Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1917-06-15

away. "rm out of the business, for
keeps. I'm clear through with lifting
out of the safety boxes what belongs
| to Others"
"You misunderstood me-" quickly
said my young man. 81 don't want to
take anything out of q safe. On the
contrary, want to put something in"
I was little staggered at this, for
it was a proposition had never be-
fore run across. It's oddness attract
ed me.
"As how, now?" said !.
He put his hand on my shoulder In
a confding, pleading sort of a way.
There was that in his face that ap-
pealed to me. Then his words made
the effect still stronger with me.
''They tell me you are a man who
| wouldn't sell partner" he said. II
want you to be partner. 1 want you
to agree not to sell me. I'm in trou-
BILE. I've made a terrible mistake and
want to rectify it,"
He was dreadfully pale and earnest
l-n0w.<sHis hand trembled and his voice
Quavered.
Sire away" said.
II have been cashier of big f1nan-
cial house." he went on, "and the vault
and safe were in my charge. Two
days ago 1 was lured into what looked
like big speculation. 1t was Carbide
Limited. 1 borrowed a trust package
of ten thousand dollars to invest.
think / must have been crazy at the
time to do it, but did it. The stock
went down. Today at noon it rallied.
l sold out at big profit. / hurried
to the Office to replace the ten thou
sand dollars. It was to be met by my
employer, who announced that the di-
rectors had advanced me to vice
presidency. The man appointed in my
place was in charge. Tomorrow MORN
ing he will of course verify what is in
the safe"
"Well," says /, you know the COM
bination of the safe. Sneak in when
the others have gone and put the
money back"
81 can't!" he says in a husky lost
tone.
"Why not?" 1 asked.
Because the new man has changed
the combination"
"Ahar said 1. Then l set my think
tank a-working. "You can get into the
office, can you?" asked.
"Oh, yes"
"Come on-Tll help you out"
1t was with a sort of awe that I
stood looking around the counting
room in which 1 stood with my young
man, half an hour later. The glitter
ing plate glass windows bore the
name of one of the heaviest houses in
its line in the city.
There's the vault. First. can you
do it?' he asked.
1t was one two three, that end of
the trick, a common door and COM
mon lock that / speedily hit eff with
Is ;II|II'9 3 :s..:s ::;s;; ~; ;
led Il nB as one Of the hardest bits
of steel to crack known to the profes-
sion.
l kneeled down before it and / could
hear the quick catch come in the
breath of the young fellow. held
up my hand to enforce absolute ST.
lence. Then / began my work. From
old-time habit had kept my finger
nails pared down to the quick. l be-
gan my task-no use. The interior
mechanism was built like watch. At
the end of five minutes / drew back
to rest from the intense strain.
"YOu-you can't do it?" spoke my
companion and his tones were weak
and despairing.
"Have patience" said I, and I re-
sumed my work. This time / slowly
turned the knob, my tongue applied to
the disk face
Clicki
"There you are" I told him and
pulled open the door.
He staggered and quite fell against
the wall of the vault. Then with
shaking hands he drew forth from his
pocket u bundle of banknotes and
next q tin box holding some papers
from pigeon hole in the safe. He
stuffed in the money, replaced the
drawer, closed the door, whirled the
combination and-fell down In faint,
white and pulseless.
I got him revived and out in the
fresh air, mending all traces of our
visit to the counting room. He was
still unsteady Of step and 1 got him
| into retired back room in a restau-
rant where he could get back his
nerve.
Its too much," 1 said when he
pressed me with five one hundred-dol-
lar bills.
"Don't speak of it!' he cried. 81
shall never forget you"
"But 1 will you, sir" says /. "Never
saw you before, see? l say, l know
sweet little Salvation girl who
might give you some good advice"
Il don't need it," he declared. I've