeeded in unscrewing the bolts from the
lock upon the inside of the doors of the vault, and in a few minutes
thereafter, he leaped out, and dashing through a window, gave the alarm
upon the street. The news spread far and wide, and within an hour after
the robbery had taken place, the town was alive with an excited
populace, and numerous parties were scouring the country in all
directions in eager search of the fugitives. All to no avail, however,
the desperate burglars were not discovered, and the crest-fallen bank
officers contemplated their ruin with sorrowful faces, and with
throbbing hearts.

Meanwhile, Miss Patton had been carefully removed to her home, her
injuries had been attended to, and surrounded by sympathetic friends,
who ministered to her wants, she was slowly recovering from the effects
of the severe trial of the afternoon.

An examination of the vault revealed the fact that the robbers had
succeeded in obtaining about twenty thousand dollars in gold, silver and
currency--all the available funds of the bank, and the loss of which
would seriously impair their standing, and which would be keenly felt by
every one interested in its management.

Though sorely crippled by their loss, the bank officials were
undismayed, and resolved to take immediate steps for the capture of the
criminals, and the recovery of the stolen property. To this end they
decided to employ the services of my agency at once, in the full hope
that our efforts would be crowned with success. Whether the trust of the