The Tin Box, and What it Contained

CHAPTER XXXVI

HARRY IS CHARGED WITH THEFT

Philip called at the hotel, and inquired, with considerable confidence, if "Mr. Congreve" was in.

"He has not returned," answered the landlord.

"Then he won't be back to-night," said Philip, feeling considerablydisappointed.

"No; the last train is in."

"I wonder if he had any trouble in selling the bonds," thought Philip; but this thought was one to which he didn't think it prudent to giveexpression.

He walked home slowly, while Colonel Ross kept on his way to the modesthome of the Gilberts. We will precede him.

The little family was gathered in the plain sitting-room. There were butthree – Mrs. Gilbert, Harry and Uncle Obed.

The old man – to begin with the oldest first – was sitting in a rockingchair, with his hands folded in his lap, and an expression of placidcontentment on his face. He had reached the age when rest is agreeable, and was satisfied to sit through the evening, now watching Harry or hismother, and now occupied with thoughts of earlier days and distantscenes. He was thoroughly satisfied with the new home he had found, plain and humble though it was. Indeed, perhaps, for that very reason, it suited him better.

Mrs. Gilbert was sewing. She had time enough to sew for some of herneighbors, and in that way earned a moderate sum for herself, though, asthe family was now situated, she could have dispensed with it.

Harry was reading a "Life of Benjamin Franklin," which he had taken fromthe Sunday school library, and was evidently deeply interested in it.

"What are you reading, Harry?" asked the old man, after a while.

"Franklin's life, Uncle Obed."

"You couldn't read anything better. Old Ben is a good model for Americanboys. He was a great man."

"So he was, Uncle Obed; and he began poor, too."

"Sarten, sarten! Poor boys make the smartest men – that's myobservation."

"Then I've got one thing in my favor," said Harry, smiling.

"And you will succeed, too; I make no doubt of it. You've made a prettygood beginning already."

"Thank you, Uncle Obed, for your favorable opinion. I hope I shalldeserve it."

"You're worth half a dozen boys like Philip Ross. I reckon he'll neveramount to much."

"He doesn't think so," said Harry, smiling. "He thinks himself a veryimportant character."

"Like enough! He looks like it. He doesn't care to own me as arelation."

"It would be different if you were rich, Uncle Obed."

"Mebbe so. I think so myself. Thank the Lord, I ain't beholden to him orhis family for any favors. They wanted to send me home to Illinoy. I wastoo unfashionable for them, I expect, but I've found a home – yes, I'vefound a good home."

"I am glad we succeeded in making it comfortable for you, Mr. Wilkins," said Mrs. Gilbert, looking up from her sewing.

"You do, ma'am," said the old man. "I ain't been so well taken care offor years as I am now. I wish I could do something to show mygratitude."

"The money you pay us is of great service. It makes the largest part ofour income. I am only afraid you pay too much."

"No, I don't," said Uncle Obed. "Money isn't of much vally, comparedwith a good home. If I ain't as rich as my niece, I can afford to payfair board. When a man's turned seventy, as I have, the best money cando for him is to give him a happy home."

Mrs. Gilbert and Harry were pleased to find their boarder so contented. The money he paid weekly, with unvarying punctuality, made things easyfor the widow, and relieved her of the anxiety which she had constantlyfelt before his arrival.

The conversation above recorded was scarcely over, when a knock washeard at the front door – a sharp, peremptory knock – as of one whodemanded admittance, rather than requested it.

All looked up, with some surprise, for it was now eight o'clock, andthey did not often have evening callers.

"I will go to the door, mother," said Harry. "You need not interruptyour sewing."

So Harry opened the outer door, and, considerably to his surprise, sawstanding on the step the dignified figure of Colonel Ross.

"Colonel Ross!" he exclaimed, in surprise.

"I will come in a few minutes," said the Colonel, stiffly.

"Certainly, sir. Excuse my not inviting you."

"It is very excusable – under the circumstances," said the Colonel, stiffly.

"What does he mean?" thought Harry. "I can't tell what circumstances herefers to."

"Mother," said he, opening the door of the sitting-room, "here is

Colonel Ross."

"Take a seat, Colonel Ross," said the widow, politely.

Colonel Ross seated himself deliberately in a chair near his wife'suncle.

"Glad to see you, Mr. Ross," said Uncle Obed, thinking the visit wasmeant for him. "You're very kind to look in on an old man."

"I – well, my visit this evening has a different object."

"Oh, come to see Mrs. Gilbert! Well, how's Lucinda?"

"Mrs. Ross is enjoying her usual health," said Colonel Ross, ceremoniously.

