CHAPTER XXVI.
A DISAGREEABLE SURPRISE.
Philip Stark sat down to breakfast in a savage frame of mind. He wantedto be revenged upon Gibbon, whom he suspected of having deceived him byopening and appropriating the bonds, and then arranged to have him carryoff the box filled with waste paper.
He sat at the table but five minutes, for he had little or no appetite.
From the breakfast room he went out on the piazza, and with corrugatedbrows smoked a cigar, but it failed to have the usual soothing effect.
If he had known the truth he would have left Milford without delay, buthe was far from suspecting that the deception practiced upon him hadbeen arranged by the man whom he wanted to rob. While there seemedlittle inducement for him to stay in Milford, he was determined to seekthe bookkeeper, and ascertain whether, as he suspected, his confederatehad in his possession the bonds which he had been scheming for. If so,he would compel him by threats to disgorge the larger portion, and thenleave town at once.
But the problem was, how to see him. He felt that it would beventuresome to go round to the factory, as by this time the loss mighthave been discovered. If only the box had been left, the discovery mightbe deferred. Then a bright idea occurred to him. He must get the box outof his own possession, as its discovery would compromise him. Why couldhe not arrange to leave it somewhere on the premises of his confederate?
He resolved upon the instant to carry out the idea. He went up to hisroom, wrapped the tin box in a paper, and walked round to the house ofthe bookkeeper. The coast seemed to be clear, as he supposed it wouldbe. He slipped into the yard, and swiftly entered an outhouse. There wasa large wooden chest, or box, which had once been used to store grain.Stark lifted the cover, dropped the box inside, and then, with a feelingof relief, walked out of the yard. But he had been observed. Mrs. Gibbonchanced to be looking out of a side window and saw him. She recognizedhim as the stranger who had been in the habit of spending recentevenings with her husband.
"What can he want here at this time?" she asked herself.
She deliberated whether she should go to the door and speak to Stark,but decided not to do so.
"He will call at the door if he has anything to say," she reflected.
Phil Stark walked on till he reached the factory. He felt that hemust see Julius Gibbon, and satisfy himself as to the meaning of themysterious substitution of waste paper for bonds.
When he reached a point where he could see into the office, he caughtthe eye of Leonard, who was sitting at the window. He beckoned for himto come out, and Leonard was glad to do so.
"Where are you going?" asked the bookkeeper, observing the boy'smovement.
"Mr. Stark is just across the street, and he beckoned for me."
Julius Gibbon flushed painfully, and he trembled with nervous agitation,for he feared something had happened.
"Very well, go out, but don't stay long."
Leonard crossed the street and walked up to Stark, who awaited him,looking grim and stern.
"Your uncle is inside?" he asked.
"Yes, sir."
"Tell him I wish to see him at once--on business of importance."
"He's busy," said Leonard. "'He doesn't leave the office in businesshours."
"Tell him I must see him--do you hear? He'll come fast enough."
"I wonder what it's all about," thought Leonard, whose curiosity wasnaturally excited.
"Wait a minute!" said Stark, as he turned to go. "Is Jennings in?"
"No, sir, he has gone over to the next town."
"Probably the box has not been missed, then," thought Stark. "So muchthe better! I can find out how matters stand, and then leave town."
"Very well!" he said, aloud, "let your uncle understand that I must seehim."
Leonard carried in the message. Gibbon made no objection, but took hishat and went out, leaving Leonard in charge of the office.
"Well, what is it?" he asked, hurriedly, as he reached Stark. "Is--isthe box all right?"
"Look here, Gibbon," said Stark, harshly, "have you been playing any ofyour infernal tricks upon me?"
"I don't know what you mean," responded Gibbon, bewildered.
Stark eyed him sharply, but the bookkeeper was evidently sincere.
"Is there anything wrong?" continued the latter.
"Do you mean to tell me you didn't know that wretched box was filledwith waste paper?"
"You don't mean it?" exclaimed Gibbon, in dismay.
"Yes, I do. I didn't open it till this morning, and in place ofgovernment bonds, I found only folded slips of newspaper."
By this time Gibbon was suspicious. Having no confidence in Stark, itoccurred to him that it was a ruse to deprive him of his share of thebonds.
"I don't believe you," he said. "You want to keep all the bonds foryourself, and cheat me out of my share."
"I wish to Heaven you were right. If there had been any bonds, I wouldhave acted on the square. But somebody had removed them, and substitutedpaper. I suspected you."
"I am ready to swear that this has happened without my knowledge," saidGibbon, earnestly.
"How, then, could it have occurred?" asked Stark.
"I don't know, upon my honor. Where is the box?"
"I--have disposed of it."
"You should have waited and opened it before me."
"I asked you if you had a key that would open it. I wanted to open itlast evening in the office."
"True."
"You will see after a while that I was acting on the square. You canopen it for yourself at your leisure."
"How can I? I don't know where it is."
"Then I can enlighten you," said Stark, maliciously. "When you go home,you will find it in a chest in your woodshed."
Gibbon turned pale.
"You don't mean to say you have carried it to my house?" he exclaimed,in dismay.
"Yes, I do. I had no further use for it, and thought you had the bestclaim to it."
"But, good heavens! if it is found there I shall be suspected."
"Very probably," answered Stark, coolly. "Take my advice and put it outof the way."
"How could you be so inconsiderate?"
"Because I suspected you of playing me a trick."
"I swear to you, I didn't."
"Then somebody has tricked both of us. Has Mr. Jennings discovered thedisappearance of the box?"
"Yes, I told him."
"When?"
"When he came to the office."
"What did he say?"
"He took the matter coolly. He didn't say much."
"Where is he?"
"Gone to Winchester on business."
"Look here! Do you think he suspects you?"
"I am quite sure not. That is why I told him about the robbery."
"He might suspect me."
"He said nothing about suspecting anybody."
"Do you think he removed the bonds and substituted paper?"
"I don't think so."
"If this were the case we should both be in a serious plight. I think Ihad better get out of town. You will have to lend me ten dollars."
"I don't see how I can, Stark."
"You must!" said Stark, sternly, "or I will reveal the whole thing.Remember, the box is on your premises."
"Heavens! what a quandary I am in," said the bookkeeper, miserably."That must be attended to at once. Why couldn't you put it anywhereelse?"
"I told you that I wanted to be revenged upon you."
"I wish you had never come to Milford," groaned the bookkeeper.
"I wish I hadn't myself, as things have turned out."
They prepared to start for Gibbon's house, when Mr. Jennings droveup. With him were two tall muscular men, whom Stark and Gibbon eyeduneasily. The two strangers jumped out of the carriage and advancedtoward the two confederates.
"Arrest those men!" said Jennings, in a quiet tone. "I charge them withopening and robbing my safe last night about eleven o'clock."
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