Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1906-10-10

from his cageT
1.-THE money Is all In the drawer. He
would have to open that first"
Have you looked behind the draw
err" she asked hopefully. Perhaps II
Just fell down behind"
81 had the drawer out" he explained,
land looked behind It."
"Who Is that In there2" she asked
suddenly as they passed the bank
building.
at must be Benson" he answered
carelessly. "He works late on the for
eign business. | don't know whether
he does 1t because he likes work or be.
cause he wants to make a good I'm
preston on your father. but he Is at II
all the time"
"Is the money all locked up?"
Benson wouldn't take 1t anyhow"
he declared, but the money Is locked
with time lock. Benson merely uses
the small safe with the books"
81 don't like Mr.. Benson" she said
decidedly. Father refuses to Inter
fere, but I know that Mr.. Benson has
tried to get him to send you away and
take him as u son-in-law."
"You don't suppose he would steal
my money, do your laughed Jack.
"I'd think anything" she said posi-
lively. you may laugh If you want
to- but somehow l feel that he wants
to get you ont of the way"
"Forewarned Is forearmed," he said.
laughing We'll fool him yet, or, rath-
er, you will don't think I'm clever
enough"
"I think I'm as clever as Mr.. Ben
son." she announced, land I'm going
to fool him, see If don't"
They turned into the concert hall,
forgot the threat
He did not even recall It q few days
later when Nettie came Into the bank
and. after a chat with her father, made
her way to Niblo's compartment. He
sprung the latch on the lattice door for
her and returned to counting the pile
of bills In front of him.
She leaned on the counter beside him.
and as he turned over the bills he
glanced at her.
Forty f1fties," he laughed. "Do you
make 1t the sameT Nettie nodded, and
he turned to the rest of the money. 81
lently she checked the other items on
the deposit slip, and as the boy turned
away from the window she picked up
one of the bills.
What Is that?" she demanded, point
ing to some glistening particles.
Nlblo laughed.
"Thats from the foundry" he ex-
planned. "Gregson has been buying
aome steel"
"How do you know?" she asked.
"Gregson is peculiar. He pays cash
for everything he gets. The foundry
sends him stuff for the houses he Is
building in the new section, and as the
last load is dumped he sends over to
pay for it. He will not use bank, but
pays In cash, and he never lets a bill
run overnight"
docs he buy much?" she asked as
she fingered a bill.
"They deposit cash about three times
a week."
~AlINl dlN dJo Will llllo llllIlS Oh
"It's steel filings" explained Niblo.
"They are everywhere over at the foun-
dry" He slipped the bills in the drawer
and stuck the slip on the spindle.
Jack" she said suddenly, "count the
money again"
81 just did," he said, in surprise, as
he opened the drawer. The other bills
had been banded, and 1t was an easy
matter to get only the foundry deposit.
He ran the bills over rapidly, then
turned to her with a puzzled express
sion.
what do you make it?' he asked.
"Thirty she declared as she
picked up the pile Of bills and laid
them back in the drawer Don't find
the other even If you can. Just wait.
AS soon as you are out of the bank
come over to George Castles"
All through the rest of the afternoon
he wondered as he went about his
work. There was trouble over the
shortage, and Niblo left the bank with
warning that the next mistake would