He sat at the table but five minutes, for he had little or no appetite.
From the breakfast room he went out on the piazza3, and with corrugated4 brows smoked a cigar, but it failed to have the usual soothing5 effect.
If he had known the truth he would have left Milford without delay, but he was far from suspecting that the deception6 practiced upon him had been arranged by the man whom he wanted to rob. While there seemed little inducement for him to stay in Milford, he was determined7 to seek the bookkeeper, and ascertain8 whether, as he suspected, his confederate had in his possession the bonds which he had been scheming for. If so, he would compel him by threats to disgorge the larger portion, and then leave town at once.
But the problem was, how to see him. He felt that it would be venturesome to go round to the factory, as by this time the loss might have been discovered. If only the box had been left, the discovery might be deferred9. Then a bright idea occurred to him. He must get the box out of his own possession, as its discovery would compromise him. Why could he not arrange to leave it somewhere on the premises10 of his confederate?
He resolved upon the instant to carry out the idea. He went up to his room, wrapped the tin box in a paper, and walked round to the house of the bookkeeper. The coast seemed to be clear, as he supposed it would be. He slipped into the yard, and swiftly entered an outhouse. There was a large wooden chest, or box, which had once been used to store grain. Stark lifted the cover, dropped the box inside, and then, with a feeling of relief, walked out of the yard. But he had been observed. Mrs. Gibbon chanced to be looking out of a side window and saw him. She recognized him as the stranger who had been in the habit of spending recent evenings with her husband.
“What can he want here at this time?” she asked herself.
“He will call at the door if he has anything to say,” she reflected.
Phil Stark walked on till he reached the factory. He felt that he must see Julius Gibbon, and satisfy himself as to the meaning of the mysterious substitution of waste paper for bonds.
When he reached a point where he could see into the office, he caught the eye of Leonard, who was sitting at the window. He beckoned12 for him to come out, and Leonard was glad to do so.
“Where are you going?” asked the bookkeeper, observing the boy’s movement.
“Mr. Stark is just across the street, and he beckoned for me.”
Julius Gibbon flushed painfully, and he trembled with nervous agitation13, for he feared something had happened.
“Very well, go out, but don’t stay long.”
Leonard crossed the street and walked up to Stark, who awaited him, looking grim and stern.
“Your uncle is inside?” he asked.
“Yes, sir.”
“Tell him I wish to see him at once—on business of importance.”
“He’s busy,” said Leonard. “‘He doesn’t leave the office in business hours.”
“Tell him I must see him—do you hear? He’ll come fast enough.”
“I wonder what it’s all about,” thought Leonard, whose curiosity was naturally excited.
“Wait a minute!” said Stark, as he turned to go. “Is Jennings in?”
“No, sir, he has gone over to the next town.”
“Probably the box has not been missed, then,” thought Stark. “So much the better! I can find out how matters stand, and then leave town.”
“Very well!” he said, aloud, “let your uncle understand that I must see him.”
Leonard carried in the message. Gibbon made no objection, but took his hat and went out, leaving Leonard in charge of the office.
“Well, what is it?” he asked, hurriedly, as he reached Stark. “Is—is the box all right?”
“Look here, Gibbon,” said Stark, harshly, “have you been playing any of your infernal tricks upon me?”
“I don’t know what you mean,” responded Gibbon, bewildered.
Stark eyed him sharply, but the bookkeeper was evidently sincere.
“Is there anything wrong?” continued the latter.
“Do you mean to tell me you didn’t know that wretched box was filled with waste paper?”
“You don’t mean it?” exclaimed Gibbon, in dismay.
“Yes, I do. I didn’t open it till this morning, and in place of government bonds, I found only folded slips of newspaper.”
By this time Gibbon was suspicious. Having no confidence in Stark, it occurred to him that it was a ruse14 to deprive him of his share of the bonds.
“I don’t believe you,” he said. “You want to keep all the bonds for yourself, and cheat me out of my share.”
