A cab drove away
with a chest of reasonable dimensions as mine drove up, while in
the bank itself a lady was making a painful scene. As for the
genial clerk who had roared at my jokes the day before, he was
mercifully in no mood for any more, but, on the contrary, quite rude
to me at sight.
"I've been expecting you all the afternoon," said he. "You needn't
look so pale."
"Is it safe?"
"That Noah's Ark of yours? Yes, so I hear; they'd just got to it
when they were interrupted, and they never went back again."
"Then it wasn't even opened?"
"Only just begun on, I believe."
"Thank God!"
"You may; we don't," growled the clerk. "The manager says he
believes your chest was at the bottom of it all."
"How could it be?" I asked uneasily.
"By being seen on the cab a mile off, and followed," said the clerk.
"Does the manager want to see me?" I asked boldly.
"Not unless you want to see him," was the blunt reply. "He's been
at it with others all. the afternoon, and they haven't all. got off
as cheap as you."
"Then my silver shall not embarrass you any longer," said I grandly.
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