"
"I see," he said, in a thoughtfull manner. "Well, perhaps you are right.
Although I'm afraid you've been getting one fifty cents you didn't
earn."
"I have never hung around," I retorted. "And no Archibald is ever a
sneak."
"Archibald!" he said, getting very red. "Why, then you are----"
"It doesn't matter who I am," I said, and got into the car and went
away very fast, because I saw I had made a dreadfull Slip and probably
spoiled everything. It was not untill I was putting the car up for the
night that I saw I had gone off with his overcoat I hung it on a nail
and getting my revolver from under a board, I went home, feeling that I
had lost two hundred dollars, and all because of Familey pride.
How true that "pride goeth before a fall"!
I have not yet explained about the revolver. I had bought it from the
gardner, having promised him ten dollars for it, although not as yet
paid for. And I had meant to learn to be an expert, so that I could
capture the Crimenal in question without assistance, thus securing all
the reward.
But owing to nervousness the first day I had, while practicing in the
chicken yard, hit the Gardner in the pocket and would have injured him
severely had he not had his garden scizzors in his pocket.
He was very angry, and said he had a bruize the exact shape of the
scizzors on him, so I had had to give him the ten plus five dollars
more, which was all I had and left me stranded.
I went to my domacile that evening in low spirits, which were not
improved by a conversation I had with Tom that night after the Familey
had gone out to a Club dance.
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