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首页 » 儿童英文小说 » Driven From Home Carl Crawford's Experience » CHAPTER XXIII. PREPARING FOR THE BURGLAR.
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CHAPTER XXIII. PREPARING FOR THE BURGLAR.
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 Carl stared at Mr. Thorndike in surprise and dismay.
“A burglar!” he ejaculated.
“Yes; I was present in the courtroom when he was convicted of robbing the Springfield bank. I sat there for three hours, and his face was impressed upon my memory. I saw him later on in the Joliet Penitentiary1. I was visiting the institution and saw the prisoners file out into the yard. I recognized this man instantly. Do you know how long he has been here?”
“For two weeks I should think.”
“He has some dishonest scheme in his head, I have no doubt. Have you a bank in Milford?”
“Yes.”
“He may have some design upon that.”
“He is very intimate with our bookkeeper, so his nephew tells me.”
Mr. Thorndike looked startled.
“Ha! I scent2 danger to my friend, Mr. Jennings. He ought to be apprised3.”
“He shall be, sir,” said Carl, firmly.
“Will you see him to-night?”
“Yes, sir; I am not only in his employ, but I live at his house.”
“That is well.”
“Perhaps I ought to go home at once.”
“No attempt will be made to rob the office till late. It is scarcely eight o’clock. I don’t know, however, but I will walk around to the house with you, and tell your employer what I know. By the way, what sort of a man is the bookkeeper?”
“I don’t know him very well, sir. He has a nephew in the office, who was transferred from the factory. I have taken his place.”
“Do you think the bookkeeper would join in a plot to rob his employer?”
“I don’t like him. To me he is always disagreeable, but I would not like to say that.”
“How long has he been in the employ of Mr. Jennings?”
“As long as two years, I should think.”
“You say that this man is intimate with him?”
“Leonard Craig—he is the nephew—says that Mr. Philip Stark4 is at his uncle’s house every evening.”
“So he calls himself Philip Stark, does he?”
“Isn’t that his name?”
“I suppose it is one of his names. He was convicted under that name, and retains it here on account of its being so far from the place of his conviction. Whether it is his real name or not, I do not know. What is the name of your bookkeeper?”
“Julius Gibbon.”
“I don’t remember ever having heard it. Evidently there has been some past acquaintance between the two men, and that, I should say, is hardly a recommendation for Mr. Gibbon. Of course that alone is not enough to condemn5 him, but the intimacy6 is certainly a suspicious circumstance.”
The two soon reached the house of Mr. Jennings, for the distance was only a quarter of a mile.
Mr. Jennings seemed a little surprised, but gave a kindly7 welcome to his unexpected guest. It occurred to him that he might have come to give some extra order for goods.
“You are surprised to see me,” said Thorndike. “I came on a very important matter.”
A look of inquiry8 came over the face of Mr. Jennings.
“There’s a thief in the village—a guest at the hotel—whom I recognize as one of the most expert burglars in the country.”
“I think I know whom you mean, a man of moderate height, rather thick set, with small, black eyes and a slouch hat.”
“Exactly.”
“What can you tell me about him?”
Mr. Thorndike repeated the statement he had already made to Carl.
“Do you think our bank is in danger?” asked the manufacturer.
“Perhaps so, but the chief danger threatens you.”
Mr. Jennings looked surprised.
“What makes you think so?”
“Because this man appears to be very intimate with your bookkeeper.”
“How do you know that?” asked the little man, quickly.
“I refer you to Carl.”
“Leonard Craig told me to-night that this man Stark spent every evening at his uncle’s house.”
Mr. Jennings looked troubled.
“I am sorry to hear this,” he said. “I dislike to lose confidence in any man whom I have trusted.”
“Have you noticed anything unusual in the demeanor9 of your bookkeeper of late?” asked Thorndike.
“Yes; he has appeared out of spirits and nervous.”
“That would seem to indicate he is conspiring10 to rob you.”
“This very day, noticing the change in him, I offered him a week’s vacation. He promptly11 declined to take it.”
“Of course. It would conflict with the plans of his confederate. I don’t know the man, but I do know human nature, and I venture to predict that your safe will be opened within a week. Do you keep anything of value in it?”
“There are my books, which are of great value to me.”
“But not to a thief. Anything else?”
“Yes; I have a tin box containing four thousand dollars in government bonds.”
“Coupon or registered?”
“Coupon.”
“Nothing could be better—for a burglar. What on earth could induce you to keep the bonds in your own safe?”
“To tell the truth, I considered them quite as safe there as in the bank. Banks are more likely to be robbed than private individuals.”
“Circumstances alter cases. Does anyone know that you have the bonds in your safe?”
“My bookkeeper is aware of it.”
“Then, my friend, I caution you to remove the bonds from so unsafe a depository as soon as possible. Unless I am greatly mistaken, this man, Stark, has bought over your bookkeeper, and will have his aid in robbing you.”
“What is your advice?”
“To remove the bonds this very evening,” said Thorndike.
“Do you think the danger so pressing?”
“Of course I don’t know that an attempt will be made to-night, but it is quite possible. Should it be so, you would have an opportunity to realize that delays are dangerous.”
“Should Mr. Gibbon find, on opening the safe to-morrow morning, that the box is gone, it may lead to an attack upon my house.”
