Page:The gold brick (1910).djvu/183

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present, shall proceed to take an account of all moneys, papers, books, records and other property coming into his possession; and the auditor shall take of such succeeding treasurer his receipt therefor and keep the same on file in his office.' There," concluded Gilman, closing the book, and then immediately reopening it, "that's it—it's chapter one hundred and thirty, section sixteen of the act of eighteen seventy-three, page twenty-three twenty-seven."

"Now turn," said the governor, "to the chapter on elections, chapter forty-six, I think it is, and see what it says about the appointment of a successor."

Gilman tilted up the first volume, and inspected the red and black labels on its back; then he turned to chapter forty-six, and, running his finger down the pages until he found the section, read hurriedly, mumbling his words until he came to the vital sentence:

"'When a vacancy shall occur in the office of secretary of state, auditor of public accounts,' yes, here it is" (he accentuated the word) "'treasurer, attorney-general, superintendent of public instruction'" (he was reading rapidly now and running words