"Glad to hear it," said the old man. "She hasn't called on me yet, though I'm the only relation she's got within a thousand miles."

"Mrs. Ross is very much occupied," said her husband, coldly. "However, you will excuse me if I proceed to the object of my visit. I regret tosay that last evening the trunk in which I keep a part of my securitieswas opened, and two government bonds abstracted."

"You don't say so!" exclaimed Mr. Wilkins, really surprised. "When didit happen?"

"Sometime in the evening or night. The outer door was left unlocked, through the neglect of my son, Philip, who sat up later than his motheror myself. Unfortunately, I had myself carelessly left my bunch of keys, including the key to this trunk, on my desk, so that the thief found hiswork very easy."

"You and Philip were both careless. Have you got track of the rogue?"

"I think I have," answered Colonel Ross, in a significant tone.

"I'm glad on't. These fellows ought to be caught. I don't have muchsympathy for a thief."

"I am glad to hear you say so," said Colonel Ross.

"You didn't think I had, did you?" asked the old man, puzzled.

"I thought you might have, when you came to know who it was I suspect."

"I don't see as that will make any difference. Who is it?"

"My son, just before retiring, saw a person prowling round the house, and looking into the window. Doubtless, he saw the bunch of keys, andwas tempted to enter and steal the bonds."

"Have you arrested him?"

"Not yet; but probably I shall before long."

"Who is it, Colonel Ross?" asked Mrs. Gilbert, with interest.

"Madam," said the Colonel, slowly, "it pains me to say that the personseen prowling round my house, and looking in at my window, was your son, Harry!"

"Harry!" ejaculated the widow, scarcely thinking she had heard aright.

"It's ridiculous!" exclaimed Uncle Obed.

"Colonel Ross," said Harry, rising to his feet, and confronting thevisitor, with clear eyes and an expression of honest indignation, "doyou mean to say that you suspect me of stealing any of your property?"

"Young man, I advise you not to be impudent or brazen-faced. Do you meanto deny that you were near my house last evening between half-past nineand ten o'clock?"

"No, I don't. I did pass your house about that time."

"I am glad you have the sense to own it. You may as well confess therest – that you entered through the unlocked door, opened my small trunk, and took out two government bonds of a hundred dollars each."

"Whoever charges me with that utters a falsehood," said Harry, boldly. "I passed your house, but I did not enter it, and did not even look inthe window, and it is news to me that the door was unlocked, or the keyson the desk. In fact, I didn't know you had a trunk in which you keptyour bonds."

"Of course you deny it," said Colonel Ross, "but I think it entirelylikely that the stolen bonds are at this very moment hidden beneath thisroof."

CHAPTER XXXVII

SEARCHING THE COTTAGE

"Colonel Ross, your suspicions are very insulting and entirelyunwarranted," said the Widow Gilbert, with a flush on her usually palecheek.

"Of course I knew you would not believe anything against your son, whomyou believe to be a model," said Colonel Ross, with a sneer.

"So he is – a model!" said the widow, warmly.

"Then all I can say is that there is a strong reason to suspect thatthis model son of yours is a thief."

"I deny it."

"I notice, however, that you are afraid to have the house searched."

"I have never expressed any unwillingness."

"Then I understand that you give your consent."

"I do."

"Very well. Then allow me to call in a party not interested, who willattend to that duty."

Colonel Ross went to the outer door, and, opening it, called:

"Constable, you are wanted!"

At this summons a tall, stout man – Mr. Rogers, the villageconstable – came forward, as it seemed, rather reluctantly.

"Constable," said Colonel Ross, "Mrs. Gilbert has given her consent tohave the house searched for the bonds which were abstracted from mytrunk last evening."

"Mr. Rogers," said Mrs. Gilbert, who knew the constable well, "ColonelRoss has made a cruel and unwarranted charge against Harry. I hope youdon't believe he is a thief."

"I don't," said the constable, bluntly. "I've known your boy ever sincehe was a baby, and I never knew him to do a mean thing."

"Constable," said Colonel Ross, angrily, "it does not become you toscreen the guilty or make excuses for him."

"It strikes me you're rather too fast, Colonel Ross, in making him outguilty. What proof have you of it?"

"My son's word."

"Oh!" said the constable, expressively.

"You have only to do your duty and search the house, and I venture topredict that the evidence will be forthcoming that will convince evenyou."

"Mrs. Gilbert," said the constable, "I hope you'll excuse me for obeyingthe Colonel. I have to do it, you know."

"Do your duty, Mr. Rogers. We are not afraid to have the house searchedfrom top to bottom."

"I don't want to disturb your things, Mrs. Gilbert. Suppose you go roundand open everything to us."

