THE LOST 100-DOLLAR BILL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2652, 6 November 1909, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE LOST 100-DOLLAR BILL.

Everyone in the house was angry, and Miss Lavinia herself was “all on edge,” as she graphically expressed it. The less of a hundred dollar bill-was not such a tremendous important affaid in itself, for. Miss Lavinia was quite wealthy, but there was some aspects of the matter which made the loss quite'•serious. “There is no reason why you should look at me so angrily,” she said 1 to her niece, who was regarding her aunt with very indignant eyes; “the bill vanished, and someone has taken it.” “J.t may have blown away—” “With screens in the window? Don’t be foolish Myra.” ‘

“Or you may have mislaid it. A doz- 1 en things may have happened, but I don’t belkive that it was stolen at all. Even if it were,” she nodded inconsistently, “Dick nevei* took it.” “How could I possibly have mislaid it when I have not left this room or oven that chair since the money was paid me?” Aunt Lavinia’s absolute certainty made IVlyra desperate. “i don’t believe the money was stolen at all,” she said obstinately ; “perhaps you only dreamed that it was paid.” , ' Miss Lavinia gave a contemptuous sniff. . 1 “But even granting that it was paid, and that you placed it on the table just where you said you did., Dick was not the only person who came into the

room while it was there.” “He was the only person except yourself and Jane. I don’t suppose that you took it,” scornfully, “and I know that Jane did not.”

“Just because slie has been in your family for twenty years—” “Twenty-two, my dear.” “ you are ready to accuse Dick instead of a servant.” “You never would accuse Jane yourself, Myra, if you had not lost both your temper and your common-sense." “If this thing lies between Dick and Jane, I shall certainly doubt Jane.” “Yet Mr, Ainslie was the only one of you three that came to tlie table. I remer.ber that distinctly. He sat down and leaned liis arms on it while lie was talking to me.” . “But there is one thing I must say

now,” continued the irate Miss Lavinia, “and that you must agree to. Unless this thing is cleared up satisfactorily, you don’t marry Richard Ainslie.” Myra’s eyes flashed lightening. “Aunt Lavinia; I shall make no such promise!” she cried, indignantly. “We may never find out what has become of the-.detestable bill, Do you suppose that I am going to let a small trifle like that spoil my life?” “Honor and dishonor are not trifles, Myra.” Myra sighed, “I shall ask Dick if lie noticed the money lying on the table. If he says lie did not, I shall know that you dreamed the whole

tiling.” Young Ainsley, summoned to the house by an imperative telephone call, stated very promptly that lie had seen the bill on tlie table exactly where Miss Lavinia had sai'd she had placed. “I remember thinking that it was a careless proceeding,” lie explained, “and I rather wondered that as busi-ness-like a person as you, Miss Lavinia, should have placed it there.” “I didn’t see any carelessness about the matter,” Miss Lavinia retorted tartly, “considering that I was in my own home, and that I don’t harbor thieves.” “Well,” Ainsley said lightly, “it behoves me to find that billy I seem to have Been the last person who saw it. If I don’t unearth it I may ue accused of the theft myself.” “Don’t joke, Dick,” Myra! implored with such an odd intonation that Ainsley made a swift guess at tlie truth. He had a real motive now for solving the vexatious problem, but he met with no great success, although he devoted the greater part of his time to it. It .came to a point at last where it got “on his nerves,” and it took all of his will power to treat the subject lightly, and'- to act as if he were ignorant of Miss Lavinia’s attitude toward him.

He made another exhaustive search of the library one day fully two weeks after the bill had disappeared. He sub- ; sided into an easy chair with a groan of i Jlisappodntment. “This was the four hundredth time by actual count that I have gone over this place. It isn’t here, and I don’t believe it ever was here.” “You saw it yourself,” Miss Lavinia returned grimly. Ainsley sighed. “I tell you Miss Lavinia, that you must have some pockets in your dresses and 1 then—” He stopped: to stare at his hostess. She had turned several rich colors and some words seemed to gurgle in her throat. / ' “Are you ill, Miss Lavinia? Let me get you some water. You look dreadful. Can’t I—” “I feel dreadful,” she gasped. “I never thought of it before. Will you ever forgive me?” she wailed piteously. Miss Lavinia was fumbling along the folds of her gown. Her hands twitched nervously here and there, then one of them dived out of sight, only to emerge a second later holding aloft the missing bill. “It—it—” she stammered faintly. “I have not had a pocket before for twenty-five years—and—and—l forgot! I—l must have put the bill in it just after Richard left. I’m very, very sorry—” Her voice faltered, To think that she, who prided herself upon her busi-ness-methods, should have committed such an unpardonable deed. She looked helplessly from one to the other of her auditors.

Young Ainsley stared at her for some moments in silent perplexity. When at length the full truth dawned upon him he gave one hilarious shout and yielded himself up to uncontrollable laughter. ‘ Miss Lavinia watched him in silence, the grimness fading from her face. “Well, Myra,” she remarked, tentatively, “I’m bound to say that your husband will have a good' disposition; ’tain’t many men that would see anything humorous in this episode. And as for pockets,” sne added, with sudden vindictiveness, ‘l’ll never, never have another as long as I five.”