Ducklow.
"Wal! wal! say no more about it! The bonds are safe."
"I was in hopes you'd change 'em for them registered bonds Reuben spoke
of."
"I did try to, but they told me to the bank it couldn't be did. Then I
asked 'em if they would keep 'em for me, and they said they wouldn't
object to lockin' on 'em up in their safe; but they wouldn't give me no
receipt, nor hold themselves responsible for 'em. I didn't know what
else to do, so I handed 'em the bonds to keep."
"I want to know if you did now!" exclaimed Mrs. Ducklow, disapprovingly.
"Why not? What else could I do? I didn't want to lug 'em around with me
forever. And as for keepin' 'em hid in the house, we've tried that!" and
Ducklow unfolded his weekly newspaper.
Mrs. Ducklow was placing the dinner on the table, with a look which
seemed to say, "_I_ wouldn't have left the bonds in the bank; _my_
judgment would have been better than all that. If they are lost, _I_
sha'n't be to blame!" when suddenly Ducklow started and uttered a cry of
consternation over his newspaper.
"Why, what have ye found?"
"Bank robbery!"
"Not _your_ bank? Not the bank where _your bonds_"----
"Of course not; but in the very next town! The safe blown open with
gunpowder! Five thousand dollars in Gov'ment bonds stole!"
"How strange!" said Mrs.
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