_ CHAPTER XIII. PERCY GETS RID OF THE BILL
When Percy Marlowe left the grocery store with the stolen bill in his hand, he was tremulous with excitement and agitation. He felt that he had committed a crime, and he was almost tempted to go back and replace the money. But it was possible that its loss had already been discovered, and he might be connected with it. He felt that it would be safe to get as far away as possible from the store.
"Nobody will suspect me," he said to himself, plucking up courage.
Then there was the pleasant thought that he could pay up his debt to Reginald Ward, and have ten dollars left over. It would be very comfortable to have ten dollars to spend, and Percy, whose conscience was not sensitive, began to consider what would be the pleasantest way of disposing of it. He soon came to a decision on this point, having, like most boys, rather a talent for spending money.
"I'll go round by the hotel," he said to himself, "and if I find Reg there I'll pay him what I owe him and get it off my mind."
Percy walked around to the Lake House, and found Reginald Ward in the billiard room. Ward treated him rather coldly.
"Good-morning, Percy," he said.
"Good-morning, Reg."
"I hope you have come prepared to pay me what you owe me. I may have to go back to New York to-morrow."
"I wish he would," thought Percy. "Then, if there's any trouble about this money, he will be well out of the way, and nobody can find out about it."
"I can pay you to-night," said Percy.
"You can? You're a trump!" said Reginald, in gratified surprise.
"Suppose we go up to your room," went on Percy nervously, "and don't talk about it here. I don't want anybody to know that I am owing you any money."
"I understand. The governor wouldn't like it, hey?"
"No, he'd be awful mad."
"Follow me, then, Percy," and Ward led the way up to his room.
"Lock the door," said Percy.
"Seems to me we are mighty mysterious," commented Ward, laughing. "Oh, well; anything to accommodate. Now, where are the spondulicks?"
"Can you change a twenty-dollar bill?" asked Percy.
"Whew! you are wealthy," said Ward, in surprise. "Let me see!" and he opened his pocket book. "Much as ever," he replied, after investigating the contents. "Here is a five, a two, a silver dollar, and I think I can make up two dollars in small change. It'll take up about all I've got."
"Then perhaps you'd rather wait till I have a chance to get the bill changed," suggested Percy.
"Not much," returned Reginald, with a crafty smile. "'A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush,' as somebody says. I am willing to be inconvenienced for the sake of getting the debt paid."
"Oh, well; just as you say," rejoined Percy, secretly glad to get the tell-tale bill out of his possession, and to replace it in his pocket with the smaller bills and silver which Ward proposed to give him.
When the transfer was made, Ward asked, "Where did you raise the twenty, Percy?"
Now it was that Percy looked embarrassed.
"It is some money I had given to me a long while ago," he answered with hesitation.
"Oh!" exclaimed Ward, evidently incredulous.
"I promised not to use it, but to keep it saved up," continued Percy, "and I meant to; but you wanted me to pay what I owed you, and so----"
"You acted like an honest young man," said Ward, finishing his sentence for him.
"Yes."
There was a peculiar smile on Reginald Ward's face, but he did not think it best to question Percy's statement. His money had been paid him, and that was all he cared for.
"Percy's found it in his father's desk, I reckon," he said to himself, "but that doesn't concern me. I've got my money and that's more than I expected."
"By the way, Reg," said Percy hurriedly, "don't mention to any one my paying you this money."
"Why not?"
"It would be found out that I had been playing cards for money, and there'd be no end of a row. Besides, then it would come out that I had parted with this bill."
"All right, Percy. I'll keep mum. Won't you go down and have a game of billiards?"
"Not to-night. I'm rather tired."
"That boy's got something on his mind," thought Reginald Ward. _