The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1915-02-17
A COMBINATION AFFAIR
BY JOHN EDoERToN.

At IL o'clock John Jennings laid
down his pen. got down from his high
rtool, 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,
rs you, Jennings?"
Yes. sir" stammered Jennings,
looking at Campion with courage bcTr.
CT desperation. Mr. Campion, | want
to ask If the firm couldn't let me have
a 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 a
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. I'VE cant raise you.
In fact. 1t was my intention to ask you
to resign at the end of the month"
Jennings, struck dumb by the blow.
only looked appealingly at Campiom.
You'll have to go at the end of the
month";" said Campion. Wen give
you a months salary ahead. And no
doubt you'll fall into another position
very soon-one more suited to you.
1hatll 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 a 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 it 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 Campions office from
its hook in the night watchmans 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 it 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 watchmans office. The
key to Campions 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. abb
stracted the key and fed.
He put on his boots again and crept
cautiously toward Campion's office. He
thought he heard a slight noise with
in. and hesitated, but it 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 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-