magic and real detectives-第7部分

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and　after　scanning　it　a　moment；　inquired；　〃What　is　the　matter　with

it？〃



〃Is　it　good？〃　queried　the　anxious　owner。



〃I　wish　I　had　my　safe　full　of　the　same　sort；〃　answered　the　banker。

〃There　is　nothing　bad　about　the　bill。　　What　makes　you　think　so？

Perhaps　you　have　shown　me　the　wrong　one。　　Let　me　see　the　others。〃



〃I　must　have　left　the　rest　at　home；〃　replied　the　preacher；　fumbling

among　the　compartments　of　the　pocket…book。



Having　accomplished　the　object　of　his　mission　without　perpetrating；

as　he　thought；　any　disastrous　blunder；　Mr。　Sapp　brought　the

interview　to　a　close　with　a　few　commonplace　remarks；　and　hurried

away　to　enjoy　in　solitary　self…communion　the　thick…crowding　visions

of　future　affluence。



With　the　last　doubt　satisfactorily　overcome；　the　plans　of　the

prospective　millionaire　rapidly　took　shape。　　He　could　raise　five

hundred　dollars；　which　at　the　proposed　rate　of　interchange　would

purchase　twenty…five　thousand　of　the　〃absolutely　perfect

imitations。〃　　The　sum　seemed　vastincalculable。　　His　imagination；

hitherto　bound　down　by　the　narrow　circumstances　of　remote　rural

life；　staggered　while　trying　to　grasp　the　conception　of　so　much

wealth。　　Like　the　mysteries　of　time　and　space；　it　appeared　too

grand　for　comprehension。　　Then　his　reveries　strayed　into　another

channel。　　What　noble　fellows　were　Ragem　&　Co。　　Why；　among　forty

millions　of　people；　did　they　pick　out　him；　an　unknown　clergyman；

living　in　an　obscure　place　hundreds　of　miles　from　the　metropolis；

to　be　the　favored　recipient　of　untold　wealth？　　Surely；　this　is　a

special　Providence。　　Not　a　sparrow　falleth　to　the　ground　without

His　knowledge。　　He　watches　over　his　own。　　Suddenly　the　erring

clergyman　feels　a　terrible　pull　at　his　heart…strings。　　What　right

has　he；　about　to　betray　a　sacred　trust；　and　engage　in　operations

branded　as　infamous　by　the　laws　of　the　land；　to　claim　the　watchful

care　of　Providence？　　Will　not　the　all…seeing　eye　follow　him？　　Will

not　the　omnipotent　hand　strike　him　heavily　in　wrath？　　The　poor　man

wipes　the　cold　perspiration　from　his　forehead；　and　wonders　if　it

will　pay。



But　he　has　paltered　too　long；　and　now　the　devil　claims　him　for　his

own。



Returning　home；　Sapp　wrote　to　Ragem　&　Co。；　stating　the　amount　of

his　available　resources；　and　saying　that　upon　a　given　day　and　hour

he　would　meet　them　at　the　appointed　rendezvous。　　On　the　following

Sunday　the　congregation　were　startled　at　the　close　of　the　afternoon

services　by　an　extraordinary　announcement　from　the　pulpit。



Before　pronouncing　the　benediction　the　pastor　said：　〃I　take　this

opportunity　to　communicate　to　you　collectively　a　piece　of　personal

intelligence　which　I　have　hitherto　kept　secret。　　Under　the　will　of

a　relative　who　recently　died　in　the　State　of　Michigan；　I　inherit　a

large　sumto　me；　with　my　humble　wants；　a　very　large　sum。　　By

appointment；　I　am　to　meet　the　executor　of　the　estate　this　week　in

New　York　City　to　receive　the　first　installment　of　the　legacy。　　I　do

not　propose　to　leave　you；　my　dear　parishioners；　but　to　remain　among

you　and　toil　with　you　as　I　have　done　for　so　many　years。　　A　goodly

portion　at　least　of　my　inheritance　I　intend　to　invest　in　this

community；　that　neighbors　and　friends　may　share　jointly　in　my

