Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1909-06-02
A DOUBLE COMBINATION !
TREASURE BOX. !
; s##+++*%##+++++*'
By ELBERT 7. BENTLEY.

clstion.l
.sThere's a letter for you In the box.
Billy" said the farmer. "Somepin I'm
portant, ! reckon"
! Billy Andrews, a young farm hand.
threw down a pitchfork with which
/ he had been tossing hay on to wag-
on. went to a rural delivery box ON
/ lhe road and took out a letter. Tie
/ printing referred to was tbs. firm name
and address Of Cleayer, Cutie &
/ Crane. attorneys at la.7 The letter
/ stated that William Henderson, Billy's
uncle, had died and before his death
/ had executed an instrument giving his
nephew. who had been NAMED for him,
1 a farm worth $4,000. The deed was
/ deposited IN a safety deposit cOmpa-
nys vault in the city The key to the
box was at the attorneys Office, and
| Billy could have it by calling for It the
next day at 3 p. m.
Obtaining leave to 90 to the city at
the appointed time, Billy put on his
store suit. took train and in an hour
was IN the Office Of Cleaver. Cutie Sc
Crane. Mr. Crane received him and
read him the document by which the
farm was conveyed. It was very
singular paper. The box at the de-
post company was one usually rented
to business partners 1t had a double
combination lock, one half Of the COM
binatiOn being known to one partner
and the other half to the other. so
that it could only be opened when
both were present Mr.. Henderson bad
given $4,000 IN bonds TO another per-
son, and, for the sake Of economy, so
said the instrument. had deposited the
deed and the bonds together IN one OF
these double combination boxes. IL
was specified tina; either party should
go at the others call to assist in open
ing the box. Mr.. Crane had notified
the other party to be at the deposit
company's vaults at ! o'clock that day.
This economical arrangement was
certainly very well devised, though
Mr.. Henderson had not been a money
saver and It seemed singular that he
should SO suddenly have shown such a
disposition Mr. Crane sent a clerk
with Billy to the vaults, and the young
farmer was shown into n parlor and
asked to wait a few minutes. He
spent them wondering what the "other
fellow looked lke--if he were a farm
err or a city chap. While he was con
iectrring tTo door opened and the Gus
tods.n ushered in as pretty a country
girl Of eighteen or Whereabouts as Billy
had ever seen. She was Lucy Miller,
the owner Of the bonds
Il viii take YOU two" said the Gus.
todan, ito your box and show you the
process Of opening It,"
Opening several doors composed OF
steel bars and several more of solid
metal, he took Them into place
where boxes were ranged in profusion.
Turning Il key in the lock of their box,
the custodian opened a small. thick
door and exposed knob. He gave
Billy a series of numbers and showed
bin how 10 turn the knob. Then Ire
supplied Miss Miller with similar in
formation The joint owners of the
box were occupied casting sly glances
at each other. and It required several
lessons to enable them to get at their
! respective treasures. When the box
was finally opened each took a look at
the contents They expressed them
selves satisfied exchanged addresses
aud departed.
In couple Of days Lucy Miller re-
cetyed note from Billy saying the
whole matter had been such a surprise
to him that he had not even thought
60 notice the location of his farm.
Would she mind meeting him again at
an appointed time? or course she con
scented she was obliged to consent
and four days after the first opening
there was a second one, Then lucy
wrote that some one had asked her IL
her bonds were registered" or "cou-
pom, and she didn't know. She would
like him 10 help her unlock the box.
During the second week of the joint
ownership the box was opened four
times. On tho fourth Billy told the
custodian that he needn't trouble him
self to come with them to the box
since they now understood the opening
/ process perfectly. The custodian smiled
aud reminded Billy that he had GER
} tain unlocking TO do himself When
tScy left the office Billy looked wist-
fully at leather covered sofa in the
/ parlor. wishing he and Lucy could sit
/ there awhile together but tue deposit
company was n place of business and
nothing else However, when Lucy
wished to cut her coupons Billy was
permitted TO 20 into little by 6
compartment with her while she did
/ the clipping,
/ Billy wished to take possession Of
his farm but had no money for live
stock or farming implements. This
/ suggested Lucy's bonds. He couldn't
steal them II he wanted TO, which he
didn't, for both Lucy and the custo-
/ dian were present when they were
+ open Ia him Besides. what would he
/ do ON the favm alone? lie wouldn't
/ thluk Of running 1t without woman's
help.
/ ono day BDly got note from the
/ manager of thc deposit company that
the partnership box had been rented
for only three months and the term
was about to expire Billy and Lucy
could not have it for another term
Ter the reason that their visits to their
hox were $50 frequent that It took up
too ouch W he custodian's time.