CHAPTER XVII. SUSPICION FALLS UPON SCOTT.

As he reached the street, Loammi paused, for a thought came to him. It was a mean, despicable thought, worse than the theft. But it struck him favorably, and he decided¹ to act upon it.

He opened the front door—for he had a latchkey—and went upstairs again. But not to his mother's room. Instead, he went one floor higher, and opened the door of Scott's little chamber². Then he took the two bills from the pocketbook and thrust them into his vest pocket.

Next he looked about his cousin's chamber, and after some deliberation lifted the lid of a small box that stood on a shelf and dropped the pocketbook inside.

Then, with a look of satisfaction, he closed the door of the room and went into the hall. As he did so another door opened upon the landing, and Ellen, the servant, came out of her own room.

[Pg 143]

She looked with some surprise at Loammi, who did not very often show himself upon the third floor.

Loammi was somewhat disconcerted by this sudden encounter. He felt that it might prove awkward³ for him.

He must try to account in some way for his being there.

"Do you know if Scott is in the house?" he asked.

"I don't think so."

"I thought he might be in his room, and so came up. But he doesn't appear to be there."

"I think he went out after supper," said Ellen, accepting the explanation.

"Well, it doesn't matter. I shall see him to-morrow morning, at any rate."

Loammi went downstairs and out into the street once more.

"It is well I had my wits about me," he thought, complacently⁴. "That was a pretty good explanation. Ellen won't suspect anything. She will think it is all right."

Loammi walked briskly⁵. He was in good spirits, for it made him feel comfortable to think he had six dollars in his pocket. He could not remember[Pg 144] the time when he had so much money in his pocket at once.

"An ice cream would taste good," he thought.

Like many young people, Loammi had a weakness for ice cream.

He walked over to Sixth Avenue, and entered a small ice cream saloon. Just at the door he met Paul Granger. He was already entering the saloon, when he caught sight of Paul.

Had he seen him sooner he would perhaps have walked on, and put off the ice cream. As it was, he made the best of the situation.

"How are you, Paul?" he said, cordially⁶. "Come in and have an ice cream."

"I thought you didn't have any money?" replied Paul, surprised.

"Oh, well, my ship has come in," said Loammi, lightly.

"Then I hope you will be able to pay me the dollar you owe me."

"I will. Now let us sit down and enjoy the ice cream."

They sat down at a small table, and the ice cream was brought, with a plate of cake besides.

Paul Granger began to think Loammi was a nice fellow, after all—especially when he received[Pg 145] back the dollar a little later on. In paying for the ice cream, Loammi got the five-dollar bill changed.

"Whew! I should think your ship had come in," exclaimed Paul. "You'll be in funds now."

"Yes, for a little while."

As the two boys left the ice-cream saloon they came upon Scott, who was just passing. This annoyed Loammi, who didn't care to have his cousin know that he had been spending money.

"Good-evening, Loammi," said Scott, politely.

"Who is that boy, Loammi?" asked Paul, when Scott had gone on.

"A cousin of mine. He is poor, and pa gave him a place in the store."

"He seems like a nice fellow. Why didn't you introduce me?"

"He isn't in our set," said Loammi. "I didn't think you'd care to know him."

"Oh, I am not so snobbish⁷ as that. Besides, he is a cousin of yours."

"That is true. I suppose we all have poor relations."

"Yes; the boy I like best is a poor relation of mine—a cousin."

The two boys walked as far as Bryant Park and sat down on a bench. They talked about such[Pg 146] subjects as interest schoolboys, till Paul, looking at his watch, said: "It is time for me to go home; mother has a bad headache, and I promised I wouldn't stay out late."

Meanwhile, Mrs. Little had a call from her seamstress, who brought home some work upon which she had been engaged.

"What is the charge?" asked Mrs. Little.

"Two dollars."

Mrs. Little felt in her pocket for her money, and didn't find it. She looked puzzled at first, then her brow cleared up.

"I remember, I laid my pocketbook on the bureau in my room," she reflected.

"Wait here a moment," she said. "I will bring you the money."

But when she reached her chamber she looked in vain for the pocketbook.

"That is strange," she soliloquized. "I distinctly⁸ remember laying it down on the bureau."

She summoned⁹ the servant.

"Ellen," she said, "have you by chance been into my chamber within an hour or two?"

"No, ma'am. Is anything the matter?"

"My pocketbook is missing. I laid it down on the bureau and forgot to take it up again."

[Pg 147]

"I am very sorry, ma'am; was there much money in it?"

"Two bills, a five and a one."

"That is too much to lose."

