Willmar tribune., 1900-07-25

IN the morning he found an oppor-
tunity TO take Brown aside and ask
him: ..ssa.s =
"What did you want the safe combi-
nation for2" IS. >s.% t,,s III, eS,
"Have you got it?" asked the man,
eagerly. -. r.. .'s.=*ss. *,.:. e. 2 !
Perhaps have" r. + ~
Then let me have IL. Il promise
you'll won't get you into any scrape,
and if the scheme I have in my mind
works you will make q good thing
of it, - - =. 5- -. .....
Il don't want to get Bentley into
trouble" zfs zysS@s7 s-,@=*
"That's all right. What is the COM
bination?" e
In. reply Ebert handed him slip
Of paper upon which he had copied
Franks memorandum. Brown hastily
thrust it into his vest pocket, saying:
"Mum's the word!''
It was not until he had given up the
paper that the boy realized the seri-
BUSINESS of the crime he had been per-
suaded to commit. He had betrayed
his friends trust, he had perhaps
made himself the accomplice of a
thief. Yet he could not believe that
Brown really intended to rob the safe.
But for what other purpose could he
| want the combination
Ebert returned to his desk, his brain
in a whirl. Several times that day he
tried to get an opportunity to speak
with Brown, but the fellow seemed
to purposely avoid him. He returned
home that night a very unhappy boy,
and slept but little.
"You're wanted in the Office, Corey"
said one of the clerks to him on his
arrival at the store the next morning.
"Something's up, but I don't know
what"
In the private Office of the firm e.
bert found Mr.. Holt, Frank Bentley
and-to his great surprise-Brown's
| friend, Hammond.
"Corey," was the senior partners
abrupt greeting, "do you know where
Winston Brown is?'
"N-no, SIR" stammered the boy.
"Well, I can tell you. He is in Jail.
He was caught last night in the act Of
robbing the safe. This man"-indicat-
ing Hammond-"who is detective,
arrested him. We have suspected him
of robbing US of small sums for many
weeks, and for the last fortnight he
has been under the surveillance of Mr..
Sharp"
'Otherwise Hammond" added that
individual. 81 saw you give him the
paper containing the combination
you didn't imagine was near, did you
and here it is. Do you deny your
handwriting?"
"No;" said Ebert. IL wrote It.
but"
II do not think you realized the
enormity of the crime you were COM
mitting," interrupted Mr. Holt, cor
should place you under arrest. But
your friend Bentley has interceded in
your behalf, and am going to give
you the benefit of the doubt which ex-
lists. You may remain in my employ,
Corey, but you will be watched, and
should I find you unworthy of my
leniency I shall show you no mercy.
You may CO."
For many weeks Ebert knew that
he was under surveillance, but he felt
that he had had narrow escape, and
had no>right to complain. He resolved
to profit by the lesson he had received,
and he succeeded so well that at the
expiration OF. twelvemonth he was
promoted to position only second to
that held by Bentley.
II used to be always complaining of
my i'll luck, Frank" he said, "and the
more I complained the worse luck
had. but just as soon as I put my
shoulder to the wheel everything
seemed to change for the better.
wish I'd made up my mind sooner to
profit by those words of Mr.. Hol-
combs: Luck is only another name
for hard, well-directed work. '"-Gold-
en- Days.