Nevada County picayune., 1889-09-25

'let me impose one fact upon your mind. The money is wanted only until tomorrow morning at O clock precisely. That is just as certain tc occur as the sun is to rise. I saw the man who is to pay the money. l saw the money. Now. Tom. you know am your friend, and wouldn't [ do anything that is not perfectly straight and honorable. Now, Tom you can have the SC, 25O without do- ing anyone any harm or perpetu- ting any wrong.'
 'You mean" said I, coldly, for 1 was beginning to get the drift of his scheme; "that l could steal this money from the bank.
 Nonsense, Tom" interrupted Bob, you insult me by supposing that I could hint at such a sugges- tion. Listen to my plan now. You know very well. Tom, that if you should say to the board of directions tomorrow morning: My friend here wants to borrow S5 ,000 and l will endorse his note for him. they wouldn't hesitate moment about letting me have it. Now, l want to borrow S5, ,O0O and l cant wait un- til the bank opens tomorrow morn ing. 1 want it and must have it to- night. 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, business like and honorable, and you will be richer by S6. .250. Now, if you can find any moral flaw in this simple lit tie matter of business, you have sharper perceptiye powers than I have"
 Bob's reason began to look plausi- ble. It was quite true, as he said, that the board of directors would willingly loan him 5000, but after all this business was a little irregular and don't feel quite right about it.
 Time is passing" said Bob, glancing at his watch, "and if you can't favor me in this little matter of business, 1 must try elsewhere. l am going to have the money tonight, sure, and if you won't help me there are others who will Why, Tom, said he, earnestly, ''how can you hesitate one moment? You have my positive assurance that everything is all right. l only ask you to do to- night what you wouldn't hesitate to dc tomorrow, Then think of your duty to yoursclf-to Nell-'
 Say no more,' said I. "you shall have the money"
 Bob and l hurried to the bank. and after going through the form of drawing up and signing the neccs- sary note, went to the vault to get the money. A queer, nameless feel ing crept over me as l approached the door and seized the handle to work the combination. l gave the handles the usual preliminary turns and then started to work the combi- nation. To my great surprise, to my horror l may say, l found that the combination was completely obiter ated from my mind. I couldn't re- member a turn nor figure. l was as utterly helpless as if had never seen a combination lock in my life. shut my eyes and rubbed my fore head. It was no use. The combi- nation wouldn't come. It was some thing that never had happened be- fore, the combination being always so ready in my mind that l worked it almost mechanically. But to- night it was no go. Some influence had so upset my mind that the com bination was entirely wiped out of it.
 Hurry up, Tom," said Bob, "and let's get through with this business. "
 But l can't" said l, helplessly ; "I've actually forgotten the combi- nation.'
 ..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 subtefuge like that"
 Its no subtefuge at all" l an swercd, indignantly. You shall have the money if l can unlock the vault, but l declare to you positively that l know no more how to work this combination than you do."
 "Well, that's singular" said Bob.