"If that will be satisfactory to Colonel Ross. I want him satisfied."

"As long as I am present, with a right to examine, I shall not object."

"It seems to me, Colonel Ross," remarked Uncle Obed, "you are nottreating the boy right."

"It is immaterial to me what you think, Mr. Wilkins," replied the

Colonel, with asperity.

"Mebbe so," said the old man. "I calculate it won't always be so. Thetime may come when you will care more for my opinion."

"You flatter yourself unduly, Mr. Wilkins, I assure you."

"Mebbe so," answered the old man, not appearing at all discomposed bythe rude tone of his niece's husband.

"We will begin here, gentlemen," said Mrs. Gilbert.

So saying, she went about from place to place down below, openingwhatever drawers there were, even in the pantry, and revealing nothingthat looked like the bonds.

"I didn't expect they were downstairs," said the Colonel.

"Then we will go upstairs. You shall not say that we have concealedanything or shrunk from any investigation."

"Very well."

Mrs. Gilbert thereupon led the way upstairs, and the search began. Finally, they came to her own bureau. The upper drawer was opened, andthe sharp eyes of the Colonel detected a large envelope. It was the onethat contained the bonds which had been presented to Harry for hisservice in ferreting out the burglars in the wood.

Singular as it may seem, neither Harry nor his mother had thought ofthem, and the false inference that might be drawn from their discovery. It was natural, therefore, that each should look startled anddiscomposed.

"Ha! what have we here?" demanded Colonel Ross, clutching the envelope.

"Those are my property," said Harry, who was the first to recover hisself-possession.

"I will take the liberty to examine. Ha! government bonds, as I live.

Constable, what do you say now?" demanded the Colonel, triumphantly.

The constable, who knew nothing of Harry's gift, looked veryuncomfortable indeed. Despite his belief in Harry's honesty, he wasstaggered by this apparent evidence to the contrary.

"What is this, Mrs. Gilbert?" he asked.

"They are bonds belonging to Harry. He speaks the truth."

"A likely story," exclaimed Colonel Ross. "Really, Mrs. Gilbert, yourconduct is most extraordinary. I begin to think you had some knowledgeof your son's act."

"Colonel Ross, don't you dare to insult my mother," said Harry, sofiercely that the Colonel retreated a little, under the impression thatour hero intended to make an insult upon him.

"Be careful, boy," he warned. "I've caught you red-handed in thecommission of a crime that may send you to State's prison. You'd bettertake heed what you say!"

"Mr. Rogers," said Mrs. Gilbert, "that envelope contains governmentbonds that belong to my son. Ask Colonel Ross how many he lost."

"Two bonds of a hundred dollars each," answered the Colonel. "And herethey are," he continued, producing two bonds of that denomination fromthe envelope.

"Look again. See if there are no more," said Harry.

The Colonel, evidently surprised, produced a fifty.

"Do you mean to say that you lost that, also?" inquired Harry.

"No," replied the Colonel, evidently puzzled; "you must have got thatfrom somewhere else."

"I got the whole somewhere else," said Harry.

"It is entirely useless, Harry Gilbert, to attempt to impose upon me byany such ridiculous story. As to the extra bond, I don't know where itcame from. Perhaps your mother had it before. It doesn't alter the factthat I have found my stolen bonds in your possession."

"When did you lose your bonds?" asked Uncle Obed, who thought it time to "put in his oar," as he afterward expressed it.

"Last evening."

"You're sure you had 'em up to that time, are you?"

"Yes; I looked them over, and counted them early in the evening."

"Then, all I can say is that the bonds you've got in your hands havebeen in the house several days. Harry showed them to me when he firstgot 'em."

"Really, Mr. Wilkins, I don't like to doubt the word of an old man likeyou; but, sir, your statement is absolutely incredible."

"It is true," said Mrs. Gilbert. "I, too, assert the same thing."

"Then you are all in a conspiracy," said Colonel Ross, in a passion.

"And you have evidently plotted the ruin of an innocent boy," said Mrs.

Gilbert, with spirit.

"You have always pretended to be poor," continued Colonel Ross, "and nowyou expect me to believe that your son owns nearly three hundreddollars' worth of bonds!"

"I do, for it is true."

"Where did he get them?"

"They were given him."

"Utterly absurd! People don't often give boys such presents as that.

Constable, I call on you to arrest that boy."

"Where is your warrant, Colonel?"

"Arrest him on suspicion."

"I could not do it."

"Then you mean to connive at his escape?"

"No; I'll stay here to-night, if you insist upon it."

"Do so, and I will take the bonds."

"Lay them down, Colonel Ross; they are my property!" said Harry, sternly.

