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d pleased to have Beulah at home。 However； Beulah did not learn to sing and talked very little。 Gibbons stispected that she was afraid to open her mouth in Buck's presence…she was willing to talk； or at least to answer； when Gibbons rode her alone 。 。 。for it worked out； to Gibbons' surprise； that Beulah was his saddle mule； Dora rode the big male brute； even when the stirrups of the stock saddle had to be shortened ridiculously to fit her child's legs。
But steadily the stirrups had to be lengthened as Dora grew toward young womanhood。 Beulah dropped a foal； Gihbons kept her and Dora named her 〃Betty〃 and trained the baby mule as she grew； at first letting her amble along behind with an empty saddle； then teaching her to accept a rider in the paddock。 There followed a time when their daily rides became sixsomes and often picnics； with Mrs。 Mayberry up on Buck； the steadiest； and with the lightest load； Dora on Betty； and with Gibbons as usual riding Beulah。 Gibbons remembered that summer as a most happy one： Helen and himself knee to knee on the older mounts while Dora and the frisky youngster galloped ahead； then running back with Dora's long brown hair flying in the breeze。
One such time he asked； 〃Helen； are the boys beginning to sniff around her？〃
〃You old stud； don't you think about anything else？〃
〃e off it； dear； I asked for information。〃
〃Certainly the boys are noticing her； Ernest； and she is noticing them。 But I will do all the worrying necessary。 Not much； she's far too choosy to put up with second best。〃
The happy family picnics did not resume the following summer。 Mrs。 Mayberry was feeling the years in her bones； and could mount and dismount only with help。
Gibbons had plenty of time to be ready before the murmurings about his monopoly of the banking business came to a head。 The New Beginnings Bank of merce was a bank of issue； he （or Zaccur） always set up such a bank in each colony they pioneered。 Money was necessary to a growing colony； barter was too clumsy。 Some medium of exchange was needed even before government was needed。
He was not surprised when he was invited to meet with the town's selectmen to discuss the matter； it always happened。 That evening； as he trimmed his Vandyke and added a touch more gray to it and to the hair on his head in preparation for the confrontation； he reviewed in his mind proposals he had heard in the past for making water run uphill； the sun to stand still； and one egg to be counted as two。 Would there be some novel numbskullery tonight？ He hoped so but did not expect it。
He plucked hairs from his 〃receding〃 hairline…damn it； it was getting harder and harder to age enough each year！…then put on his war…plaid kilt ；not only more impressive but with more ways to conceal weapons…and get at them quickly。 He was fairly sure that no one was； as yet； annoyed enough at him to start violence； but once he had been too optimistic； since that time he had been a pessimist as a fixed policy。
Then he hid some items； locked up others； set some gadgets that Zaccur had fetc？ed last trip but which were not offered for sale at the Top Dollar T。P。； unlocked his door； handlocked it from outside； and left by the route through the bar； so that he could tell the barkeeper that he would be away 〃a few minutes。〃
Three hours later Gibbons had settled one point： No one had been able to think of any new way to debase currency that he had not heard at least five hundred years earlier…more likely a thousand…and each was certainly much； much older in history。 Early in the meeting he asked the Moderator to have the Town Scribe write down each question so that he could answer them in a lump…and was allowed to have it his way by being balky。
At last the Moderator Selectman； Jim 〃Duke〃 Warwick4 said； 〃That seems to be it。 Ernie； we have a motion to nationalize…I guess that's the word…the New Beginnings Bank of merce。 You're not a selectman； but we all agree that you are a party with a special interest； we want to hear from you。 Do you want to speak against the proposal？〃
〃Not at all； Jim。 Go right ahead。〃
〃Eh？ I'm afraid I didn't understand you。〃
〃I have no objection to the bank being nationalized。 If that's all； let's adjourn and go to bed。〃
Someone in the audience called out； 〃Hey； I want my question about New Pittsburgh money answered！〃
〃And mine about interest！ Interest is wrong…it says so in the Bible！〃
〃Well； Ernie？ You said earlier that you would answer questions。〃
〃So I did。 But if you are nationalizing the bank； wouldn't it make more sense to put questions to your state treasurer； or whatever you decide to call him？ The new head of the bank。 By the way； who is he？ Hadn't he better sit up here on the platform？〃
Warwick pounded his gavel； then said； 〃We haven't got that far； Ernie。 For the time being the entire Council of Selectmen is the finance mittee…if we go ahead with this。〃
〃Oh； by all means go ahead。 I'm shutting down。〃
〃What do you mean？〃
第36节
〃Just an doesn't like to have his neighbors dislike him。 The people of Top Dollar don't like what I've been doing or this meeting would never have been called。 So I've quit。 The bank is closed； it will not reopen
tomorrow。 Nor ever； …with me as president of it。 That's why I asked who your state treasurer will be。 I'm as interested as anyone in finding out what we are going to use for money from here on…and what it will be worth。〃
There was dead silence； then the Moderator had to pound his gavel and the Sergeant at Arms was very busy； all to shouts of 〃What about my seed loan？〃 〃You owe me money！〃
〃I sold Hank Brofsky a mule on his personal note…what do I collect？〃
〃You can't do this to us！〃
Gibbons sat quietly； not letting his alertness show； until Warwick got them quieted down。 Then Warwick said； wiping sweat from his brow： 〃Ernie； 1 think you've got some explaining to do。〃
〃Certainly； Mr。 Moderator。 The liquidation will be as orderly as you will let it be。 Those who have deposits will be paid 。 。 in banknotes； that being what was deposited。 Those who owe money to the bank…well； I don't know； it depends on the policies the council sets up。 I suppose I'm bankrupt。 I can't know until you tell me what you mean when you say my bank is being 'nationalized。'
〃But I have had…to take this step： Top Dollar Trading Post is no longer buying with banknotes…they may be worthless。 Each deal will have to be barter。 But we will continue to sell for banknotes。 But I took down the posted prices just before I came here tonight 。 。 because the stock I have on hand may be all I ever have with which to redeem those banknotes。 Which could force me to raise prices。 It all depends on whether 'nationalize' is simply another word for 'confiscate。'〃
Gibbons spent several days explaining to Warwick the elementary principles of banking and currency； patiently and with good humor…to Warwick by Hobgon's choice because the other selectmen found that