lies with it, give him the money,
and ask no further questions, for he is certainly the right man.

"But if you shall prefer a public inquiry, then publish this present
writing in the local paper--with these instructions added, to wit:
Thirty days from now, let the candidate appear at the town-hall at eight
in the evening (Friday), and hand his remark, in a sealed envelope, to
the Rev. Mr. Burgess (if he will be kind enough to act); and let Mr.
Burgess there and then destroy the seals of the sack, open it, and see
if the remark is correct: if correct, let the money be delivered, with
my sincere gratitude, to my benefactor thus identified."

Mrs. Richards sat down, gently quivering with excitement, and was soon
lost in thinkings--after this pattern: "What a strange thing it is! ...
And what a fortune for that kind man who set his bread afloat upon the
waters!... If it had only been my husband that did it!--for we are so
poor, so old and poor!..." Then, with a sigh--"But it was not my Edward;
no, it was not he that gave a stranger twenty dollars. It is a pity too;
I see it now...." Then, with a shudder--"But it is GAMBLERS' money! the
wages of sin; we couldn't take it; we couldn't touch it. I don't like to
be near it; it seems a defilement." She moved to a farther chair... "I
wish Edward would come, and take it to the bank; a burglar might come at
any moment; it is dreadful to be here all alone with it."

At eleven Mr. Richards arrived, and while his wife was saying "I am SO
glad you've come!" he was saying, "I am so tired--tired clear out; it is
dreadful to be poor, and have to make these dismal journeys at my time
of life. Always at the grind, grind, grind, on a salary--another man's
slave, and he sitting at home in his slippers, rich and comfortable."

"I am so sorry for you, Edward, you know that; but be comforted; we have
our livelihood; we have our good name--"

"Yes, Mary, and that is everything. Don't mind my talk--it's just a
moment's irritation and doesn't mean anything. Kiss me--there, it's all
gone now, and I am not complaining any more. What have you been getting?
What's in the sack?"

Then his wife told him the great secret. It dazed him for a moment; then
he said:

"It weighs a hundred and sixty pounds? Why, Mary, it's for-ty thousand
dollars--think of it--a whole fortune! Not ten men in this village are
worth that much. Give me the paper."

He skimmed through it and said:

"Isn't it an adventure!