THE MESSAGE OF THE BILL
On the 14th of July, 192…, the cashier employed in Cook's Paris Office in the Place de l'Opéra received five French notes of a thousand francs, and eight American notes for a hundred dollars with the request that they might be changed into English currency.
He counted them carefully, made certain calculations on a piece of scribbling paper, and drew from a wallet beneath the counter the requisite number of English banknotes to make the exchange. It was necessary to add two pounds, a few shillings and two or three pence to make up the amount.
He placed the English money on the counter before him and again counted the French and American paper, and then saw, for the first time, that the words "Banque Nationale" were not the precise shade of violet to which his skil
