Under Fire: A Tale of New England Village Life

ingly. This has been noticed by almost every person of wide experience, and the idea is crystall

r, and when Fred had begun to feel a little more at ease in his mind

with the twenty dollar bil

bill there to-day, si

ll of James D. Atwood this afternoon, when he settled his account, and

aid it out or seen it. Didn't you give it to Woodman

k the bill. There has been no one to the cash drawer but you and myself-unless you negl

might have been false to his trust, and r

ou say you took in a twenty dollar bill, and that now it is gone. If a mistake has occurred in making c

, that I have made a mistake o

somewhere. Have you figured up your c

rease in the other money, he jumped to the conclusion that the drawer was twenty dollars short. But on carefully going

rplexing matter. It certainly looked now as though

thought, and after a few moments he

t that you took it during my absence, and in trying to cover up your act put two dollars

and in its stead appeared the paleness of anger. He stepped

ur money? If you mean that, sir, yo

won't say that-but-but

as glad, for the time being, to retract his statement, or make any admission whatever, for he saw

cusing him. He also moved cautiously backward to another part of the store, doubtless feeling that

as I have not paid it out

s myself. As long as you put it on that ground I will not objec

t, but I have my opinion as to where it has go

power to challenge it while unexpressed, and he could not at

as you like, if that giv

it was your duty to work for my interest, and look out for this store in my absence. As this bill disappeared while

rd, influenced him to move a few paces nearer to the door, as he possibly thou

f my money for this purpose!

dollars, and I'll keep that amount in partial payment for this

half believe there was a twenty dollar bill here at all! It is one of your mean tricks to beat me out of my money. It

oprietor, in a rage, his limbs and features twitching nerv

t what I mean," r

at once. I won't be in

lage! What if some of the folks find out that the XXX St. Louis brand of flour, for which they pay you ten dollars a barrel, is a cheap grade that you bought in plain barrels and stamped yourself? No

merchant. They alarmed him, for he saw that the boy had the advantage, and out of policy

s. You know it is not proper for you to go out

hen you threaten to keep my money, and to have me arrested, then

money, you will say nothing about th

mentioned, unless I should be put on trial; t

e you at your word-your word of hono

eated Fred, "and that means

his point-Fred's promise-and he

een dollars-now consider yours

ejaculated Fred, utterly taken a

merchant, fidgeting about; "you kn

than Rexford's narrow spirit could even c

nd stood for a moment turning them over listlessly-evidently not counting them