Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1915-03-26
A COMBINATION AFFAIR
BY JOHN EpeERToN.

down his pen, got down from his high
stool, and went quietly toward the Of
fee of Mr. Campion, the new manager.
He knocked timidly at the door.
Come I'M" shouted Campion. "Oh,
it's you, Jennings?"
Eyes, sir" stammered Jennings.
looking at Campion with courage born
of desperation. "Mr. Campion, want
to ask If the firm couldn't let me have
little more than hundred after this
month. I've been here 20 years, sir,
and it's eight years since had my last
increase"
"You see, sir" said Jennings, my
wife has been ordered away for two or
three months and-and it's pretty
hard to keep things going on s25
week"
"Sit down, jennings" said Campion.
He found what he meant to say unac-
countably difficult, and for that reason
he began to buster. Jennings, have
been thinking about you for some
time" he said. "We can't raise you.
In fact, it was my intention to ask you
to resign at the end of the month"
Jennings, struck dumb by the blow,
only looked appealingly at Campion.
You'll have to go at the end of the
month";" said Campion. We'll give
you months salary ahead And no
doubt you'll fall into another position
very soon-one more suited to you.
That'll be all, Jennings"
Utterly crushed, Jennings crept
back to his STOOL His mind whirled,
chaos seemed to have opened beneath
his feet. To lose his position, after 20
years service, at forty-three! What
could he do? 1t was the most terrible
thing that had ever happened to him.
He said nothing to his wife. Mary
and he never discussed Office affairs.
The days flew by. Jennings had
barely week at the office where he
had spent the better part of his work.
ing years. And as he sat on his stool
thoughts came into his mind that he
had never known before.
The safe in Campion's office was an
old one. On Saturday nights 1t con-
tanned never less than five or six thou
sand dollars, which came in during
the afternoon, after banking hours.
1t would be the simplest matter to
slip the key of Campion's Office from
its hook in the night watchman's little
office, open the safe with the old COM
bination, and retire with his booty.
The idea became an obsession and he
resolved to put 1t into execution on
the last Saturday of the month.
Everything favored his plan. Cam.
pion had gone away into the country.
AT six o'clock Jennings went out
among the other bookkeepers and
clerks, but, as soon as the last had de-
parted, he turned and made his way
back, secreting himself in a corner of
the stenographers' room, where half
blind old Sykes would never see him.
Midnight arrived before he crept out
toward the watchman's office. The
key to Campion's room hung by the
door. Old Sykes would sit, dreaming
of the past, behind half-partition of
wood, for hours at a time. In his
stockinged feet Jennings crept up, ab-
stracted the key and fed.
He put on his boots again and crept
cautiously toward Campions Office. He
thought he heard slight noise with
in, and hesitated, but 1t was not re-
peated, and, cautiously turning the
key in the door, Jennings entered.
A man in black mask was kneeling
in front of the safe, counting a pile Of
bills.
At the sight Jennings scheme of
theft was all forgotten. He remem-
bered only his long service with the
firm, his watchdog trust and obedi.
ence. And this burglar was about to
victimize them.
With shout Jennings leaped at
the fellow, who, taken Off his guard,
staggered back under the other mans
impetus. Then, seeing that Jennings
was unarmed, he sprang at him in
turn, welding a formidable iron
jimmy, with which he must have pried
open the window that gave on the in.
terror yard
Jennings evaded the blow and
caught the fellows arm. They wrestled
10 and fro, Jennings calling for help
oudly. His strength was outclassed
by that of the other, for 20 years of
office work does not make for mus
cularity. He knew that once he lost
fis hold on the burglars arm the
3immy would descend.
The burglar fought In silence, but in
desperation, too Jennings heard the
quick tramp of old Sykes feet outside.
He put forth all his strength to throw
the other to the floor But he lost his
grasp and the jimmy, raised, descend.
ed with fearful force upon his skull.
The last thing Jennings remembered
was seeing Sykes at the door, a pistol
In his hand. The last thing he heard
was the discharge of the weapon.
When he opened his eyes, to find
himself in his bed at home, and his
wife beside him, Jennings first
thought was of the ARRAY.