“I wish you to leave the box in the safe.”
“But I understand that you advised me to remove it.”
“Not the box, but the bonds. Listen to my plan. Cut out some newspaper slips of about the same bulk as the bonds, put them in place of the bonds in the box, and quietly transfer the bonds in your pocket to your own house. To-morrow you can place them in the bank. Should no burglary be attempted, let the box remain in the safe, just as if its contents were valuable.”
“Your advice is good, and I will adopt it,” said Jennings, “and thank you for your valuable and friendly instruction.”
“If agreeable to you I will accompany you to the office at once. The bonds cannot be removed too soon. Then if anyone sees us entering, it will be thought that you are showing me the factory. It will divert suspicion, even if we are seen by Stark or your bookkeeper.”
“May I go, too?” asked Carl, eagerly.
“Certainly,” said the manufacturer. “I know, Carl, that you are devoted12 to my interests. It is a comfort to know this, now that I have cause to suspect my bookkeeper.”
It was only a little after nine. The night was moderately dark, and Carl was intrusted with a wax candle, which he put in his pocket for use in the office. They reached the factory without attracting attention, and entered by the office door.
Mr. Jennings opened the safe—he and the bookkeeper alone knew the combination—and with some anxiety took out the tin box. It was possible that the contents had already been removed. But no! on opening it, the bonds were found intact. According to Mr. Thorndike’s advice, he transferred them to his pocket, and substituted folded paper. Then, replacing everything, the safe was once more locked, and the three left the office.
Mr. Thorndike returned to the hotel, and Mr. Jennings to his house, but Carl asked permission to remain out a while longer.
“It is on my mind that an attempt will be made to-night to rob the safe,” he said. “I want to watch near the factory to see if my suspicion is correct.”
“Very well, Carl, but don’t stay out too long!” said his employer.
“Suppose I see them entering the office, sir?”
“Don’t interrupt them! They will find themselves badly fooled. Notice only if Mr. Gibbon is of the party. I must know whether my bookkeeper is to be trusted.”

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 penitentiary buQyt     
n.感化院;监狱
参考例句:
  • He worked as a warden at the state penitentiary.他在这所州监狱任看守长。
  • While he was in the penitentiary her father died and the family broke up.他坐牢的时候,她的父亲死了,家庭就拆散了。
2 scent WThzs     
n.气味,香味,香水,线索,嗅觉;v.嗅,发觉
参考例句:
  • The air was filled with the scent of lilac.空气中弥漫着丁香花的芬芳。
  • The flowers give off a heady scent at night.这些花晚上散发出醉人的芳香。
3 apprised ff13d450e29280466023aa8fb339a9df     
v.告知,通知( apprise的过去式和过去分词 );评价
参考例句:
  • We were fully apprised of the situation. 我们完全获悉当时的情况。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • I have apprised him of your arrival. 我已经告诉他你要来。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
4 stark lGszd     
adj.荒凉的;严酷的;完全的;adv.完全地
参考例句:
  • The young man is faced with a stark choice.这位年轻人面临严峻的抉择。
  • He gave a stark denial to the rumor.他对谣言加以完全的否认。
5 condemn zpxzp     
vt.谴责,指责;宣判(罪犯),判刑
参考例句:
  • Some praise him,whereas others condemn him.有些人赞扬他,而有些人谴责他。
  • We mustn't condemn him on mere suppositions.我们不可全凭臆测来指责他。
6 intimacy z4Vxx     
n.熟悉,亲密,密切关系,亲昵的言行
参考例句:
  • His claims to an intimacy with the President are somewhat exaggerated.他声称自己与总统关系密切,这有点言过其实。
  • I wish there were a rule book for intimacy.我希望能有个关于亲密的规则。
7 kindly tpUzhQ     
adj.和蔼的,温和的,爽快的;adv.温和地,亲切地
参考例句:
  • Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。
  • A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。
8 inquiry nbgzF     
n.打听,询问,调查,查问
参考例句:
  • Many parents have been pressing for an inquiry into the problem.许多家长迫切要求调查这个问题。
  • The field of inquiry has narrowed down to five persons.调查的范围已经缩小到只剩5个人了。
9 demeanor JmXyk     
n.行为;风度
参考例句:
  • She is quiet in her demeanor.她举止文静。
  • The old soldier never lost his military demeanor.那个老军人从来没有失去军人风度。
10 conspiring 6ea0abd4b4aba2784a9aa29dd5b24fa0     
密谋( conspire的现在分词 ); 搞阴谋; (事件等)巧合; 共同导致
参考例句:
  • They were accused of conspiring against the king. 他们被指控阴谋反对国王。
  • John Brown and his associates were tried for conspiring to overthrow the slave states. 约翰·布朗和他的合伙者们由于密谋推翻实行奴隶制度的美国各州而被审讯。
11 promptly LRMxm     
adv.及时地,敏捷地
参考例句:
  • He paid the money back promptly.他立即还了钱。
  • She promptly seized the opportunity his absence gave her.她立即抓住了因他不在场给她创造的机会。
12 devoted xu9zka     
adj.忠诚的,忠实的,热心的,献身于...的
参考例句:
  • He devoted his life to the educational cause of the motherland.他为祖国的教育事业贡献了一生。
  • We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。


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