"You can't be allowed to take 'em, Colonel, till you prove that they areyours. One you admit is not," said the constable.

"It doesn't matter much," replied the Colonel, discomfited. "They willfind their way back to me soon. This boy won't take on so high a tonetomorrow."

CHAPTER XXXVIII

PHILIP'S SURPRISE

"Where did that other bond come from?" thought Colonel Ross, as hewended his way homeward. "I can't understand it. Perhaps the boy took itfrom some one else. It is just possible that his mother may have owned afifty-dollar bond."

To do Colonel Ross justice, he really thought that the bonds he haddiscovered were his own, and he was convinced, by what his son had toldhim, that Harry had really entered his house on the night when the outerdoor had been left open and abstracted them.

Philip, disappointed at not finding his friend Congreve at the hotel, took his way home, and was already in the house when his fatherreturned. He was naturally curious to hear something of the result ofhis errand.

"Well, father," he said, eagerly, as the Colonel entered the room wherehe was seated, "what luck did you have?"

"I found the bonds," said his father, briefly.

Nothing could have astonished Philip more, knowing what he did as tothe manner in which they had really been disposed of. He looked thepicture of amazement.

"Found the bonds!" he ejaculated.

"Certainly! What is there remarkable about that?"

"And Harry Gilbert really had them?" said Philip, not knowing what tothink.

"Of course!"

"Where were they found?"

"In the bureau drawer in his mother's room."

"What can it mean?" thought Philip, in a whirl of amazement. "I gavethem to Congreve to carry to New York, and how in the world couldGilbert have got hold of them? There must be some mistake somewhere."

"What did Harry say when you found the bonds?" he asked.

"He denied that they were mine; said they were his."

"But where could he get them?"

"That is the question. He said they were given to him, or some suchridiculous nonsense, and his mother actually backed him up in thispreposterous statement."

"I was never so astonished in the whole course of my life!" said Philip; and he spoke the honest truth.

"You, my son, are entitled to great credit for your vigilance, and youapprising me that the boy was prowling about the house on the evening inquestion. I shall make you a present of ten dollars."

"Oh, thank you, father," said Philip, his eyes expressing his delight, as his father drew from his pocketbook two five-dollar bills and placedthem in his hand.

"At any rate, it has turned out pretty lucky for me," he thought tohimself. "All the same, it is a puzzle where those bonds came from. Congreve wouldn't go and give them to Harry? No, of course not! Well, the best I can do is to keep mum."

"There is one circumstance that rather puzzles me," said the Colonel, reflectively.

"What is it, father?"

"I only miss two hundred-dollar bonds, and I found in the boy'spossession a fifty-dollar bond in addition. That is certainlysingular."

"So it is," said Philip, showing his own surprise.

"He must have stolen that from some other party," continued the

Colonel.

"As like as not," chimed in Philip, glibly. "Have you got the bonds withyou?" he asked, after a pause. "Did you bring them back?"

"No. Rogers, the constable, said I could not take them till I had provedthem to be my property. He is a stupid old countryman, and knows nothingabout law. He was evidently prejudiced in favor of the Gilberts."

"Well, what did you do with Harry?"

"He ought to have been taken to the lockup, but the constable didn'twant to do it, and I agreed that he might stay in the house, under guardof the constable, of course, for I apprehended the boy might make aneffort to run away."

"Did he seem much frightened?" asked Philip, curiously.

"No; he seemed very indignant at being suspected. Of course, it was allput on. He was actually insolent, and defied me to take the bonds. Isuppose he thought he could put me off the scent by his bravado."

"What are you going to do to-morrow?" asked Philip.

"I shall have him taken before a magistrate, and shall formally chargehim with the theft."

"What did Uncle Obed say?" inquired Philip, suddenly.

"It really is of very little consequence what that old man said," returned Colonel Ross, stiffly. "Of course, he sided with the Gilberts, and he actually had the effrontery to say that the bonds had been in thehouse for several days."

"He couldn't have given the bonds to Harry, could he?"

"Of course not. The man is a pauper, or about the same as one. Every day

I expect he will come to me to ask pecuniary assistance."

"Will you give him any money if he does?"

"Yes; enough to get him back to Illinois. He ought never to have leftthere."

Philip went to bed in a state of wonderment, but at the same time in astate of satisfaction. Suspicion had been diverted from him, the realculprit, and the boy whom he hated more than any other was likely tosuffer for his misdeeds.

If he had had a conscience, this thought ought to have made himuncomfortable, but it did not. He thought, rather, that under cover ofthis charge made against another, he and Congreve would be free to usethe proceeds of the stolen bonds, and he began even to plan in what wayhe would spend his portion.