ere at the bottom. Above
them, folded up, was the five-twenty U. S. bond for five hundred
dollars, and upon it a small roll of green-backs.

"You see it's just as I say, Martin," said Smith, with an air of
frankness. "There's the shares that we can't do anything with, here's
the bond, and there's the money. Just take and count it, I may have been
mistaken in the amount."

Martin counted the roll of bills, and made out just one hundred dollars.
Of course he could not be expected to know that there had been three
hundred more, which, together with the other bond, were carefully
concealed in his confederate's breast-pocket.

"Yes, it's just a hundred dollars," he said, after finishing the count.

"Well, take fifty of them, and put in your pocket."

Martin did so.

"It aint what I expected," he said, rather ruefully. "If I'd knowed
there was so little in the box, I wouldn't have taken it."

"Well, it's better than nothing," said Smith, who could afford to be
philosophical, having appropriated to himself seven-eighths of the
money, and three-fourths of the bonds. "There's the bond, you know."

"Let me see it."

Smith extended it to Martin.

"When shall I sell it?" asked he.

"Not just yet. Wait till the affair blows over a little."

"Do you think there's any danger, then?" queried Martin, anxiously.

"Not much. Still it's best to be prudent."

"Hadn't you better sell it yourself?"

"Suppose I did," said Smith. "I might take the notion to walk off with
all the money."

"I don't think you would," said Martin, surveying his confederate
doubtfully, nevertheless.

"No, I don't think I would; but if you sell it yourself, you'll have the
affair in your own hands."

"But _I_ might walk off with all the money, too," said Martin, who
thought it a poor rule that didn't work both ways.

"I don't think you would," said Smith, "and I'll tell you why. We
belong to a large band, that are bound together by a terrible oath to
punish any one guilty of treachery. Suppose you played me false, and did
as you say,--though of course I know you don't mean it,--I wouldn't give
that for your life;" and he snapped his fingers.

"Don't!" said Martin, with a shudder. "You make me shiver. Of course I
didn't mean anything. I'm on the square."

"Certainly, I only told you what would happen to you or me, or any one
that was false to the others."

"I think I'd rather have you sell the bond," said Martin, nervously.

"If I were in