Chapter 19 An Unwelcome Visitor

 Luke Harrison had picked up Harry¹'s pocketbook, and, though knowing it to be his, concealed² the discovery upon the impulse of the moment.

 

"What I find is mine," he said to himself. "Of course it is. Harry Walton deserves to lose his money."

 

It will be seen that he had already decided³ to keep the money. It looked so tempting⁴ to him, as his eyes rested on the thick roll of bills--for, though insignificant⁵ in amount, the bills were ones and twos, and twenty in number--that he could not make up his mind to return it.

 

Luke was fond of new clothes. He wanted to reestablish his credit with Merrill, for he was in want of a new coat and knew that it would be useless to order one unless he had some money to pay on account. He decided to use a part of Harry's money for this purpose. It would be better, however, he thought, to wait a day or two, as the news of the loss would undoubtedly⁶ spread abroad, and his order might excite suspicion, particularly as he had been in Harry's company at the time the money disappeared. He therefore put the pocketbook into his trunk, and carefully locked it. Then he went to bed.

 

Meanwhile, Harry reached Mr. Leavitt's unconscious of the serious misfortune which had befallen him. He went into the sitting room and talked a while with Mr. Leavitt, and at ten o'clock took his lamp and went up to bed. While he was undressing he felt in his pocket for his money, intending to lock it up in his trunk as usual. His dismay may be conceived when he could not find it.

 

Poor Harry sank into a chair with that sudden sinking of the heart which unlooked-for misfortune brings and tried to think where he could have left the pocketbook.

 

That evening he found himself under the necessity of buying a necktie at the store, and so had taken it from his trunk. Could he have left it on the counter? No; he distinctly remembered replacing it in his pocket. He felt the need of consulting with somebody, and with his lamp in his hand went downstairs again.

 

"You haven't concluded to sit up all night, have you?" asked Mr. Leavitt, surprised at his reappearance.

 

"Are you sick, Harry?" asked Mrs. Leavitt. "You're looking dreadfully pale."

 

"I've lost my pocketbook," said Harry. .

 

"How much was there in it?" asked his employer.

 

"Thirty-three dollars," answered Harry.

 

"Whew! that's a good deal of money to lose. I shouldn't want to lose so much myself. When did you have it last?"

 

Harry told his story, Mr. Leavitt listening attentively⁷

 

"And you came right home?"

 

"Yes."

 

"Alone."

 

"No; Luke Harrison came with me."

 

"Are you two thick together?"

 

"Not at all. He doesn't like me, and I don't fancy him."

 

"What was he talking about?"

 

"He wanted me to join a sleighing party."

 

"What did you say?"

 

"I said I couldn't afford it. Then he charged me with being a miser⁸, as he often does."

 

"Did he come all the way home with you?"

 

"No; he left me at Deacon Brewster's. He said he must go back to the store."

 

"There is something queer about this," said Mr. Leavitt, shrewdly. "Do you want my advice?"

 

"Yes; I wish you would advise me, for I don't know what to do."

 

"Then go to the store at once. Ask, but without attracting any attention, if Luke came back there after leaving you. Then ask Mr. Meade, the storekeeper, whether he noticed you put back your pocketbook."

 

"But I know I did."

 

"Then it will be well to say nothing about it, at least publicly. If you find that Luke's excuse was false, and that he did not go back, go at once to his boarding place, and ask him whether he saw you drop the pocketbook. You might have dropped it and he picked it up."

 

"Suppose he says no?"

 

"Then we must watch whether he seems flush of money for the next few days."

 

This seemed to Harry good advice. He retraced⁹ his steps to the store, carefully looking for the lost pocketbook. But of course, it was not to be seen and he entered the store troubled and out of spirits.

 

"I thought you went home, Harry," said Frank Heath.

 

"You see I am here again," said our hero.

 

"Time to shut up shop," said Mr. Meade, the storekeeper. "You boys will have to adjourn¹⁰ till to-morrow."

 

"Where's Luke Harrison?" asked Frank Heath.

 

"Didn't he go out with you?"

