Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1893-09-09
THE MISSING COAT.

hlhHl lAfhhA OVER MS arm
| was alone. Mr.. Winston having
gone 10 the house some half an hour
before, locking the safe, in which we
kept our books and papers, and taxi
ing the key with him as usual had
already closed the damper 70 tho
stove, put on my oyercoat and was
Just in the act Of turning down the
lamp-5ut. OF course. | waited.
Good evening. sir, said the man.
busiling up 10 the stove ard kicking
the damper open with his foot. HAS
Winston gone 10 the house"
answered that he had.
"Whcw! ] was afraid Of H.
He drew out his wateh--a very fine
one. ! thought
Il shall not have time to 90 up"
lie said. "The train Is que Ia ltteen
minutes.
is there anything can do?' ]
asked
II wanted 10 leave some money
with Winston. intended 10 stop in
town q day or two. but have just
got dispatch that calls me home :
What name. sirS"
Anderson. Of Andersonyille.
knew him then. though | had
seen him but once before. He had
been enc 81 our best West customers
say had been for the reason that
during the past year his payments
had not been so prompt In fact. he
was considerably behind and Winston
had that very day told mo 10 write 10
Z HIN aud punch him up liiiic" as
\ he Expressed Il. The letter was then
/ 81 tho breast pocket Of my oyercoaL
4 "luu cat leave the money with me,
sir. and ! viii give you a receipt I
+ lie seemed TO hesitate. which ncttled
me somewhat mover blamed any
body since. however.
"How much is my hill?" ho asked,
cycling inc sharply.
answered promptly, for had
struck tho balance not more than
half al hour before Eleven thou
sand seven hundred and fifty dollars
and twenty three cents.
"Humph, less than supposed
Write me out receipt for thai
amount lie left the stove an,
came and looked over my shouldej
whilo wrote.
1T Il all right, Mr. Putnam
know YOU now. You've been will
Winston q long time. can tell you
signature anywhere,
llu drew from an inside pocket I
large black wallet, very round anC
fall. and counting out eleven differ
ont piles oi bank notes he told me Z
count thom. IL was a short and easy
task. for each pile contained just 10
bllle The balance was in iiycs. ten
and twontics. and took more time I,
count them, but at last We got Il s.
that both were satisfied.
Al this moment we heard tn
whistle from the station Anderson
pprang for his travelling bag, an,
giving mo hasty hnndshake was OF
on a run. | closed the door am
counted the money again. Finding
ali right | wrapped piece Of ncws
paper around it and slipped it int
nv oycrcoat pocket | did not fec
quite easy 20 have SO much none
about mo, but as Winston's hous
was al least a mile distant ! cor
cludcd 10 keep II until morning, whe
could deposit IL in the bank
Iclosed the dainper again, drew o
my gloves, took the Office key fror
the nail just over tho door an
stepped up 70 put out tho light, a
did 80 saw bit OF paper on I'll
floor, which on picking up ! saw wa
tho receipt ! wrote Mr.. Anderson
IIo had dropped II in his hurry.
nut Il In my pocket and thought n
more about IL. only would mail il I
him. / would have done It then. by
ms tho last mail for that day ha
ronc out on the train which took Nj
Anderson, could do IL just as we
in the morning Then, too. was
something Of hurry that night, *
! had an appointment; and ] may Z
we'll state here that IL was youn
lady who hoped would be my wi
before many months
Carrie was at homo, of course, O
she was expecting me, and. leayin
nv hat and coat in the hall, / wei
into the parlor. ! do not think
repetition OF our conversation wou
: be very interesting, SO | will pass
I over, merely remarSing that nothir
. occurred TO disturb me until rot
I 90 take my leave.
D Carrie went into the hall for II
Y coat and hat. that | might put the
) ON by the warm fro, but she can
Z back with only my hat.
2 "Why, Fred, you certainly did n
! venture out such night as til
2 without an overeoatP"
: mo coat" ! exclaimed in n daz,
2 sort of way, for the thought of Il
= money flashed upon me so sudden
. that Il almost stunned me.