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IV
"W ell, Dan`l, how`s that new clerk o` yours gettin` on?" said Mrs. Bigby a week later. "Purty fine! He`s good at accounts and hez got to know the Bank`s customers by this time. But I allus reckoned he`d get stuck with some o` them counterfeit notes--and he hez! Ye see he ain`t accustomed to look at a five or a ten dollar note as sharp as some men, and he`s already taken in two tens and a five counterfeits." "Gracious!" said Mrs. Bigsby. "What did the poor feller do?" "Oh, he ups and tells me, all right, after he discovered it. And sez he: `I`ve charged my account with `em,` sez he, `so the Bank won`t lose it.`" "Why, Dan`l," said Mrs. Bigsby, "ye didn`t let that poor feller"-- "You hol` on!" said her brother; "business is business; but I sez to him: `Ye oughter put it down to Profit and Loss account. Or perhaps we`ll have a chance o` gettin` rid o` them,--not in Noo York, where folks is sharp, but here in the country, and then ye kin credit yourself with the amount arter you`ve got rid o` them.`" "Laws! I`m sorry ye did that, Dan`l," said Mrs. Bigsby. "With that he riz up," continued Dan`l, ignoring his sister, "and, takin` them counterfeit notes from my hand, sez he: `Them notes belong to ME now,` sez he, `and I`m goin` to destroy `em.` And with that he walks over to the fire as stiff as a poker, and held them notes in it until they were burnt clean up." "Well, but that was honest and straightforward in him!" said Mrs. Bigsby. "Um! but it wasn`t business--and ye see"-- Dan`l paused and rubbed his chin. "Well, go on!" said Mrs. Bigsby impatiently. "Well, ye see, neither him nor me was very smart in detectin` counterfeits, or even knowin` `em, and"-- "Well! For goodness` sake, Dan`l, speak out!" "Well--THE DUM FOOL BURNT UP THREE GOOD BILLS, and we neither of us knew it!"
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