Book-bot.com - read famous books online for free

Frank Among The Rancheros by [pseud.] Harry Castlemon
page 27 of 172 (15%)
his business. The room was furnished with a high desk, a three-legged
stool, and a small safe, which, like those in banks, was set into the
wall, so that nothing but the door could be seen.

"That is just the place for it," said Mr. Brown; "it will be secure
there."

"But I haven't got the key," replied Frank; "uncle always carries it in
his pocket."

"Well, I don't suppose there would be any danger if you were to leave
the money on the porch. Of course, your hired people can be depended on,
or your uncle wouldn't keep them."

Frank thought there was at least one person on the rancho who could not
be trusted to any great extent; but, of course, he said nothing about
it. He glanced around the room, wondering what he should do with the
money, when he discovered that his uncle had left the key of the desk in
the lock. For want of a better place, Frank decided to put the gold in
there. Mr. Brown took it out of his saddle-bags, and packed it away in
the drawer--six bags in all, each containing two thousand dollars, in
bright, new "yellow-boys." Then, declining Frank's invitation to stay to
dinner, the gentleman bade him good-by, mounted his horse, and resumed
his journey.

"Twelve thousand dollars!" said Frank, to himself, as he locked the desk
and put the key into his pocket. "Why, that's a fortune! Now that I
think of it, I almost wish Mr. Brown hadn't left it here. What would
Uncle James say if somebody should break into the house and steal it?"

DigitalOcean Referral Badge