Ye see I happened to have that draft--jest a
thousand an' I turned it in here at the bank. I remember how the feller
at the winder tried to make me take thim dirty bills an' I would not, as
neither would you if you lived as long in the west as I have, sir, an'
got used to the good, clean gold. 'It's the gold or nothin' I'll have'
says I to him, 'clean money to pay a clean debt' an' we had some words
over it--his bein' on the other side o' the winder, ye see, where he
could talk to me. An even eight hundred and fifty I gave the Judge, one
hundred and forty I paid the undertaker and the other tin I gave to Denny
here as I was leavin'. The priest I paid out of some I had in me belt."
"Come," said Dan, "we must go to the bank."
In the rear room of the little country bank, Dan introduced the Irishman
to the cashier, Colonel Dunwood.
"I think I have met Mr. McGowan before," said the Colonel with a smile.
"Mrs. Mulhall's brother are you not? You were here when Jack was killed."
"I was, sir. Glad to meet you again, sir."
"Do you remember cashing a draft for Mr. McGowan, Colonel?" asked Dan.
The banker laughed heartily. "I should say I did--a thousand dollars in
gold. I was glad the counter was between us, when I tried to persuade him
to take paper. Why sir, not in twenty years in this state would you find
a man who would even accept the gold, let alone fighting for it!"
Then Dan explained briefly the situation.
When he had finished the Colonel sprang to his feet with an oath.
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