He rose from the floor, and, with the bags in his hand, jumped out of the still open window.
But he was too late. Two strong men seized him, each by an arm, and said sternly:
After Rudolph’s seizure Ben discovered the bags of gold in the hands of the tramp.
“It’s safe, Ben,” said one of the captors. “But who would have supposed you had so much money?”
“The bags are pretty heavy,” was the significant rejoinder. “Will you take two hundred dollars apiece for them?”
“Then there is considerable after all. But never mind. Take better care of them hereafter.”
Ben stooped to pick up the bags. He had got hold of them when the tramp aimed a kick at him which completely upset him.
Even though he fell, however, he did not lose his grip of the bags, but clung to them while crying with pain.
“Take that, you old fool!” muttered the tramp. “It’s the first installment of the debt I owe you.”
“Take him away, take him away! He will murder me!” exclaimed old Ben, in terror.
“Come along. You’ve done mischief enough,” said his captors, sternly, forcing the tramp along.
He turned to Tony, who stood at a little distance.
“I’ve got a score to settle with you, young traitor.”
“I’m sorry for you, Rudolph,” said Tony; “but you’ve brought it on yourself.”
“Bah! you hypocrite!” retorted the tramp. “I don’t want any of your sorrow. It won’t save you when the day of reckoning comes.”
He was not allowed to say more, but was hurried away to the village lockup for detention.
Dr. Compton was among the party who had been summoned by Tony. He lingered behind, and took Ben apart.
“Mr. Hayden,” he said, “I want to give you a piece of advice.”
“Don’t keep this gold in your house. It isn’t safe.”
“Who do you think will take it?” asked Ben.
“None of those here this morning, unless this tramp should escape from custody.”
“It will get about that you have money secreted here, and I venture to say it will be stolen before three months are over.”
“I am going over to the county town, where there is a bank. Deposit it there, and whenever you want any go and get it.”
“But banks break sometimes,” said Ben, in alarm.
“This is an old established institution. You need not be afraid of it.”
“But I can’t see the money—I can’t count it.”
“You can see the deposit record in a book. Even if that doesn’t suit you as well, you can sleep comfortably, knowing that you are not liable to be attacked and murdered by burglars.”