Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-06-27

forehead. It was no use. The combina
 tton wouldn't come. It was somethins
 that never had occurred before, the com
 hinaJion being always so ready in m,
 mind that worked it almost mechani
 cally. But tonight it was no go. Some
 influence had so upset my mind that tho
 combination was entirely wiped out ot it. l Hurry up, Tom" said Bob, "and let $ get through with this business"
 ''But can't" said I, helplessly; "Ive
 actually forgotten the combination Come, come, Tom," said Bob, that
 won't do, you know. If you don't want
 10 let me have the money why say so put dont resort to subterfuge like
 that"
 '.It's no subterfuge at all" answered
 indignantly. "You shall have the money If can unlock tho vault, but I declare to you positively that I know no more how to work this combination than YOU
 do."
 Well. that's singular said Bob. "Haven't you memorandum of the combination somewhere?"
 "Yes said I. Il have and it is locked up in the vault"
 "The deuce!" exclaimed Bob. .We,l. wait a little while and it may come back to you"
 We sat down and tried to converse on other matters, but couldnt help cudgel- ling my brain to try to make 1t yicid up that combination. But it was of no Use. my mind was blank so far as those numbers were concerned.
 There's no help for it, Bob," said I, at length. 'f my life depended on it I couldn't open that vault at this time. Deuce take the luck, anyhow! Six thousand two hundred and fifty dollars just within my grasp, and now to lose it lll on account of this confounded mental freak-"
 "Tom," interrupted Bob, who had been doing some serious thinking, ''it may be all right. l confess 1 am little super stltlous, and what you call a strange mental freak may be something elsu-I don't know what-but something that seems to say stop right here, anl i an going to. Tom, I'll let this opportunity slide and trust to time for further cxpl;s- nations."
 And we left the bank with the money in the bank undistulbed. I went to bed, stlll trying without success, to recall that combination. I finally dropped of to sleep, but awoke as the town clock strilci; l2. Just as the last stroke died away, quick as flash the combination ap-. peared clearly in my mind again
 1.-The time is up" l said to myself. "Was Bob right in his theory?"
 The next morning about 9 o'clock who should rush into the bank but Bob, his face lighted up with somo unusual OK citement. Reckoning mo into a private room he opened the interview by eN- special providence !"
 What on earth do you mean. Bob?" said I.
 "Just this. By your forgetting the combination we were prevented from being duped to the tune of S5,OOO. Nv friend was an innocent tool in tho hands of the most adroit set of sharpers it was ever my fortune to encounter. It was the most cleverly concocted scheme the mlnd Of mortal man ever conceived, and plausible enough to deceive better and sharper men than either you orI So say, Tom, you arc under the care of a special providence, and you must be out for some great work in life"
 Bob's theory began to make some i'm press1on on my mind, but something happened afterward that clinched my belief: called on Nell that night, for would you believe it?-I hadn't seen the lear girl for forty-eight hours, and it seemed as many years-when, after we stability of our joint and separate af- .ections, which didn't take more than orty minutes. Nell remarked, in the most artless manner: ''Tom, I had such funny thing come into my head last night that l must tell you about it. It vas about S.3O, and I couldn't for the lfe of me keep my mind from running 'n the vault in your bank, and, don't 'ou think, l even got to imagining that
 could work the combination. Why, the igures came into my mind so distinctly hat jotted them down on a piece of .aper, and here they are. Of course hey don't amount to anything, but I bought would show them to you"
 l glanced at the figures she had noted town and almost gasped as I recognized he exact combination. What had gone ut of my mind had gone straight into lers, where 1t was in safe keeping. I nade Nell occupy the same chair with ne and then told her the whole story.
 "You are, indeed. my guardian angel" aid l, 'for you have guarded in mys- erious manner not only my position, but ny honor, which, next to you, I value bove life itself" Then I kissed her fifty or sixty times l nd we took walk under the silent stars. | Practical Educator.