The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1903-11-27
CHAPTERsI.

CHAPTER I. VI 3 $sa
They were out on tho yerandah IN
The cool ot the evening. old Caleb Lor-s
ing. In rocking chair, smok king his
corn-cob pipe; Bertha. his daugh liter,
swinging In . low hammock, and her
husband, Edmund Racket. who was
aperched upon the wooden. balustrade.
Wilton Ioring was thers, too. lounging
In 8 canvas chair ana smoking q .'do-.
nestle cigar. The verandah ran,
round three sides OF 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
Rancher's National Bank. They were
all grumbling over their meagre In
comes u! .
Uncle SAM remarked Edmond
Hackett, q quiet, steady going sort or
fellow, we'll 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
q bare subsistence"
Since I've been cashier of the
Ranchers' National said Wilton Lo-
ring, Eve had enough money pass
through my hands to make me crazy
with thirst for it. It's like being
Don't like to hear you talk like
that, Wilt, my son." remarked Old Ca
leb, with q. quick shake Of his head, as
II mosquito had settled on him.
Thoughts Of that kind sometimes ma
terialize into deeds you'd besorry for y
"Humph! I'm not SO sure shan't
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 corner in some
thing or, other; to float a sailed mine,
or q bogus building society. That's
the game
tut, TUT" protested the elder To-
ring, with fierce expectoration; but
Bertha mischievously, took UP her
brothers humor.
There's a fine chance now I've got
into the counting division at the Trea-
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,
thousand-dollar greenback, and for
ward the packet to the Treasury en-
dorsed as containing one more bill
than it actually does. That packet
comes to me to be counted and ex-
amined. I just pass it as containing
the number of greenbacks specified.
On it goes to Edmond, my husband,
whose duty it chances to be to check
my count. Smart Edmond finds one
bill short; but seeing his Bertha's mi
tials on the wrapper, he just winks a
little, and the packet, with, say ninety
nine bills instead of one hundred bills
which hes Sends Back IL exchange e
the Rancher's Bank through the Divls-
ion OF Issue. See?"
"Ha, ha, hat" 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 ne
ought to pay u.s.
Have done! Have done!" burst out
the old man. If i believed my son
and my daughter and my daughters
husband were capable of such roguery
I'd fetch out my gun and fill 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 OF
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!" averred Wilton,
getting over his mirth.
Well, l reckon it's improbable in
the last degree" said Edmond Hackett.
So, 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, ,,r.ed Rertha.