"
"You'd better give up the idea. It's quite impossible."
"Is it?" asked Stark, with a wicked look.
"Then do you know what I will do?"
"What will you do?" asked Gibbon, nervously.
"I will call on your employer, and tell him
what I know of you."
"You wouldn't do that?" said the bookkeeper,
much agitated.
"Why not? You turn your back upon an
old friend. You bask in prosperity, and turn
from him in his poverty. It's the way of the
world, no doubt; but Phil Stark generally gets
even with those who don't treat him well."
"Tell me what you want me to do," said
Gibbon, desperately.
"Tell me first whether your safe contains
much of value."
"We keep a line of deposit with the Milford Bank."
"Do you mean to say that nothing of value is left
in the safe overnight?" asked Stark, disappointed
"There is a box of government bonds usually kept there,"
the bookkeeper admitted, reluctantly.
"Ah, that's good!" returned Stark, rubbing his hands.
"Do you know how much they amount to?"
"I think there are about four thousand dollars."
"Good! We must have those bonds, Gibbon."
CHAPTER XXII.
MR. STARK IS RECOGNIZED.
Phil Stark was resolved not to release his
hold upon his old acquaintance. During the
day he spent his time in lounging about the
town, but in the evening he invariably fetched
up at the bookkeeper's modest home. His
attentions were evidently not welcome to Mr.
Gibbon, who daily grew more and more nervous
and irritable, and had the appearance of
a man whom something disquieted.
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