prosperity。　　I　trust　I　may　be　guided　to　make　a　wise　use　of　the

talents　thus　unexpectedly；　and　I　may　say　providentially；　committed

to　my　keeping。　　We　know　from　the　teachings　of　Scripture　that　wealth

brings　great　responsibilities；　and　that　we　shall　be　held　to　a

strict　account　for　the　manner　in　which　we　employ　it。　　May　your

prayers　go　with　me。〃



The　congregation　crowded　around　the　pastor　with　congratulations。

Particularly　demonstrative　were　the　ebullitions　of　two　or　three

brothers　who　saw　a　chance　of　exchanging　sundry　unsalable

possessions　for　slices　in　the　inheritance。



Mr。　Sapp　reached　New　York　City　in　the　evening；　and　the　momentous

interview　was　to　take　place　at　an　early　hour　the　next　day。　　Sleep

came　in　brief　and　fitful　snatches。　　But　the　stars　roll　on　in　their

majestic　spheres；　regardless　of　mortal　hopes　and　fears。　　At　length

day　broke；　when　the　preacher　rose　from　bed　anxious　and　unrefreshed。

A　little　before　the　appointed　time　he　proceeded　to　a　certain

building；　and　having　mounted　two　flights　of　stairs；　saw　the　magic

number　on　the　door　in　front　of　him。　　As　the　clock　struck　he

entered。　　Agreeably　to　a　preconcerted　plan；　he　wiped　the　right

corner　of　his　mouth　with　a　white　handkerchief；　and　nodded　three

times。　　The　only　person　in　the　room；　a　well…dressed　and　apparently

affable　gentleman；　responded　by　wiping　the　left　corner　of　his　mouth

with　a　red　silk　handkerchief；　and　nodding　three　times。　　The　signal

is　correctly　answered：　it　is　he！　　So　far　all　works　beautifully；

with　every　promise　kept。　　The　bill　was　a　perfect　imitation；　the

engraver　is　on　hand　to　a　second。





　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Two　truths　are　told；

　　　　　As　happy　prologues　to　the　swelling　act

　　　　　Of　the　imperial　theme。〃





The　fellow　passing　under　the　name　of　Ragem　&　Co。　welcomed　the　new

arrival　cordially。　　〃Ah；〃　said　he　〃your　promptness　and

circumspection　show　that　I　am　not　disappointed　in　my　man。　　I　see

that　you　come　up　to　the　full　measure　of　my　expectations。　　Do　you

know　I　am　a　remarkable　judge　of　character？　　In　fact；　I　seldom　or

never　make　a　mistake。　　We　are　both　in　luck。〃



〃I　was　trained　to　punctuality　from　early　youth；〃　replied　the

preacher；　and　proceeding　directly　to　business；　without　further

circumlocution；　continued；　〃I　succeeded　in　raising　five　hundred

dollars；　which　entitles　me　under　the　agreement　to　twenty…five

thousand。〃



From　an　inner　pocket；　after　removing　a　number　of　pins；　he　produced

six　one　hundred　dollar　notes；　saying；　by　way　of　explanation；　〃For

greater　security　I　converted　my　funds　into　bills　of　large

denomination。　　One　I　reserve　for　contingencies；　the　other　five　are

for　you。〃



〃Your　money　is　here　in　the　safe；〃　said　Ragem；　taking　the　five

notes；　and　turning　toward　the　safe　as　if　to　unlock　it。　　But　the

scoundrel　evidently　reasoned　that　it　would　be　silly　to　remain

content　with　the　five　when　he　could　just　as　easily　capture　the

sixth。



Walking　back；　he　remarked；　〃I　want　to　show　you　that　my　large　bills

are　just　as　perfect　as　the　small　ones〃；　and；　as　if　for　purposes　of

comparison；　he　took　the　remaining　note　from　the　hand　of　the

clergyman。



At　this　moment　began　a　fearful　knocking　on　a　side　door；　that

threatened　the　speedy　demolition　of　the　frail　barrier。　　〃Run；　run；〃

whispered　Ragem；　as　if　in　the　extremity　of　terror；　〃the　police　are

on　us。〃