 

"Yes; but he left me some time ago. He came back here, didn't he?"

 

"No; he hasn't been here since."

 

"He spoke¹¹ of coming," said Harry. "He wanted me to join that sleighing party."

 

"Good night, boys," said the storekeeper, significantly.

 

They took the hint and went out. Their way lay in different directions, and they parted company.

 

"Now I must call on Luke," said Harry to himself.

 

"I hope he found the pocketbook. He wouldn't be wicked enough to keep it."

 

But he was not quite so sure of this as he would like to have been. He felt almost sick as he thought of the possibility that he might never recover the money which he had saved so gladly, though with such painful economy. It represented the entire cash earnings¹² of eleven weeks.

 

Luke Harrison boarded with a Mr. Glenham, a carpenter, and it was at his door that Harry knocked.

 

"Is Luke Harrison at home?" he inquired of Mrs. Glenham, who opened the door.

 

"At home and abed, I reckon," she replied.

 

"I know it's late, Mrs. Glenham, but it is about a matter of importance that I wish to see Luke."

 

"I reckon it's about the sleighing party."

 

"No, it is quite another thing. I won't stay but minute."

 

"Well, I suppose you can go up."

 

Harry went upstairs and knocked. Ordinarily, Luke would have been asleep, for generally he sank to sleep five minutes after his head touched the pillow; but to-night the excitement of his dishonest intention kept him awake, and he started uneasily when he heard the knock.

 

"Who's there?" he called out from the bed.

 

"It's I--Harry Walton."

 

"He's come about that pocketbook," thought Luke.

 

"I'm in bed," he answered.

 

"I want to see you a minute, on a matter of importance."

 

"Come to-morrow morning."

 

"I must see you now."

 

"Oh, well, come in, if you must," said Luke.

1 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

2 concealed   

a.隐藏的，隐蔽的

参考例句：

• The paintings were concealed beneath a thick layer of plaster. 那些画被隐藏在厚厚的灰泥层下面。
• I think he had a gun concealed about his person. 我认为他当时身上藏有一支枪。

3 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。

4 tempting   

a.诱人的, 吸引人的

参考例句：

• It is tempting to idealize the past. 人都爱把过去的日子说得那么美好。
• It was a tempting offer. 这是个诱人的提议。

5 insignificant   

adj.无关紧要的，可忽略的，无意义的

参考例句：

• In winter the effect was found to be insignificant.在冬季，这种作用是不明显的。
• This problem was insignificant compared to others she faced.这一问题与她面临的其他问题比较起来算不得什么。

6 undoubtedly   

adv.确实地，无疑地

参考例句：

• It is undoubtedly she who has said that.这话明明是她说的。
• He is undoubtedly the pride of China.毫无疑问他是中国的骄傲。

7 attentively   

adv.聚精会神地；周到地；谛；凝神

参考例句：

• She listened attentively while I poured out my problems. 我倾吐心中的烦恼时，她一直在注意听。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She listened attentively and set down every word he said. 她专心听着，把他说的话一字不漏地记下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 miser   

n.守财奴，吝啬鬼 (adj.miserly)

参考例句：

• The miser doesn't like to part with his money.守财奴舍不得花他的钱。
• The demon of greed ruined the miser's happiness.贪得无厌的恶习毁掉了那个守财奴的幸福。

9 retraced   

v.折回( retrace的过去式和过去分词 )；回忆；回顾；追溯

参考例句：

• We retraced our steps to where we started. 我们折回我们出发的地方。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• We retraced our route in an attempt to get back on the right path. 我们折返，想回到正确的路上。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 adjourn   

v.（使）休会，（使）休庭

参考例句：

• The motion to adjourn was carried.休会的提议通过了。
• I am afraid the court may not adjourn until three or even later.我担心法庭要到3点或更晚时才会休庭。

11 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

12 earnings   

n.工资收人；利润，利益，所得

参考例句：

• That old man lives on the earnings of his daughter.那个老人靠他女儿的收入维持生活。
• Last year there was a 20% decrease in his earnings.去年他的收入减少了20%。