His Ugly Disposition.

Free Lance, Volume III, Issue 158, 11 July 1903, Page 17

His Ugly Disposition.

AT college, Bobby Lefevie v>as known as "fighting fieshy." It was geneially recognised that he was a hard customer to tackle. He was grim, obstinate— of "ugly disposition" some said. He left college with a football reputation, a pair of shoulders to back it up, a head decently furnished inside, and his old disposition. With these qualifications he enteied business life as assistant book-keeper m the office of a big company. Here, he stuck doggedly for a year and a half, at the end of w'icli time he knew the office thoroughly, was domic the heaviest part of the work, and receiving the salary he began W 'lie climbed the steps of his boardinghouse one night in a state of discouragement bordering on desperation. He switched on the electric light by his dressing-table. Brushes, ties, collars buttons, and a gorgeous pair ot socks lay in a pile before the glass Jnd on top of the heap was an envelope Bob tore it open. The note was type-written, and contained only one line-— "Come down to the office as soon as you can. Important A blot disfigured the signature, but "Doane" was legible. He stood for some minutes scowling in sullen puzzlement. He had done a great deal of night work m the past three months, and felt disinclined to ° b "l' wonder." he thought, "what was in that bundle Doane put into the sate iust as I was closing it'" J Bob had suspected that the bundle contained something which should have been deposited in the bank, but which, to save himself trouble, the cashier was 'keemng in the office vault overnight D Ol ane had done this several times, and Bob had smiled cynically to himself over the "rough time" the cashier would have if he ever got caught at it. "I'll telephone the office," he decided. "I'm not going down there at this time of night." „ ••Receiver's down . I can't get them, trilled the voice of the telephone. Bob slammed the receiver up, _ and clenched his teeth . He stood a minute with his hands in his pockets- then mth a dxsgusted shrug he dived back into his room, seized his hat turned out the light, and tramped fiercely dow nstairs. , , He pushed the door open, and stepped in, still scowling. Then— a thunderbolt struck him in the chest, a huge, dark something descended upon him, wrapping him tiehter tighter, smothering, choking him, and he fell, striking and kicking blmdY There was a historic struggle, during which he broke his own record for obstmate resistance, and then with his arms tied behind him so tightly that he was bent double, a gag in his mouth which almost dislocated his jaw and his legs corded to the knees, t the gunnvsack was withdrawn from his head and he was able to see what had struck The robbers were masked, of course. Lefevre wondered stupidly why one wore only half a coat, and the other leaned against the wall, spitting blood and teeth. He did not notice that his own right hand was cut, and bleeding. "Give us the combination that will open the safe," said the half-coated one, pressing something cold and hard agaanst Bobby's temple. Lefevre's mind worked like a lightning calculator for an instant. A thousand in cash ready for pay-day tomorrow, a balance of three hun died and fifty on hand— and that buncde. -tie nodded. , The cold muzzle came against his temple again, and the gag was loosened As it slipped from between his lips Lcfevie inflated his lungs as well as he could in his cramped position, and the next instant a wild yell filled the little room, and jarred the electric light fixtures with its stentorian volume. It was cut short by the useful gunny-sack. It took Bob an instant to realise that Ins head was not shot £C "That's a nice noise." observed one of the rogues, "and if it wasn t for wastin' time I'd let you keep it up tor an hour. The watchman's tied up outThey stooped, lifted him like a log, laid him on the counter, and pulled ott his shoes. "Patent leather kicks, too, one said. Bob waited in feverish bewilderment. The half-coated man picked up a long iron bar from the floor where his tools lay. "Git a good purchase," he remarked. Lefevre heard the big letter press at the end of the counter rattle as the bar was thrust through the wheel. "Now," said the man with the revolver, "we'll give you one more show. You know as well as we do that it ain't our game to kill you. You've got what we want, and we've got to have it quick. There's plenty ways of get-

tin' it This is one of 'em , "' and Bob's stockinged feet weie thrust between the faces erf the piess. They did not loosen the gunny-sack, but released his right arm to the elbow , and laid his hand against the knob of the safe look Of the moments that followed Bob could never give a clear account. In the hospital next day, he heard how the disappointed robbers had escaped. He caught the word "hero" now and again, but did not realise its import. The president of the company called, and lingered by the bed a moment. "The doctor says he can fix you up as good as ever," he told Bob for the fifth time. "I suppose you know ," he continued awkvvardlv "that theie was about a quarter of a million in negotiable securities in the safe." "No," said Bob, "I didn't know There was over thirteen hundred in cash, and a bundle I didn't know the contents of." 'Tell me." said the president, "why you didn't give the combination." He had dropped his presidential tone. ''I — don't — know," said the young: man slow ly "I suppose it was mv ugly disposition," he added. His voice was very weak. The nurse looked round the screen meaningly. "Yes, ves —^ust a moment " agreed the president. "Just one thine more, Mr. Lefevre. The position of cashier is vacant — do you think your — ah — disposition w ill permit VO'U to accept it 9 " — "Munsev's."