The Argosy, Vol. XXIV No. 2 — page 105: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

A TRADE DOLLAR TRAGEDY. por that when you could find a match for Betty I might have them for carriage horses.’’ I was anxious to find a match for Betty B., and the chance of it put every- thing else out of my head. I told Julia to ask the man to bring the horse— he had said that he would call the next day—and if it was all right we would buy it. The next morning I asked Alice if she had found a coin under my pillow the morning after Mr. Reynolds went away. She was an honest and pretty country girl, and the color of deepest embarrassment went all over her face. She said yes, and went hastily out of the room, coming back presently with a new silver dollar. I discovered in an instant that she supposed it had been left there as a tip, and I had another in my hand to give her. ‘But this is not the one,’’ I said. ‘‘ The one I want was valuable as a —rare coin. It wasa trade dollar.’’ Just then Julia came in at the window. She had been standing out on the balcony watering her nasturtiums. ‘* What is it?’’ she asked, looking at Alice. The girl was almost in tears, and I wanted to get away as speedily as possible. ‘Only that Jim left a tip for Alice, and by mistake I gave her a pocket piece, a trade dollar, and I wanted to get it back again.”’ Julia didn’t approve of tipping the servants, and she was annoyed at once. ‘That trade dollar? I think Alice let me have it in some change.”’ Cold chills went over me. What an idiot I had been to claim that coin as my own! She would certainly discover that it was not a genuine piece of money, and then what explanation was I to make? ‘‘Tt was under his pillow,’’ Alice began, not seeing that she was exoner- ated. Julia looked a bit contemptuous. I knew she was thinking that it was very vulgar for a gentleman to leave tips for female servants under his pillow. ‘Come to think,’’ said Julia, ‘‘I gave that dollar to Johnny at once. He said he knew a boy who had a rabbit he could buy for a dollar.’’ Cecil Marston! I must write a note to Mary, explain the circumstances, and have her get the coin back from her beggarly little brother. I was glad it had gone as it had. At any rate it had left my hands, and I had by my general stupidity just escaped a mess. I sat down at my desk and wrote the note. It was as polite and formal as possible, merely explaining the circum- stances. After it was finished I called Mike, the gardener, to come and carry it; and then I changed my mind. I had barely escaped one scrape. I wouldn’t put myself anywhere near another. ‘There was a messenger boy at the Salaville office. I would send him. He was a stupid looking, loutish boy, who was just going out as I went in, but they told me he would be back, and my note would go in an hour. Then I went to the factory with a clear conscience—my whole duty done. CONIC OOKS: CO) 5}