"It is a little awkward. Miss Green, my seamstress, is here, and I want to pay her two dollars. Do you happen to have any money with you?"

"Yes, ma'am; I can let you have the two dollars."

"Thank you. I will give it back to you when Mr. Little comes in."

"Who can have taken the money?" thought Mrs. Little. "It can't be Ellen, for she is an old and trusted servant, and there doesn't seem to be anyone else. It is certainly mysterious."

Mrs. Little did not so much care for the money; it was the mystery that perplexed¹⁰ her. She was sure she had placed the pocketbook on the bureau, and it could not have got away without hands.

A few minutes later Scott entered the house.

"Have you been at home this evening, Scott?" asked Mrs. Little.

"No; I went out directly after supper."

"And Loammi also?"

"Yes; we went out together."

"Did you remain with him?"

[Pg 148]

"No; we soon separated. Did you want him?"

"Oh, well, never mind. I suppose he hasn't come in yet."

"I will go to his room and see."

"If you please."

Scott reported that his cousin was not in.

"Really," thought Mrs. Little, "if the amount were larger, I might think it necessary to call in a detective."

Possibly the pocketbook had fallen on the carpet. She instituted a search, but it proved unsuccessful.

Fifteen minutes later Loammi came in.

"I wonder whether the loss has been discovered?" he said to himself. "I'll find ma, and then I shall learn."

"Good-evening, ma," he said.

"Where have you been, Loammi?"

"Oh, walking round with Paul Granger. Has Scott got home?"

"Yes."

"I am rather tired. I guess I'll go up to my room."

"Stop a minute, Loammi. Perhaps you can help me solve a mystery."

"Now it is coming!" thought Loammi.

[Pg 149]

"What is it, ma?" he inquired, carelessly.

"I have met with a loss."

"What have you lost—your watch?"

"No, my pocketbook."

"You don't say so!" ejaculated Loammi, in innocent surprise. "I hope there wasn't much money in it."

"There were six dollars—a one and a five."

"Is that so? I wonder——" and then he stopped short.

"What is it you wonder?" asked his mother, quickly.

"Oh, I'd rather not tell."

"But I insist upon your telling, if it will throw any light on my loss."

"Well, it may not mean anything, but I know Scott has a five-dollar bill. I saw it to-night. But, of course, there are plenty of five-dollar bills."

1 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

2 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

3 awkward   

adj.笨拙的，尴尬的，使用不便的，难处理的

参考例句：

• John is so shy and awkward that everyone notices him.约翰如此害羞狼狈，以至于大家都注意到了他。
• I was the only man among the guests and felt rather awkward.作为客人中的唯一男性，我有些窘迫。

4 complacently   

adv. 满足地, 自满地, 沾沾自喜地

参考例句：

• He complacently lived out his life as a village school teacher. 他满足于一个乡村教师的生活。
• "That was just something for evening wear," returned his wife complacently. “那套衣服是晚装，"他妻子心安理得地说道。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

5 briskly   

轻快的；敏捷的

参考例句：

• The boy walked briskly along. 那男孩轻快地往前走。
• The book is selling briskly. 书销售得很快。

6 cordially   

adv.亲切地

参考例句：

• You are cordially invited to a celebration for Mr Michael Brown on his retirement. 热诚邀请您参加为迈克尔?布朗先生退休举行的庆祝会。
• She greeted the visitor cordially,inviting her to stay for breakfast. 她亲切地招呼着客人，请她留下来吃早饭。

7 snobbish   

adj.势利的，谄上欺下的

参考例句：

• She's much too snobbish to stay at that plain hotel.她很势利，不愿住在那个普通旅馆。
• I'd expected her to be snobbish but she was warm and friendly.我原以为她会非常势利，但她却非常热情和友好。

8 distinctly   

ad.清楚地；显然

参考例句：

• We were distinctly underwhelmed by the director's speech. 主任的讲话显然令我们感觉索然无味。
• He was beginning to feel distinctly uneasy about their visit. 他对他们的造访明显地感到不安起来。

9 summoned   

传唤( summon的过去式和过去分词 )； 召唤； 传讯（出庭）； 鼓起（勇气）

参考例句：

• He was summoned to appear before the magistrates. 他被传唤在地方法院出庭。
• The students were summoned in turn to be interviewed. 学生依次被召入进行口试。

10 perplexed   

adj.不知所措的

参考例句：

• The farmer felt the cow,went away,returned,sorely perplexed,always afraid of being cheated.那农民摸摸那头牛，走了又回来，犹豫不决，总怕上当受骗。
• The child was perplexed by the intricate plot of the story.这孩子被那头绪纷繁的故事弄得迷惑不解。