Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1900-03-15
CHAPTER III.

Ialner StTOue INTO the mousse.
CHAPTER ii.
A few days after this conversation
Bertha Hackett sat In the Office Of the
Redemption Division assisting Mrs.
Lawson, the senior lady Of the depart
ment. to count a packet Of big bills"
Greenbacks of large denomination
were allotted to the senior lady in the
ordinary course, and the juniors would
take 1t in turn to work with her for
the sake of becoming accustomed to
every kind of note, and by such famili-
arity detecting any forgery that might
fall into their hands. Bertha was
serving her apprenticeship in this de-
partment, and that day she sat at Mrs.
Lawson's desk to learn all that this
good lady could teach her.
Now among the packets of old bills
sent in from all parts of America to
be cancelled and exchanged for new
currency, it was not unusual for the
Ranchers' National Bank of Phiiadel-
phfa, to contribute to its quota. Ber-
tha's bright grey eyes took a sidelong
glance at the heap Of parcels before
her companion, wondering whether
chance would so far realize their fan
cied combination as to bring into her
hands a consignment from her brother.
Wilton. Like pestilent tune that
keeps echoing in the brain, that family
talk of conspiracy to defraud Uncle
Sam could not be dismissed from her
thoughts. These slips of dirty paper
authorizing the payment to bearer OF
large sums Of money. what pity
they should all go to the macerating
machine to be ground into pulp! One
more or less would make no difference
to the wealthy nation, but would work
wonders for an underpaid official who
found it hard to make both ends meet.
She told herself 1t was horribly wicked
to think of incorporation. but she
could not control her thoughts and
they pictured for her persistently the
staff of the three departments reduced
to herself, her father, and her husband,
and figured out the fortune they might
accumulate by the aid of slick fingers.
While thus musing she was startled by
remark from Mrs. Lawson, as that
lady placed before her heap of thous-
and-dollar bills which she had been
critically examining with a magnifying
glass. That's big charge from the
Ranchers' Nationals hundred bills Of
thousand each. make them right:
but you go over them again one by one.
count them in two packets of fifty
each ,tand bind them with paper band
in the usual way for me to initial and
pass forward"
Mrs. Lawson proceeded with another
packet, SO absorbed in her work that
she did not notice how strangely young
Mrs. Hackett stared for a moment at
the task before her. With the heap
Of bills lay the paper band that had en-
closed them when they came from the
Bank at Philadelphia. 1t was endorsed
with the number and the denomina-
ton of the notes, and bore the sigma
ture. wilton Loring, Cashier" Mrs
Lawson vouched for them as correct.
and yet Bertha's fingers trembled as
she turned them over. She counted
half Of them backward. from 100 to
fifty. and made a packet of them, as
instructed, and the other half she
counted in the usual way. beginning
one, two. three. four. and so on. When
she came to the end of the count she
paused, and counted this second half
again backward. Then she slowly fast
ened band around the packet.
You're not very smart at present.
my GIRL" remarked the elder lady. OBJ
serving her sluggish action. Il have to
hunt for counterfeits; but should never
get through II I took so long as you
have done with that simple cheque.
But maybe you reckon to find I've
passed a wrong count" she added.
with little touch of irony. After
thirty-four years at this work, my
dear, the bills that have passed
through Rosina Lawson's hands can
be taken as right If she says So"
Mrs. Lawson was rather tetchy. and
had a good conceit Of herself. born OF
long infallibility. Bertha in silence
wrote her own initials on the wrappers
of the two packets, and this action
modified the senior lady, for by thus
taking responsibility for the correct
ness Of the packets, Mrs. Hackett
seemed to convey an impression OF
confidence in her. But something else
was in Bertha's mind, for she muttered
to herself as the packets were taken
away to thescutting machine to be fur
Their checked in the offices of the Sec
rotary of the Register. There is just
chance!" Ito be continued.)