As a matter of fact, they had been stolen, and were what is known in the crook parlance as “crooked.” English George met Taylor a few days later, and told him what the bonds were, but did not tell him where they came from. The young clerk, in a measure, was now in the power of the men, whose true character he began to realize; but his craving for money, and their reasoning that he would not fall into the hands of the police, led him to further venture into “crooked bond” selling. Several more deals, of more or less size, were put through without a hitch, and “easy money,” as he termed it, came in his way. But, as is usually the case, it went out as fast, Morrissey’s getting the most of it. There came a time when he was again out of funds, and the Englishmen had no bonds to be negotiated. In this emergency, the evil in Taylor, once aroused, asserted itself with a power not easily resisted. Mad for the want of that which would supply his craving for gambling, the young bank clerk was at the point where he would not stop at anything, short of a great peril that could be seen. About one year later, Taylor, in a talk with Chelsea George, said, with a laugh that left his listener in no doubt as to his meaning, “What if a box of securities were left in a position in our bank to be carried off without detection?” Chelsea eyed Taylor in astonishment. He thought there had been a mighty rapid transition from selling “crooked bonds” to putting up a job to rob a bank. “I don’t think I understand you,” said Chelsea. “I could tell you of such a box and from where it may be taken,” said Taylor. “That seems pretty plain language to me.” “Well, yes, I should say so; and I could see such a box if there was enough of the useful in it to make it worth the while,” answered the Englishman. “How much would there be in it for me?” “It won’t have less than a hundred thousand dollars’ worth of United States government bonds,” said Taylor. Chelsea asked where they were kept so handily. “In the paying teller’s window, during business hours.” “They might as well be in the vault,” declared Chelsea. “On the contrary,” quickly explained Taylor, “the box is left by itself in a most careless manner. It would be very easy for you and English to carry it off, when business is at its height, say at three in the afternoon.” “We might play the business man gag,” mused Chelsea. “What’s that?” inquired the bank clerk, seemingly catching at the Englishman’s meaning. “We might call at the bank some afternoon, and English might take the box while I talked to the president.” “That’s it--just the thing!” cried Taylor; “I didn’t know just how it could be done, but was sure you could find some way.” “How many clerks are there in the banking office?” asked Chelsea. “Never mind them,” replied Taylor, confidently; “I’ll see they’re kept busy.”