Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1893-04-15

clulm upon you. WnaJ DO L want Oh
you, you say. l want TO ask you
question. Where did you get the
money you played with to night?'
ITS none of your business"
Il presume not. But as there are no
witnesses to this interesting conversa-
ton | will venture an opinion that you
robbed the bank"
The young man took a step forward,
| but Pony stood his ground, using the
interval to light another cigarette.
Il will also venture an opinion, Mr..
Rowell, and say that the money came
as honestly into my pocket as it did
into yours"
THAT wouldn't be saying much for
it. have the advantage of you, how
ever, because the nine points are in my
favor. l have possession
what are you following me for? To
give me up?"
You admit the robbery, then?"
81 admit nothing"
"lt won't be used against you. AS
told you, there are no witnesses. 1t
will pay you to be frank. Where did
you get the money!"
Where many another man gets it.
Out of the bank"
II thought SO. Now, Forme, you're
not such IL fool as you lools-or act.
You know where all that sort of thing
leads to. You haven't any chance. All
the rules of the game are against you.
You have no more show than you had
against me tonight. Why not chuck
it before it is too late?"
''1t is easy for you to talk like that
when you have. my money in your
pocket"
but that simply is another rule of
the game. The money of thief is
bound to so into some one else's pocket.
Who ever enjoys the cash ultimately?
He never does. Now if you had the
money in your pocket what would you
do?'
II would go back to Mellish's and
have another try"
Il believe YOU" said Rowell with,
for the first time, some cordiality in
his voice. He recognized kindred
spirit in this young man. "Neverthe-
less it would be Il fool thing TO do. You
have two chances before you. You
can become sport rs l am, and spend
your life in gam bling-rooms. Or you
can become what is called n respecta-
BILE business man. But you can't be
both. In very short time you will
out and then you can only be what
am probably not as successful as
have been. If You supplement bank
robbery to your other accomplish
ments, then you will go to prison or,
what is perhaps worse, to Canada
Which career are you going to choose?"
Come down to plain facts. What do
you mean by all this talk? If say III
quit gambling do you mean that you
will return to me the thousand dollars
and call the other thousand square?"
If you give me your word of honor
that you will quit"
And if don't, what them"
Then on Monday l will hand over
this money to the bank and advise
them to look into your accounts"
And suppose my accounts prove to
be all right, what then?"
Roweli shrugged his shoulders. "ln
that remote possibility ] will give the
thousand dollars to you and play you
another game for it."
Il see. Which means that you che at
ed tonight"
''If you like to put it that way"
And what if l denounced you as a
self-confessed cheat?"
1T wouldn't mi tier to me. wouldn' t
take the trouble to deny it. Nobody
would believe you"
You're cool hand, Pony. / ad.
mire your cheek. Still, you've got some
silly elements in you"
"oh, you mean my trying to reform
you? Don't make any mistake about
that. IT is Mellish's idea, not mine. /
don't believe in you for moment"
The young man laughed. He reflect
ed for few seconds, then said: "Ill
take your offer. You give me back the
money and 1 will promise never to
gam BILE again in any shape o r form"
You will re turn the cash to the
banlS, if you took il from ther~?"
"Certainly. l will put it back the
first thing on Monday morning"
"Then here is your pile" said
Rowell, handing him the roll of bills.
Forme took it eagerly and, s ia ndine
where the light struck down upon him.
counted the bills, while Rowell looked
on silently with a cynical smile on his
lips.
Thank you" said the young man
you're good fellow, Rowell."
'I'm obliged for your good opinion
l hope you found the money correct?'
"Quite right" said Forme, flushing
little, 81 hope you did not mind my
counting it. Merely business habit
you know"
"Well stick to business habits, Mr.
Forme. Good night"
Rowe IL walked brislSly back to Mel
lish's. Forme walked toward th'
depot and found that there was traiI
for Chicago at four in the morning
He had one clear day and part o
another before he was missed and "a
it turned out all trace of him was los
, in the big city. The bank found abou
six thousand dollars missing. Tw'
years after, news came that Form