His companion tilted back in his chair, lit a
cigar, and bade him heave ahead.
"Well," began Jed, "I--I--you see, Sam, I happened to look behind
that heap of boards there and--"
"What made you think of lookin' behind those boards?"
"Eh? Why, nothin' 'special. I just happened to look. That's
where your coat was, you know. So I looked and--and there 'twas."
"I see. There 'twas, eh? Where?"
"Why--why, behind the boards. I told you that, you know."
"Gracious king, course I know! You've told me that no less than
ten times. But WHERE was it? On the boards? On the floor?"
"Eh? . . . Oh, . . . oh, seems to me 'twas on the floor."
"Don't you KNOW 'twas on the floor?"
"Why . . . why, yes, sartin."
"Then what made you say 'seems as if' it was there?"
"Oh, . . . oh, I don't know. Land sakes, Sam, what are you askin'
me all these questions for?"
"Just for fun, I guess. I'm interested, naturally. Tell me some
more. How was the money--all together, or kind of scattered 'round?"
"Eh? . . . Oh, all together."
"Sure of that?"
"Course I'm sure of it. I can see it just as plain as day, now I
come to think of it. 'Twas all together, in a heap like."
"Um-hm. The band that was round it had come off, then?"
"Band? What band?"
"Why, the paper band with '$400' on it. That had come off when it
fell out of my pocket, I presume likely.
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