The　preacher　needed　no　second　invitation；　fear　of　exposure　giving

wings　to　his　feet。　　Almost　at　a　bound　he　cleared　the　two　flights　of

stairs　and　emerged　into　the　street；　walking　several　blocks；　and

turning　a　number　of　corners　before　he　dared　to　look　back。



The　bona　fide　occupant　of　the　room　where　these　parties　met　had　no

share　whatever　in　the　nefarious　transactions　carried　on　there。

Through　the　treachery　of　the　janitor；　Ragem　was　permitted　at

certain　hours　to　make　use　of　the　apartment　for　the　purpose　of

keeping　appointments　with　his　victims。　　A　confederate　stationed　on

the　outside　delivered　the　knocks　as　soon　as　customers　were　plucked

and　it　became　desirable　to　get　rid　of　their　company。　　Occasional

hints　of　improper　practices　reached　the　ear　of　the　real　lessee；　but

these　had　never　yet　taken　such　shape　as　to　give　a　decisive　clew　to

the　trouble；　dupes　for　the　most　part　pocketing　their　losses　in

silence。



After　an　interval　of　two　or　three　hours　Mr。　Sapp　plucked　up　courage

to　return。　　Having　mounted　the　stairs；　he　entered　the　room　warily。

His　late　partner　was　not　there。　　A　stalwart　gentleman；　who　seemed

to　be　the　proprietor；　1ooked　up　inquiringly；　and　was　not　a　little

puzzled　when　the　visitor　supplemented　the　performance　of　wiping　the

right　corner　of　his　mouth　by　three　deliberate　nods。　　〃What　can　I　do

for　you　to…day？〃　inquired　the　gentleman；　rising。



〃You　are；　I　presume；　a　partner　of　Mr。　Ragem；〃　answered　Sapp。　　〃I

see　he　is　out。　　Our　business　this　morning　was　unfortunately

interrupted　by　the　police；　and　I　have　returned　to　complete　it。〃



〃What　business？〃　asked　the　proprietor；　in　undisguised　astonishment。



Now　the　preacher　made　the　very　natural　mistake　of　supposing　that

the　surprise　manifested　by　his　interlocutor　was　a　mere　matter　of

policy　and　caution。　　Hence　he　proceeded　to　explain。　　〃Ragem　must

have　told　you。　　I　am　the　gentleman　who　gave　him　the　five　hundred

dollars；　and　he　said　that　my　twenty…five　thousand　were　locked　up　in

the　safe。〃



The　proprietor　did　not　wait　to　hear　more；　but　seizing　the

affrighted　creature　by　the　collar；　thundered　forth；　〃I　have　heard

of　you　before。　　You　are　the　villain；　are　you；　who　has　been　turning

my　office　into　a　den　of　thieves？　　I　have　caught　you　at　last！〃



Awaking　to　a　partial　comprehension　of　the　situation；　the　poor

wretch　stammered　forth；　〃There　must　be　some　mistake。　　My　name　is　a

is　ais　a　SmithSmithJohn　Smith。〃



〃John　Smith；　is　it？〃　growled　the　proprietor。　　〃Well；　all　I　have　to

say　is；　John　Smith；　if　not　the　biggest　is　the　most　numerous　rascal

in　the　city。　　John；　come　along　to　the　police　station。〃



And　John　went；　billows　of　trouble　rolling　over　him　as　the　waters　of

the　Red　Sea　closed　over　Pharaoh。　　Vain　the　effort　to　recall

consolatory　texts　pertinent　to　the　occasion！　　He　was　sorely

chastened　indeed；　but　the　stripes　were　inflicted　not　in　love　but　in

wrath。　　He　mourned；　yet　whence　could　he　look　for　comfort？



To　avoid　a　worse　fate；　the　prisoner　revealed　his　identity；

exhibited　the　correspondence　from　〃Ragem　&　Co。；〃　and　made　a　full

statement　of　the　facts。　　The　painful　news　reached　the　church

shortly　after　the　return　of　the　pastor；　when　his　pulpit　career　came

to　an　ignominious　end。　　He　soon　removed　to　the　far　West；　hoping　to

bury　his　disgrace　in　the　shades　of　the　primeval　forest。



The　fall　of　Rev。　Zachariah　Sapp　sound