The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-09-08
Thousand Dollar Bill.

| But something else was in Bertha
mind, for she mutteINI TO herself az
the packets were taken away 10 the
machine 10 be further checked in the
office OF the Secretary and the Reg ster
There is just chance"
|
| An hour later Edmond racket sat al
his desk in the department of the Sec
| rotary 10 the Treasury, counting and
recountng a packet of one-thOusand
dollar bills. They were old and frayed,
! ragged and discolored, and belonged 10
tine issue OF long ago. They were only
half-notes. mOreover-the lower halves
and each fragment OF paper had two
big holes punched in a. by blunt IN
lures which had made IL money, and
at the same time reducing the half
notes TO the merest remnant.
One by one Edmond turned over these
morsels of dirty paper, counting them
most carefully.
Forty -one, forty-two. forty-three'
forty-four. fOrty-five, forty-siX, torty-
seven, forty-eight and forty-nlne!
There are not fifty here! And yet they
have been passed as hfty in redemp-
tion office. Humph. Awkward for one
of those clever ladies. A thousand-dol-
lar bill missing Poor Mrs. Lawson'
Infallible Mrs. Lawson! 1t must be she
who's i'm for this"
Taking up his pen to make out the
report. he glanced at the wrapper upon
which appeared the number OF bills X
was supposed 10 contain. and the ini-
tials OF the lady examiner who. in the
redemption department, had counted
and made herself responsible for the
packets accuracy. What" The pen
dropped from his fingers. "B. III. Great
heaven!" That was the signature Of
his own wife
Now this error would mean more
than discredit and a consequent check
TO Bertha's future promotion. II was
rule that the examiner who overlooked
a counterfeit or missing bill should
make good the value OF dt. To make
good $1,000 would pretty well ruin the
Hacketts. and old father Caleb in the
bargain. But ii was his duty TO make
his report instantly to the secretary.
and with painful reluctance he filled
up the prescribed but seldom requisi-
toned form. With slow, dragging steps
he proceeded with IL to the secretary's
private room, but halted with his hand
on tho door. Suddenly that frivolous
gossip on the veranda rushed into his
memory. Had Wilton Loring-had
Bertha herself stolen the missing bill?
What then? Should he turn conspira-
tor and cover the fraud? No. no: his
duty was clear. He would not allow
himself 10 hesitate, but knocked at the
door and entered.
But there was respite for him and for
his Wife. The treasurer himself was
closeted with the secretary.
"One moment, Mr. Hackettl | am
engaged" was the sharp. peremptory
dismissal. and he perforce withdrew
postponing the declaration AS he
turned stupefied TO his desk clock
struck the hour OF his luncheon inter-
val. IL was the custom of the family
to meet et home for their midday meal. |
He locked up the report. and rushed |
out OF the treasury Flying home on |
a cable car. he found his wife there be- |
fore him. Bertha sat at the table like |
one in a dream. She did not raise her
eyes from the food that stood untouch-
ed before her. Edmond himself could
not swallow a morsel. but furtively
watched his wife while the negress who
waited on them tarried in the room.
The moment they were alone he leaned
across the table, and whispered hoarse-
~:
You passed a packet today-a pack
st Of thousands"
The young wife looked up with n
start OF surprise. The fear that was
written i'm her troubled face gave way
1T came To you?"
"one bill is missing"
Fhank God YOU can pass it,"
NO word or denial. She Instantly as ,
tmed his power and his willingness 10
ave. She caught his recoiling hand :
cross the table :
For my sake-for your Bertha's sak. {
-you win. you willw I
Edmond Hackett raised his other {
and To his damn forehead. \
impossible. child'-imposSblei You {
lust he saved another wly--if II be NOT {
10 late. Find the missing bill among {
,me papers, as ~ an accident had
laced " there But whatever Won a
,. nut it forward instantly. instantiv'' s
~ cannot, Edmond, haven't tbe h
H." '"e c
You dfd not steal Il? Oh forgive n
81 Heaven he thanked for that Tt's
oversight then? Rad enough but
" bevond repair Make out vour ro.
rt at once. and send II I'm. You are :
novice me DELAY and irregularity
Nv he overlooked" " -
i cannot do that. Edmond II wouId
81 susric'on uoon the casbior Who Y
'"arded the billie 10 mo treasury
That Is his AFFAIR. II the packet was
ort when Won counted ~ Is
Edmond. whv viii YOU not ignore J;
ShnrtaEeF I'v p miracle n IL I'm =
lr mower 10 nrcvant tho discovery " y
W Is not IN my mower" d;
How not w your nowe~? The pack. q
VIII go from vnur hands 10 tho conn | &,
tee which does not ccunf ~ again, n
' hv II n will b. ,'anf.gited IN rho G.
cHrator 10 ho rround into puIp IN fe
ild nevc~ he known that fortv-nire on
cad Of nifty bills had been Destroy rs
al
Bertha. Won foreet the Other bais, an
'Ne onlv portion of the bills The fe
or se"t'on ~ vour nac'<et, went 20 sc
registers Office. 10 be counted
%" oY
'rtha Hackett grew white ne death, is
hot tears sprang I'm her eyes. vi
We arn riiined'' eho cried "unleqe IN
- Cs