CHAPTER XXXIV. PHILIP GETS RID OF HIS PLUNDER
"Philip," said his mother, at the breakfast table the next morning, "theservant tells me she found the outside door unlocked this morning. Didn't I ask you to lock it before you went to bed?"
"So you did, mother. I really hope you'll excuse me. When I got ready togo to bed, I forgot all about it."
"It might have proved serious," remarked his father, "for I found thismorning that I had left my bunch of keys on my desk. I don't see how Icame to be so negligent."
"It's lucky no burglar or dishonest person knew of it," said Mrs. Ross.
"You might have met with a serious loss."
"So I might, for I had about a thousand dollars' worth of governmentbonds in my trunk, besides certificates of various kinds of stock. Thelatter would have done no one any good, though the loss would haveannoyed me, but the government bonds might readily be sold."
"I shouldn't think you'd keep the trunk downstairs, father," saidPhilip, who felt easy, as there seemed no likelihood of suspicion beingfixed upon him.
He resolved so to act as to divert any future suspicion.
"I don't know but it is imprudent," said Colonel Ross.
"Of course it is," said his wife. "You deserve to suffer loss."
"I will take it upstairs hereafter," said her husband, "especially," headded, jocularly, "if Philip is to be trusted to lock the front door."
Philip smiled, but his smile was not exactly an easy one, for he wasevery minute apprehensive that it would occur to his father to open thetrunk and examine the contents. He did not want this to happen till hewas out of the way, for it would be rather a trial to his nerves to hearthe announcement made of the loss, while he knew that the missing bondswere concealed in his inside coat pocket.
Philip was in a hurry to see Congreve, and get rid of his troublesomedeposit. He hurried through his breakfast, therefore, and rose from thetable.
"You've eaten very little, Phil," said his mother.
"Oh, I'm not hungry," said Philip, carelessly. "I didn't get up earlyenough to raise an appetite."
"You got up as early as usual," said his father.
"Perhaps reading in the evening didn't agree with me," replied Philip, smiling.
"Where are you going?" asked his mother.
"Just out for a walk."
"Will you call at the grocery store and tell them to send up a barrel offlour?"
"All right."
Usually Philip, who was far from obliging naturally, made a fuss whenasked to do an errand, but now he spoke very good-humoredly. He was soanxious to get out of the house that he was ready to promise anything.
"I really think Philip is improving," said his mother, after he had goneout.
"There's some room for it," remarked his father, dryly.
Philip, as may be supposed, made his way as quickly as possible to thehotel. As he came up, he saw the one of whom he was in search – JamesCongreve – standing on the piazza, smoking a cigarette.
"Well?" he said, guessing something from the evident excitement of
Philip's manner.
"Let us go up to your room, Congreve," said Phil.
"All right."
He led the way upstairs to the small room which he occupied as abedroom, and Philip followed him in. The latter carefully closed thedoor.
"I've got 'em," he exclaimed, triumphantly.
"The bonds? You don't say!"
"As true as you stand there."
"Let me see them."
Philip drew the bonds from his pocket, and handed them to Congreve.
The latter said, joyfully:
"You're a trump, Phil!"
"Yes, I think I managed pretty well," said Phil, complacently.
"Tell me how you did it."
So Phil explained.
"You were in precious luck, I can tell you. I had no idea things wouldturn in your favor so. Let me see – here are two one-hundreds."
"Yes; that's what you said."
"True. Were there more in the trunk?"
"Yes; I heard father say there were a thousand dollars in bonds."
James Congreve's face was overspread by an expression of covetousness.
"It's a pity you didn't take more," he said.
"But what was the need of taking more? These will pay my debt to you."
"Of course. Still, it seemed such a good chance."
"You don't think I'm going to set up as a thief, do you, Congreve?" asked Philip, in surprise.
"No, of course not. I didn't mean anything. Well, Phil, the sooner theseare disposed of the better."
"You are going to attend to that?"
"Yes. I believe I will take the next train up to the city."
"When will you be back?"
"To-night. I will bring you the balance of the money – say, fiftydollars."
"There ought to be more than that for me."
"Oh, it will be all right! Only, you know, I will have to sell thembelow the market price, at some place where no questions are asked."
"I've no doubt you'll do the square thing," said Philip, who did notknow that this statement of Congreve's was only a flimsy pretense toenable him to appropriate a larger share of the plunder, as it mayfairly be called.
"I'll promise you fifty dollars, whatever the bonds bring," said
Congreve.
"Thank you."
"Now, I must get ready, for the next train leaves for the city in halfan hour."
"I'll go along with you to the depot," said Philip.
"No, you'd better not. After the loss is discovered, it might excitesome remark, and possibly suspicion, if it were remembered."
"Then I'll be going. I've got an errand over at the store. Shall I seeyou to-night?"
"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?"