The Monitor-register., 1897-08-13

as leave let you use all the money as to
let it stay in the bank. When do you
want 1t ?'
"Any time it is convenient for you.
will pay you a higher rate of interest
than the bank pays, and the larger my
stock is the better shall prosper"
"Then you shall have the entire sum
Tomorrow" answered Miss Becky, and
Sydney, amazed and delighted at his
good fortune, thanked her again and
again.
The following day Miss Becky went to
the bank and drew out five thousand
dollars. Placing the money 10 her
satchel she bent her steps homeward.
81 will just drop in and tell Rachel
about my new invest mel t." she said, as
she turned down the familiar and uDfash
ionable street in which her friend lived
and soon the two were chatting together
in the sitting room where they had spent
many pleasant hour.
Presently Miss Becky said:
II have been to the bank this afternoon
to draw out my money for John to use in
business. lie needs it, and I'd rather he
would have the use of it, so long as he
pays the interest, than to leave it in the
bank
Becky NARROW, be you crazy ?' said
Ranhal sta rino O har f.;onI e., oskoo;,h
ment. "Do you suppose you will ever
see that money again if you allow John
Sydney to have it? Why, he's liable to
fail any day believe you have taken
leave of your senses ~
"Oh. no, Rachel. not quite as bad as
that ! shall have more money, and l
intend to give good part Of all own to
Catherine and John, for I really do be-
lieve they are fond of NO."
"Why don't you wait until you get
your brothers. legacy before you throw
away what you have ?" asked Miss
Rachel.
"Well, John needs the money, Rachel,
and l don't like to disappoint him. He
works awful hard to give Catherine every
thing she wants. At any rate l have
promised he shall have it, and you know
l never break my word"
"Very we'll, Becky; if you are deter
mined to have your own way, it's no use
to try to persuade you to the contrary.
You allus was as set as an old hen," said
Miss Rachel, GROSSLY.
Miss Becky laughed.
mo, Rachel, it's no use to try to make
me change my mind when it's made up"
where is your money l shouldn't
think it would all GO in your pocket"
''I've got it in my bag. Lands sake,
where is my bag ?" Didn't bring it in
with me?"
"You hadn't anything in your hand
when you entered this ROOM"
'Then I've lost it I've lost it p
cried Miss Becky, wildly. "No, amt
l remember noH-I put it down wheD l
rang your bell, and it must be in the
porch. Go and look, won't you, Rachel ?
Pm as weak as a rag"
She sank back in her chair, and Miss
Rachel left the room, returning In few
moments with th g satchel.
''Here it is, Becky, safe and sound.
How you could be so careless passes
me ~
81 guess Pm g,tting DID," said poor
Miss Becky, with shaking lips. "I'n GO
now, Rachel. John will be waiting"
"Not till you've had a cup of tea.
You look as if you couldn't stand, let
alone walking. I'll have it ready in a
jiffy."
Miss Becky could not resist the temp
tatiou, and once more the maidens of
seventy sat down together and INDUCED
in mild foIm of gossip over their steam.
ing cups. And when Miss Becky rose at
last, and declared she really must 90, she
felt as If she could walk twice the dis
tance to her niece's house without feeling
in the least fatigued.
She found John awaiting her in the
library.
81 have it, John l drew out every
cent. You may as well use it as the
bank folks, she said, as Catherine en-
tered the room and proceeded to unite
her aunt's bonnet strings. "Here it is,
in my bag. There's five Thousand dol
lars in all, and hope it will help you"
John grasped the satchel eagerly and
opened it.
why, aunt, there is nothing in here
but scrap of paper ~ he exclaimed.
"Wbat Nothing there !" exclaimed
Miss Becky, coming forward.to look into
the empty bag. "What on earth does il
mean? put the money in it before |
left the bank. am sure of it'll And !
haven't lost sight of that-oh, l wonder
if any one took it while it was on the
porch ?"
She was so overcome by the thought
that it was some little time before she
could tell her story. When she did,
John groaLed in despair.
'How long was the satohel there ?" he
asked.
''Not more'n fifteen miDutes, John"
Fifteen minutes Then the money is
gone forever. 1t was probably taken by
thieves who followed you from the bank.
They are far enough away by this time.
We can advertise, but it will do no
good"
mo, suppose not. Oh. how could l
have been SO forgetful '' walled Aunt
Becky.
Trouble never comes singly. Catherine
and her husband were destined to m eet
with another disappointment. The fol-
lowing morning Miss Becky received a
call from her late brothers. lawyer, who
informed her that later will bad been
discovered, in which his client had given
all his property to an adopted son.
If Miss Becky had not been greatly
disappointed she must have been more
Gnan human; out she gave no outward
sign of her shattered hopes except that
her kindly old face grew white and
drawn, and from the depths of his heart
the lawyer pitied her as she said:
"'Tis the Lords will, so l must bear
it; but l did hope to have something to
leave to the children"
The day of Miss Becky's awakening
had come. The fact that she had intend
ed to give the greater part of her money
to Catherine made no impression on that
selfish woman. She was not willing to
accept the will for the deed, and Miss
Becky soon learned that her presence was
M lonnor dasirod In tho hnnaa ,u uhora o