"
"Do I know you?"
"No, Miss Norris, but I hope you will."
"Humph! that depends. You say you know
what became of my bank book?"
"Yes, Miss Norris."
"Well?"
"It was taken by the young man who sat next to you."
"How do you know?"
"He robbed me last night on the way from
New York in a Hudson River steamboat."
"That doesn't prove that he robbed me.
I was robbed here in this city."
"What do you say to this?" asked Carl,
displaying the bank book.
"Bless me! That is my book. Where did you get it?"
Carl told his story briefly, how, on discovering that
he had been robbed, he explored the stateroom
and found the bank book.
"Well, well, I am astonished! And how did
you know Mr. Norris was my nephew?"
"I didn't know. I didn't know anything
about him or you, but finding his name in the
directory, I came here to ask if he knew any
such person."
"You are a smart boy, and a good, honest one,"
said Miss Norris. "You have earned the
reward, and shall have it."
"I don't want any reward, Miss Norris,"
rejoined Carl. "I have had very little trouble
in finding you."
"That is of no consequence. I offered the reward,
and Rachel Norris is a woman of her word."
She thrust her hand into her pocket, and drew
out a wallet, more suitable to a man's use.
Openings this, she took out three bills,
two tens and a five, and extended them toward Carl.
"I don't think I ought to take this money,
Miss Norris," said Carl, reluctantly.
"Did that rascal rob you, too?"
"Yes.
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