"Heaven bless you, Captain Sedley," said the poor widow, wiping away
her tears, as her benevolent friend got into his chaise.

Farmer Whipple was fortunately at home when he arrived at his house,
and Captain Sedley immediately opened his business.

"I don't much think that Tony did it," said the farmer; "but things
were agin him, you see."

"How much money was there in the wallet?" asked Captain Sedley.

"More'n I can afford to lose, Cap'n. It was a careless trick of mine."

"What was the amount?"

"There was forty-six dollars in bills, besides some odd change."

"Do you remember what banks the bills were on?"

"Most on 'em. There was a twenty dollar bill on the Rippleton Bank, a
ten on the Village Bank, and some small bills, mostly on Boston Banks."

"Where is the wallet now?"

"I got it; Squire Little said I might take it agin."

"Was the money all right?"

"Bless you, no! If it had been, I wouldn't say a word. All the small
bills were there, but the big ones were gone."

"Indeed!"

"That's the wo'st on't."

"Have you any description of the lost bills?"

"Well, yes; I reckon I should know the twenty agin, if I saw it."

"How?"

"Well, it happens rather lucky. Arter we came from the jail, I went
into Doolittle's store to git some tea. When I went in there, he was
fixin' some kind of a plate, with his name on't; a pencil plate, I
believe he called it."

"A stencil plate," said Captain Sedley.

"Jest so; he was marking his name on the back of some bank bills with
it. I telled him about the robbery, and that the twenty dollar bill he
give me the day before was gone with the rest. Then he telled me that
that twenty dollar bill was marked with his 'pencil plate,' d'ye see?"

"He might have marked a dozen others with it," added Captain Sedley.

"No, he didn't. You see, he didn't git the plate till jest afore he
paid me that bill, and he is sartin that is the only twenty dollar bill
he has marked."

"Did you see the mark yourself?"

"I saw sunthin' on it, but I couldn't read it without puttin' my
glasses on; so I didn't mind what it was."

Captain Sedley considered this important information. If the twenty
dollar bill, thus marked, should ever appear in the village, it might
furnish a clew by which to trace out the thief.

On his arrival at Rippleton village, he went to Doolittle's store, and
ascertained that he had marked no more bills; that he was sure he had
marked no other twenty dollar