Connecticut western news., 1889-09-18
VOL. XIX.

the bank opens tomorrow morning. want it and I must have it tonight. You can sign note with me for the amount; we will go to the bank and get the money, leaving the note in the place of it. In the morning before the bank opens the note will be taken up, nothing done that has not been straight, businesslike, and honorable; but you will be richer by $6,2 ,25O. Now if you can find any moral flaw in this simple little matter of business, you have sharper perspective powers than I have." -.
 Bob's reason began to look plausible It was quite true, as he said, that the board of directors would willingly loan him $5 ,OOO; but, after all, this business was little irregular, and l didn't feel quite right about it.
 "Time is passing" said Bob, glan- cling at his watch, "and if you can't favor me in this little matter of busi- ness I must try elsewhere. lam going to have the money tonight, sure, and if you won't help me there are others who will. Why, Tom," said he earn estly, chow can you hesitate one mo- ment3 "You have my positive assur- ance that everything is all right. I only ask you to do tonight what you wouldn't hesitate moment in doing tomorrow. Then think of your duty to yourself-to Nell"
 "Say no more said," said I, "you shall have the money"
 Bob and I hurried to the bank, and after going through the form of draw ing up and signing the necessary note, Iwent to the vault to get the money. A queer, nameless feeling crept over me as approached the door and seized the handle to work the combination. To my great surprise, to my horror I may say. found that the combination was completely obliterated from my mind. I couldn't remember a turn nor figure. was as utterly helpless as if I had never seen combination lock in my life.
 shut my eya and rubbed my fore head. It was no use. The combina- ton wouldn't come. It was some thing that never had occurred before, the combination being always so ready in my mind that I worked it almost mechanically. But tonight it was no go. Some influence had SO upset my mind that the combination was entirely wiped out of it.
 "Hurry up, Tom," said Bob, "and let's get through with this business"
 ssBut I can't," said I, helplessly; ''I've actually forgotten the combina- tion."
 "Come, come, Tom, said Bob, ''that won't do, you know. If you don't want to let me have the money, why, say so, but don't resort to a subterfuge like that"
 s'It's no subterfuge at all," I an- swered, indignantly. "You shall have the money if can unlock the vault, but declare to you positively that I know no more how to work this con- bination than you do."
 "Well, that's singular" said Bob. "Haven't you a memorandum of the combination somewhere?"
 "Yes," said l. ''l have-and it is locked up in the vault"
 "The deuce!" exclaimed Bob. s'Wen, wait little while and it may come back to you."
 We sat down and tried to converse on other matters, but I couldn't help cudgeling my brain to try to make it yield 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 l, at length. elf 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, all on account of this con- founded mental freak-''
 ''Tom," interrupted Bob, who had been doing some serious thinking, cit may be all right. I confess am lit tie superstitious, and what you call a strange mental freak may be some- thing else-I don't know what-but something that seems to say, Stop right here,' and am going to. Tom, I'll let this opportunity slide and trust to time for further explanations"
 And we left the bank with the money in the vault undisturbed. ] went to bed, still trying without suc- cess to recall that combination. finally dropped off to sleep, but awoke as the town clock struck l2. Just as the last stroke died away, quick as g flash the combination appeared clearly in my mind again.
 "The time is up," I 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 some unusual excitement. Reckoning mt into private room he opened the in terview by exclaiming impressively "Tom, it was a special providence'