Those who Laugh Last,Laugh Best!

HenryKendalwalkedintohishouse,tookoffhisbigcoat,andsatdown.Thenhereadtheletteragain:

Iwantfivehundredpounds,andIllcometoyourhousetogetit.Youmayhavefourdaystogetthemoneyready.Fivehundredpoundsisnotverymuchforarichmanlikeyou."WhymustIpay？"youwillask.Illtellyoutheanswer.Iknewyourfather.Hemadebanknotes,didnthe？Doyouwanteveryonetoknowthis？Idontthinkso.Illtelleveryoneifyoudontpay.SohavethemoneyreadywhenIcome.One－poundnotes,please,andoldnotes.Donttellanyone.BealonewhenIcome.Idontlikethepolice.

A.B.C

Kendalsfacewastroubled.Hewasrichnow,butintheolddayshewaspoor.WhenhewasaboyatCamber,hisfathergotintotroublewiththepolice.Hisfatherhadasmallroomatthebackofthehouse.Hemadebadmoneyinthisroom.Hemadebanknotes,hundredsofthem.Butthepolicecametothehouseoneday,andtheyfoundsomeofthenotes.Theydidnotfindallofthem,becausehisfatherhidalot,buttheyfoundsomeandtheycaughthisfather.Thatwastheendoftheboyshomelife.Thepolicetookhisfatheraway,andyoungHenrylefthome.EveryoneinCamberknewhisfather,andtheboydidnotliketostayinthetown.Helefthismotherandranaway.HecametoNorton.

Atfirsttheboygotsomeworkinashop.Butaftersomeyearshefoundworkatthebank.Everyonelikedhim.Heworkedhard.Hehadahappyface.Hehelpedeveryonewhenhecould.Hegotbetterandbetterworkatthebank,andnowhehadthehighestplacethere.Alotofpeopleknewhimwellandlikedhim.

Hisfatherwasdeadnow,butsomeoneknewabouthim。WhatcouldKendaldo？"Ifanyonetellspeopleaboutmyfather,"hethought,"Imustleavethebank.Thatwillbetheendofmyhappylife."ButKendalwasafighter."Iflifeishard",hethought,"Imustfightit.TheremustbesomethingthatIcando.Idontwanttotellthepolice.Isthereanotherway？WhatshallIdo？"

Fournightslater,Kendalwassittingathistableathome.Heheardthenoiseofacarfaraway.Itcamenearer,butitdidnotcometothehouse.Thecarstoppedsomewayalongtheroad.

ThesoundofamansfeetcametothedoorandKendalwenttoopenit.Therewasnotmuchlightoutside."Kendal？"askedthemanwhostoodthere.Kendalcouldjustseeafacewhichwaspartlycoveredwithapieceofcloth.Twohardeyeslookedoutthroughtwoholesinthecloth.

"Yes."saidKendal."AreyouthemanwhocallshimselfA.B.C？"

"Yes.Areyoualone？"

"Yes.Comein."

"Walkinfrontofme."saidtheman.

Kendalturned,andthemanshutthedoor.Kendaltookhimintothehouse.Inthelightoftheroom,Kendalcouldseebetter.Themanwascarryingagun.Themancameintotheroomandturnedhisheadtoleftandright.

"Theresnoonehere,"saidKendal."Youcanputthatgunaway.YoureabiggermanthanIam.Theresachairbythefire.Sitdown."Themansatdowninthechairbythefireandputhisgunaway.HiseyesneverleftKendalsface,buthelaughed.

"Soyouregoingtopay,"hesaid."Youreright.Kendal.Itsbetter.WhatwillpeoplethinkifItellthemaboutyourfather？Willtheywantyoutostayatthebank？Idontthinkso,andyoudontthinkso."Helaughedagain.

Kendalwalkedovertohistable.Themanshardeyesundertheclothlookedathim.Kendaltookoutsomebanknotes.Hedidnotspeak.Heputthemoneyintothemanshands.Thenoteswereoldanddirty.

"Good!"saidA.B.C.."Thenotesareold."Heturnedthemoverinhishands，onebyone."Yes，"hesaid.Hestoodup."Therearefivehundred，asItoldyou.Wevehadnotrouble，andImglad，Kendal."Hewalkedtothedooroftheroomandopeneditquickly.Noonewasoutside.

TendayslaterKendalwassittinginhisownroomatthebankwhenapolicemancamein.Thepolicemangavehimaone－poundnote."Willyoulookatthat，Sir?"heasked.Kendalputthenoteonhistableandlookedatit.Thenheputituptothelightofthewindowandlookedthroughit."Thisnotesbad，"hesaid."Wethoughtso，"saidthepoliceman.

"Yes，itsbad.Wheredidyougetit?Aretheresomemorebadnotesinthetown?"

"Yes，Illtellyouaboutthem."Saidthepoliceman."Someshopkeepersbroughtussomenoteslikethis.Theywereallbad.Haveyouseenanybadnotesatthebank?"

"No，Idontknowofany."

"Thatsagoodthing.Someoneinthetownwasbuyingthingsattheshopswithbadmoney.Westartedtolookfortheman.Ithappenedjustlately.Weneverhadanybefore."

"Wheredidhegetthem?Doyouknow?"

"No.Weaskedhim，buthedidnttellus."

Kendalsatbackinhischair."Whatwillhappentohimnow?"hesaid.

"Oh，weshall...er...takehimaway."

Kendalwenttothedoorwithhim."Whatisthemansname?"heasked.

"AlanBrianCarroll."

"Oh，yes，Isee.AlanBrainCarroll.A.B.C.，"Kendallaughed."IdidverywellwhenIkeptsomeofmyfathersbadoldnotesandgavethemtoA.B.C.."