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

corn-cob pipe; Bertha, his daughter,
swinging In a low hammock, and her
husband, Edmund Hackett. who was
perched upon the wooden balustrade.
Wilton Loring was there, too, lounging
In canvas chair and smoking DO
nestle" cigar. The verandah ran
round three sides of a modest frame
house, all painted white, with the ex-
ception of its bright green shutters.
Edmond and Bertha, recently married,
lived here in the outskirts OF WASH
ington with the head of the family.
Wilton had run down from Philadel-
phia, where he was cashier OF the
Raneher's National Bank. They were
all grumbling over their meagre In
comes.
Uncle SAM" remarked Edmond
IIackett, a quiet steady going sort or
fellow, well advanced toward middle
life, "Uncle Sam is not generous to us
boys and girls of the Civil service. We
handle between nigh upon million
dollars every working day, and give
our lives to the mill horse business for
bare subsistence"
"Since I've been cashier OF the
Ranchers' National" said Wilton To-
ring. i've had enough money pass
through my hands to make me crazy
with thirst for 1t. It's like being
Don't like to hear you talk like
that, wilt, my son." remarked Old Ca
leb, with quick shake of his head, as
IL mosquito had settled on HIM.
Thoughts OF that kind sometimes ma
terialize into deeds you'd be sorry for"
"Humph! I'm not so sure shant
one day try to pinch something pur-
sued Wilton, with wink at his sister.
But big steals are the sort to succeed
nowadays. To make II corner In some
thing or other; to float sailed mine.
or bogus building society. That's
the game"
Tut, TUT" protested the elder Lo-
ring, with fierce expectoration; but
Bertha mischieyously took UP her
brothers humor.
There's a fine chance now I've got
into the counting division at the Urea
sury," said she. Say now, why not
make up family combination? You,
Wilton. are cashier at the 'Ranchers,'
and you're constantly having old bills
to send into the Treasury for redemp-
ton. You pinch as you call 1t. a
thousand-dollar greenback, and for
ward the packet TO the Treasury en-
dorsed as containing one more bill
than II actually does. That packet
comes to me to be counted and ex-
amined. l just pass II as containing
the number of greenbacks specified.
On II goes to Edmond, my husband,
whose duty 1t chances to be to check
my count. Smart Edmond finds one
bill short: but seeing his Bertha's ini-
tials on the wrapper, he just winks n
little, and the packet, with, say ninety
nine bills instead Of one hundred bills
against the new ones to that value
which he sends back In exchange to
the Rancher's Bank through the Diyis-
ion of Issue. See?"
"IIa, ha, hal" laughed Edmond
Hackett, disposed to enter into any
Joke conceived by his adored little
wife. How we could bleed Uncle Sam
and help ourselves to the salaries he
ought to pay u.s."
Have done! Have done!" burst out
the old man. IF | believed my son
and my daughter and my daughters
husband were capable OF such roguery
I'd fetch out my gun and I'LL you full
Of holes. every one!"
He meant It. His usually placid fea-
lures were distorted and purple with
indignation, and the stem OF the pipe
he held snapped in the angry grip or
his fingers. Wilton flung himself back
In fit OF hearty laughter. but Bertha,
perceived that the joke had gone too
far.
Father! dear father!" she exclalm-
ed soothingly. You know us all bet
tern that. sure. We were just poking
fun; weren't we, Edmond? Besides,
such combination as l figured out
couldn't be anyway"
Quite impossible!" avcrred Wilton.
getting over his mirth.
well. reckon it's improbable in
the last degree" said Edmond Hackett.
| 80, as opportunity makes the thief,
and we shall have no opportunity"
added young Loring, 1.-THE whole three
of us'll have to be honest, will we, or
won't we."
"You know. father" urged Bertha,
to calm the old man, who muttered and
protested still, and seemed to have
taken fright at the very thought or q
breach of trust, there are nine ladies
In the Counting Division besides my
self, and Wnton's imaginary short
packet might go to any one of them
instead of to me-"
and IL Bertha did get 1t and pass
It," remarked Hackett, to clinch the
argument, there are plenty of fellows
In the Secretary's Office who check the
counts beside me, and one OF them
would spot her oversight Even II the
short packet came to me, II would be
useless for me to wink, for / should
have one-half the bills. They are cut
longitudinally," he added for Wilton's
information, turning to his brother
in-law; zone half--the lower section
comes to the Secretary, and the upper
goes to the Office of the Register, TO
be checked there"
| I'VE should need another confeder-
ate in the Registers" put in Bertha.
THE steal would be caught to GER
tainty in the Registers Office"
! "Unless-by Caesar! we've the whole
bag of tricks. The combination you
figured out is not only possible. 1t is
here In our hands. Dad is the Senior
Counter in the Register Division. The
big bills go to him. This is marvellous.
II fortune is disposed to do us good
turn, here's the method all ready, cut
and dried. / Mobile thousand-dollar