The Tin Box, and What it Contained

"You'd better not come around till to-morrow morning. It may help avertsuspicion."

"Just as you say."

"A pretty good haul!" said Congreve to himself. "I didn't think thelittle fool would have spunk enough to do it, but he has. I may pay himthat fifty dollars, and then again I may not. I don't think I shall careto come back again to this dull hole to-night. I shall have to leave mytrunk, but it isn't worth the sum I owe the landlord, and he is welcometo it. With the price of these bonds I can start anew cheaper."

Philip left his friend, without the least suspicion that he intended toplay him false. He felt very comfortable. He had got the bonds out ofhis possession, so that there was no danger of their being found on him, and he was to receive, the next morning, fifty dollars, a larger sumthan he had ever possessed at one time in his life. He made up his mindthat he would put it away in his trunk, and use it from time to time ashe had occasion for it.

He went to the grocery store, and left his mother's order. Then he tookan aimless walk, for Congreve was away, and there was no one else hecared to be with.

So he turned to go home. He rather dreaded to enter the house, lest hisfather might have discovered his loss. In the yard he saw Tom Calder. Tom, remembering what he had seen the evening before, looked at Philipwith a significant grin, but said nothing.

"What are you grinning at?" demanded Philip,

"Nothing. I feel gay and festive, that is all," responded the stableboy.

"Where's my father?"

"He went out to ride in the buggy."

Philip felt relieved. Evidently the loss had not been discovered yet. Hewas glad to have it put off.

"Is there any news?" asked Tom, with another grin.

"News? Why should there be any?"

"I don't know. I thought you might know of some."

"You talk like a fool," said Philip, angrily, and went into the house.

"There'll be some news soon, I reckon," said Tom to himself, with agrin. "I won't say nothing till the time comes. Wonder if Philip'llthink I am talking like a fool then?"

CHAPTER XXXV

THROWING SUSPICION ON HARRY

During the day Colonel Ross had no occasion to look into his trunk ofsecurities. Clearly, he had no suspicion that he had met with a loss.

It might strike the reader as curious that Philip began to be impatientto have his father make the discovery. An impending blow always leads toa state of suspense which is by no means agreeable. When the blow falls, a certain relief is felt. So Philip knew that the discovery would bemade sooner or later, and he wanted to have the matter settled, andclear himself at once from suspicion by diverting it to Harry Gilbert.

In the hope that his father would find out his loss, he lingered roundthe house through the afternoon, filling up the time as well as hecould. Usually, he would have passed at least a part of the time withJames Congreve, but the latter had gone to the city.

"Don't you feel well, Philip?" asked his mother.

"Certainly! What makes you ask?"

"You don't generally stay at home all the afternoon."

"Oh, well, there isn't anything going on in the village."

"Where is that friend of yours who is staying at the hotel?"

"He went away this morning to the city."

"Isn't he coming back?"

"Oh, yes, I suppose so."

"I suppose you feel lonely without him?"

"Yes, mother."

"Have you seen anything of Uncle Obed lately?" asked Mrs. Ross, making awry face as she pronounced the word admitting the relationship.

"Yes; I saw him walking with the Gilbert boy the other evening."

"Did you speak to him?"

"No; I just nodded. I don't care about getting intimate with him. I wishhe'd leave town."

"As likely as not, he'll use up all his money, and then come on yourfather for help."

"I hope father won't give him anything, then," said Philip.

"I am willing that he should give him enough to get him back toIllinois. He ought never to have left there. If he thinks we are goingto pay his board here, all I can say is that he is very much mistaken," said Mrs. Ross, pressing her thin lips together with emphasis.

"That's the talk, ma! I am glad you don't mean to be imposed upon. Isuppose old Wilkins thinks you are soft, and won't see him suffer. You'dbetter keep a stiff upper lip."

"He will know me better after a while," said Mrs. Ross.

The afternoon wore away, and supper came. Philip partook as usual, andwaited afterward in the confident expectation that his father would openthe small trunk. He was not mistaken.

Upon retiring to his special apartment, Colonel Ross took up the trunk, and, producing the key, opened it.

It so happened that he was after some papers, and did not immediatelytake up the envelope containing the government bonds. Philip was ratherafraid he wouldn't, and ventured to remind him of them by a question.

"How many government bonds have you in that envelope, pa?" he asked.

"A little over a thousand dollars," answered Colonel Ross.

"Will you let me look at one? I want to see how it looks."

This question led the colonel to open the envelope. He took out a bondand handed it to Philip.

"Are these coupons?" asked Philip, who knew perfectly well, but onlywanted to fix his father's attention.

"Yes, they are promises to pay interest semiannually. In January andJuly I cut off one of these little slips, and receive the interest itrepresents in gold."

"That's very convenient, isn't it?"