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McCutcheon, George Barr, 1866-1928

"Mr. Bingle"

Bingle. "Don't forget that I buried
him."
"--and they are prepared to settle a certain amount upon you for life,
Mr. Bingle."
"Well, that's nice of them," said Mr. Bingle.
"The amount will be decided upon at some subsequent meeting. In the
meantime, you are to accept from them the sum of one thousand dollars
for the purpose of providing yourself with--"
"I've just got to interrupt, Mr. Hoskins. I do it for your own sake.
You are wasting time and words. I shan't take a penny, as I said
before. I will not allow them to settle a certain amount upon me.
That's flat, Mr. Hoskins. I know how to be poor a blamed sight better
than I know how to be rich. It won't be a new thing to me. I'll get
along, so don't you worry. I have kept the books for this estate ever
since I came into control of it, just because I like to be busy at
something I know how to do without asking the advice of the butler or
anybody else. The books and accounts have been kept straight up to
this very day. You can put your auditors and expert accountants at
work on them to-morrow, if you like, and you'll find that they balance
to a cent.


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