The Safe Breakers' Gang — page 9: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

i), Stes | ——— by TNE LOG CABIN LIBRARY 9 ' pecan die aN a ——— ee ae TT the other members of the gang. You see it i is a ereat \éie front entrance of the bank, glanced furtively up and scheme, but a sharper counter scheme !” down the street to see that no one was in sight to observe Wilson realized the importance of paying scrupulous|him, and then, with only a moment’s delay—scarcely heed to every detail uttered by this keen-eyed individual|more than it would have required had he possessed the who seemed to have the plans of the safe-breakers’ gang | proper key—he opened the door and went in. down so fine. How did he unlock the door? *'W hat will I say to the janitor ?” To him the lock of a door was a simple obstacle at any “Tell him to get his pistols and wait outside with you| time. To Jules Jepworth, the safe-breaker, the mechanism till you give him the word.” of a Vale lock was nothing. “When am I to give him the word ?” Once inside, he paused for a moment to listen. “When I give the signal to you.” The interior of the small banking-room was dimly “How will you do that?” lighted by a single gas-jet behind the railing. Jules Jepworth produced a small silver whistle. He could see the clock over the vault, and the hands “You will hear this,” he said. told him that it was a little past one. And again the sharper indulged in one of his peculiar} ‘No hurry,” he smiled, as he made his way behind the smiles, which, under other conditions, might have aroused | railing and stood for a moment in thought beside the a suspicion of something astray even in the befogged | cashier’s desk. intellect of Wilson, the policeman. He heard a door at the rear of the building open and “You see,” Jules Jepworth continued, “the burglar | close. knows that the janitor acts also as watchman in the bank,; “That is the watchman, gone out to see our innocent and he is prepared to give him a dose that will keep him| policeman. Whatif he should happen to be suspicious? quiet till his work is done. By calling out the watchman, But no—little danger of that. They don’t employ geniuses as I suggest, you will save him unnecessary risk of his|in that capacity. He will rely on the judgment of this life, and at the same time both of you will stand ready to| Wilson, and Wilson is too much in love with his own bril- cut off the retreat of our game in that direction.” lance to suspect that he has been imposed upon. I am “That’s a good idea, and the watchman ought to thank ‘as safe from intrusion here as though I were the watch- you for it!” exclaimed Wilson. ‘man himself. Ah !—who now ?” : Judging the supposed detective’s vanity by his own,| Jepworth saw a man cross over from the opposite side he thought to win the other’s good opinion, and possibly | of the street and approach the w indow. a plum of praise, by lauding the excellence of every pr o-| The safe-breaker retreated hastily to an obscure corner position made by him. | experiencing a sudden feeling of dismay. ‘One word more,” said Jepworth, and there was a look | What if the policeman had been “ playing off?” W hat if | of stern command in his keen dark eyes as he spoke. he were less gullible than he had seemed ? | “We have done a deal of work perfecting our plans for| Whatif he had suspected the game of Jules Jepworth this capture, and if we are to win it must be through the! from the first? What if detectives had warned him to ve scrupulous carrying out of the details as I have laid them on the lookout for the noted opener of safes? down. You are not to attempt anything brilliant on your; These queries came in a torrent to the brain of the safe- own hook, whatever may occur to your mind. You know,” breaker in that moment of breathless suspense. added the invincible safe-breaker, recollecting that acom-| Successful as he had always been, he well knew there mand would be best heeded if it were sweetened by! was likely to come a time when failure would come. And another drop of flattery; “you know, Mr. Wilson, that if | ‘that time would of course arrive when he was most san- you were arranging to carry out one of your own shrewa- | | guine of success. est schemes against the crooks, you could execute your | That pang of fear was but the natural fruit of a life of plans best without any interference, even if you had the| crime. It was not the first that he had experienced, nor three H’s under your command!” was it to be the last. “That’s true—that’s true!” said Wilson, the look of| The figure reached the window and a face peered into tickled vanity on his honest face well paying the other | the bank. for his effort. But it did not pause. He turned away and hurried “Are you ready, then? And are you willing to carry out | along the street in the most unconcerned manner. my plans as I have given them, to the very letter?” “A belated pedestrian who wanted to see the time!” “Yes, to the very letter.” Jules Jepworth exclaimed, while he wiped the beads of “Then we will be about it. Remember, that you are to} perspiration that suddenly started out upon his white do nothing until you hear my signal. Above ail things, | brow. f as your experience no doubt bas told you, our business}; ‘‘But my thrill of fear warns me that there is_no time | requires patience, even more than it does courage.” to lose—that I must not play with fate too audaciously . “That’s it, Mr. Hall. Just what I was about to say,”|now that I know that the police in every town are gaid Wilson, out of the simple honesty of his heart. aroused. Now for the lock of this vault—one of the sim- “Now go around to the rear docr as I have suggested, | plest, 1 see—one which, perhaps, I made myself. If so, and speak to the watchman. I can trust you to restrain | ten minutes of probing will give me the combination, and him from doing anything rash. And of course he will! the contents will be mine !” have the fullest confidence in your judgment. That is all.| He opened the small valise which he carried, display- Now I am ready.” ing some of the lightest of the burglar’s tools that are pow Jules Jepworth shook hands with the policeman, so}|in use. sealing the friendly compact. In another moment Wilson} For the other members of his gang, if was necessary to was out of sight. !use the ordinary, or specially made tools of the most pow- Jepworth stood for a moment, and then approached erful sort. But Jules Jepworth differed from others of his Ao Ft) eee OE eee he | o~ a -_— “% he ost nai SO Ee Re eg ee et gt ge, —_— . 7 . i 4 > . ./ . +> a . Pr" io" bende 5 se aT a : PLP = ~~ * “ie > ‘ ~ set | ° ie ~- . a me. ~*~ . Fa) \* tie +7 eee Ee + Lo Usps Mes ) aye : ‘ . mw tee “4 : . TR. AS ~ < Pet Vo r= Ae ~~ fay s - pao) Ao = s ~e. ’ ae ath -- AX * ek ; sh det : = ae - i. e ~ " we es ih 2 ~ comic "ss