The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1890-05-24

J
! utterly helpless as if had never seen
a combination lock in my life. | shut
my ey> S and rubbed my forehead. 1t
was no use. The combination wouldn't
come. 1t was something that never
had occurred before, the combination
being 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 comb
nation was entirely wiped out fit.
"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 combina-
ton"
"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 subtarfuge
like that
"It'S no subterfuge at ALL" | answer
e1, 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
"Haven't you a memorandum OF the
combination somewhere?
"Yes," said l, 81 have-and 1t Is
locked up in the vault"
"The deuce r' exclaimed Bob. "Well,
wait a little while and it may come back
to you"
We sat down and tried to converse
on other matters, but | couldn't help
cudge ling my brain to try to make it
Weld up that combination. But it was
of no use my mind was blank SO far
as these numbers were concerned.
There's no help for it, Bob" saidi l
at length. "If my life depended on it
| 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 confounded
mental freak"
"T.m," interrupted Bob, who had
been doing some serious thinking, 'it
may be all right. | confess | am a
little superstitious and what you call a
strange mental freak may be something
else-I don't know what, but some
thing seems to say, Stop right here,'
and l am gong to. Tom, I'll let the
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 success to re-
call that combination. finally drop
ped off to sleep, but awoke as the town
clock struck II. Just as the last stroke
died away, quick as fash the combi-
nation appeared clearly in my mind
again.
"The time is up" SAID to myself.
"Was Bob right in his theory2"
The next morning about 9 O'Clock
who should rush in the bank out Bob,
his face lighted up with some unusual
excitement. Beckoning me into pri-
vate room, he opened the interview by
exclsiming: "Tom, it was a special
providence.
"What on earth do you mean Bob?'
said l.
"Just this: BY your forgetting the
combination we were prevented from
being dlped to the tune of $1,000.
My friend was an innocent tool in the
| hands of the most adrolt set of sharpers
it was ever my fortune to encounter, 1t
was the most cleverly concocted scheme
the mind of mortal man ever conceived
and plausible enough to deceive better
and sharper men than either you or |.
So l say, Tom, you are under the care
of special providence, and you must
be singled GU; for some great work in
ife."
Bob's theory began to make some
impression en- my mind, but something
happened afterward that clnched my
belief. | called on Nell that night, for
would you believe i'll hadn't seen
the dear gIrl for forty eight hours, and
it seemed as many years-when, after
we had given testimony to the stability
of our joint and separate affections
which didn't take more than foity min
utes, Nell remarked in the most artless
manner:
"Tom, | had such a funny thing
come into my head last night that
must tell you of it. 1t was about s. 80
and | couldn't for the life of me keeE
my mind from running on the vault il
your bank, and don't you think | ever
got to imagining | could work the com
Emation. Why, the figures came into
my mind so distinctly tnat jotted them
down on piece of paper, and here
they are. OF course they don't amoun
anything, but | thought | would show
them to you"
| glanced at the figures she had lot
ted down, and almost gasped as
recognized the exact combination
What had gone out of my mind hat
gone straight into hers, where it was ii
safe keeping. made Nell occupy tn,
same chair with me, and then | tolC
her the whole story.
"You are indeed my guardian angel,
said |, ''for you have guarded in mys
terious manner not only my position
but my honor, which, next to you,
value above life ITSELF"
Then l kissed her fifty or sixty times
and we took a walk under the silen
stars.-Omaha World.
- nb,o