"Where on earth can it be?" he asked himself, with a troubled face.

 

He set himself to consider when he had seen it last and where he had placed it.

 

"It must be in the desk somewhere," he decided², and resumed his search. Those of my readers who have mislaid any article can picture to themselves his increasing perplexity as the missing paper failed to turn up.

 

He was finally obliged to conclude that it was not in the desk. But, if so, where could it be? If not found, or if found by any one else, his situation would be an embarrassing[Pg 70] one. He had assured Mrs. Burton that the interest money had not been paid. Now suppose the receipt were found, what would be the inference? He could not help acknowledging that it would look bad for him. Until he learned something of its whereabouts he would not dare to press Mrs. Burton for a second payment of the interest money.

 

"It is as bad as losing a hundred and fifty dollars," he groaned³. "It is a pile of money to lose."

 

Aaron Wolverton did not appear to consider that it was losing what was not his property, and was only preventing him from pushing a fraudulent claim. He actually felt wronged by this inopportune loss. He felt somehow that he was the victim of misfortune.

 

But what could have become of the receipt? That was what troubled him. Was there anybody who was responsible for its disappearance⁴? Naturally it would be important for Mrs. Burton to get hold of it; but then, they did not know of its existence. They had no evidence that the receipt had even been delivered to Richard Burton. Still it was possible[Pg 71] that Bob Burton had visited the house, and searched the desk. He would inquire of his sister.

 

He opened the door leading to the kitchen, where Miss Sally Wolverton was engaged in some domestic employment.

 

"Sally, has the Burton boy been here this morning?"

 

"No; why should he come? He isn't one of your visitors, is he?"

 

"Was he here yesterday?"

 

"No; what makes you ask?"

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