“I wish to Heaven you were right. If there had been any bonds, I would have acted on the square. But somebody had removed them, and substituted paper. I suspected you.”
“I am ready to swear that this has happened without my knowledge,” said Gibbon, earnestly.
“How, then, could it have occurred?” asked Stark.
“I don’t know, upon my honor. Where is the box?”
“I—have disposed of it.”
“You should have waited and opened it before me.”
“I asked you if you had a key that would open it. I wanted to open it last evening in the office.”
“True.”
“You will see after a while that I was acting15 on the square. You can open it for yourself at your leisure.”
“How can I? I don’t know where it is.”
“Then I can enlighten you,” said Stark, maliciously16. “When you go home, you will find it in a chest in your woodshed.”
Gibbon turned pale.
“You don’t mean to say you have carried it to my house?” he exclaimed, in dismay.
“Yes, I do. I had no further use for it, and thought you had the best claim to it.”
“But, good heavens! if it is found there I shall be suspected.”
“Very probably,” answered Stark, coolly. “Take my advice and put it out of the way.”
“How could you be so inconsiderate?”
“Because I suspected you of playing me a trick.”
“I swear to you, I didn’t.”
“Then somebody has tricked both of us. Has Mr. Jennings discovered the disappearance17 of the box?”
“Yes, I told him.”
“When?”
“When he came to the office.”
“What did he say?”
“He took the matter coolly. He didn’t say much.”
“Where is he?”
“Gone to Winchester on business.”
“Look here! Do you think he suspects you?”
“I am quite sure not. That is why I told him about the robbery.”
“He might suspect me.”
“He said nothing about suspecting anybody.”
“Do you think he removed the bonds and substituted paper?”
“I don’t think so.”
“If this were the case we should both be in a serious plight18. I think I had better get out of town. You will have to lend me ten dollars.”
“I don’t see how I can, Stark.”
“You must!” said Stark, sternly, “or I will reveal the whole thing. Remember, the box is on your premises.”
“Heavens! what a quandary19 I am in,” said the bookkeeper, miserably20. “That must be attended to at once. Why couldn’t you put it anywhere else?”
“I told you that I wanted to be revenged upon you.”
“I wish I hadn’t myself, as things have turned out.”
They prepared to start for Gibbon’s house, when Mr. Jennings drove up. With him were two tall muscular men, whom Stark and Gibbon eyed uneasily. The two strangers jumped out of the carriage and advanced toward the two confederates.
“Arrest those men!” said Jennings, in a quiet tone. “I charge them with opening and robbing my safe last night about eleven o’clock.”
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1
stark
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| adj.荒凉的；严酷的；完全的；adv.完全地 | |
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2
savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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3
piazza
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| n.广场；走廊 | |
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4
corrugated
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| adj.波纹的；缩成皱纹的；波纹面的；波纹状的v.（使某物）起皱褶(corrugate的过去式和过去分词) | |
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5
soothing
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| adj.慰藉的；使人宽心的；镇静的 | |
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6
deception
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| n.欺骗，欺诈；骗局，诡计 | |
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7
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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8
ascertain
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| vt.发现，确定，查明，弄清 | |
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9
deferred
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| adj.延期的，缓召的v.拖延，延缓，推迟( defer的过去式和过去分词 )；服从某人的意愿，遵从 | |
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10
premises
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| n.建筑物，房屋 | |
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11
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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12
beckoned
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| v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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13
agitation
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| n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动 | |
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14
ruse
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| n.诡计，计策；诡计 | |
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15
acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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16
maliciously
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| adv.有敌意地 | |
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17
disappearance
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| n.消失，消散，失踪 | |
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18
plight
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| n.困境，境况，誓约，艰难；vt.宣誓，保证，约定 | |
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19
quandary
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| n.困惑，进迟两难之境 | |
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20
miserably
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| adv.痛苦地；悲惨地；糟糕地；极度地 | |
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21
groaned
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| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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