input: Make use of the article to answer the questions. CHAPTER VIII

THE HAND OF MISFORTUNE

Between the two men, seated opposite each other in the large but somewhat barely furnished office, the radical differences, both in appearance and mannerisms, perhaps, also, in disposition, had never been more strongly evident. They were partners in business and face to face with ruin. Stephen Laverick, senior member of the firm, although an air of steadfast gloom had settled upon his clean-cut, powerful countenance, retained even in despair something of that dogged composure, temperamental and wholly British, which had served him well along the road to fortune. Arthur Morrison, the man who sat on the other side of the table, a Jew to his finger-tips notwithstanding his altered name, sat like a broken thing, with tears in his terrified eyes, disordered hair, and parchment-pale face. Words had flown from his lips in a continual stream. He floundered in his misery, sobbed about it like a child. The hand of misfortune had stripped him naked, and one man, at least, saw him as he really was.

"I can't stand it, Laverick,--I couldn't face them all. It's too cruel--too horrible! Eighteen thousand pounds gone in one week, forty thousand in a month! Forty thousand pounds! Oh, my God!"

He writhed in agony. The man on the other side of the table said nothing.

"If we could only have held on a little longer! 'Unions' must turn! They will turn! Laverick, have you tried all your friends? Think! Have you tried them all? Twenty thousand pounds would see us through it. We should get our own money back--I am sure of it. There's Rendell, Laverick. He'd do anything for you. You're always shooting or playing cricket with him. Have you asked him, Laverick? He'd never miss the money." 1. What are the men discussing?
2. Do the men work together?
3. What room are they in?
4. Who is it suggested to ask for money?
5. What game does he play with Laverick?
6. Are either of the men crying?
7. Who?
8. Is the other man emotional?
9. Are they seated beside one another?
10. How long did it take to lose the money?
11. Did they feel that they could have prevented it?
12. What?
13. Do they believe that they will?
14. Do they need all of the money back to turn things around?
15. How much do they need?
16. Would that be a burden for Rendell to give them?
numbered_answers: 1. The loss of forty thousand pounds.
2. Yes.
3. An office.
4. Rendell
5. Cricket.
6. Yes.
7. Arthur Morrison
8. no.
9. No.
10. A month
11. Yes.
12. By the Unions turning.
13. One seems to believe the will.
14. No.
15. Twenty thousand pounds
16. No

input: Make use of the article to answer the questions. "I wish our bank would be robbed," said George Pickens, the bank clerk, to himself. "If one day a robber holds up me. And if I have to give him a certain amount of money. What is to prevent me keeping all the money left and claiming that the robber had taken it?" Just then a tall and strong man walked in, wearing a mask. "This is a holdup!" the man said. Roughly, taking a gun from his pocket and stepping over to George's cage. "All right, hand it over!"

"Yes, sir," said George. "Would you like it in ten-or twenty-dollar bills?"

"Just hand it over!" said the robber. George took all the bills from the top section close to six thousand dollars. He passed them through the window. The robber snatched them, stuffed them into his pocket, and turned to leave. Then, while everyone was watching the robber, George calmly lifted off the top section of the cashbox and slipped bills from the bottom section into his pockets. The door swung and the robber was gone. George fell down and fainted. When he came to he smiled up at the worried faces looking down at him. "I'm all right," he stated bravely.

"You might just as well go home, George." Mr. Bell, the chief accountant, said.

As soon as he was safely behind his bedroom door, George took the money from his pockets and counted it. Seven thousand dollars!

The next morning when George arrived at the bank, it was not open for business, but everyone was there, helping to check the bank's accounts. George was called into Mr. Burrows' office. The bank president seemed strangely cheerful. "George," he said, "I want you to meet Mr. Charles, who used to be president of our bank."

"Good morning, George," said the former president. "I was extremely sorry to hear you fainted yesterday. Are you all right now?"

"Yes, sir, just fine, thanks."

"I was sorry to give you a hard time yesterday, but with all the banks being robbed these days, I played my little game yesterday, just to keep everybody on his toes."

"I don't understand," said George. "What game?"

The old man laughed and quickly took out a mask. He placed it over his face and said, "All right. Hand it over!" Mr. Burrows laughed but George didn't.

"And the money?" George asked in a faint voice.

"Don't worry," Mr. Charles said. "I put it all back in your cashbox--- all six thousand. We're just finishing up the check-up now." Behind them, the door opened and Mr. Bell put his head into the room. "Mr. Burrows," he said gravely, "may I see you a moment?" 1. What was robbed?
2. Had anyone hoped that would happen?
3. Whom?
4. Was he a janotor?
5. What did he do?
6. Was he there for the robbery?
7. Did the robber engage him?
8. Did he have a knife?
9. What weapon did the thief have?
10. What did he want George to do?
11. Did George do as he was asked?
12. Did he do anything more?
13. Why was everyone concerned about him?
14. Who is Mr. Charles?
15. Where did he meet with George?
16. Was he very upset?
17. How did he feel?
18. What had he done to keep everyone prepared?
19. Was george found out?
20. Who opened the door and asked to see Mr. Burrows?
numbered_answers:
1. A bank.
2. Yes.
3. George Pickens
4. No.
5. He was a bank clerk.
6. Yes.
7. YEs.
8. No.
9. A gun.
10. Gave him money from the top section.
11. Yes
12. He took the money from the bottom section.
13. He fainted.
14. He use to be president of the bank.
15. Mr. Burrows' office
16. No.
17. extremely sorry
18. Pretended to rob the bank.
19. It seems he was but it was never stated explicitly.
20. Mr. Bell