Part 20 (1/2)
At the end of half-an-hour the dinner was concluded.
Smithson looked at the checks.
”Sixty cents and seventy-five cents,” he said; ”that makes a dollar and thirty-five cents.”
”Yes, sir.”
”I have go to step out a minute,” said Smithson. ”Oblige me by paying at the desk out of this bill.”
As he spoke he handed Ben a five-dollar bill.
”But,” said Ben, ”there will be nearly four dollars left.”
”Meet me an hour hence at the place where we were seated, and hand me the balance of the money.”
”But,” said Ben, ”I might miss you. Haven't you better pay yourself, as you go out?”
”I am in a great hurry, to meet an engagement,” said Smithson.
”Suppose I shouldn't meet you. Suppose I should keep the money.”
”No fear. You look honest. Well, meet me in an hour;” and he hurried out of the restaurant, saying, with a nod to the cas.h.i.+er: ”The boy will pay.”
Here was another compliment, Ben thought. A perfect stranger had trusted him with three dollars and sixty-five cents, which he might readily make off with.
”I am glad I look honest,” thought Ben. ”I seem to be treated very well.”
Two minutes later he went up to the cas.h.i.+er's desk, and, laying down the two checks, extended the five-dollar bill. The cas.h.i.+er was about to make change when his attention seemed to be drawn to the bill.
He held it up, and scrutinized it very closely, considerably to Ben's surprise.
”Young man,” said he suspiciously, ”where did you get this bill?”
”From the man that came in with me,” answered Ben.
”Are you aware that this is a bad bill?” asked the cas.h.i.+er sharply.
”A bad bill?” exclaimed Ben, in genuine surprise. ”No, I had no idea of it.”
”Who is this man who gave it to you? Do you know him?”
”He said his name was Smithson, from Philadelphia. I never saw him before this morning.”
”What were you to do with the change I gave you back? Did he tell you to keep it?”
”No, sir. I was to meet him in the park in an hour and give it to him.”
”He has been making a catspaw of you.”
”I don't understand,” said Ben.