The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-09-01

Well, that's lucky. for / did hate to have to
force the id thing" said the newcomer,
apparently, on the table. You see I've got
our prize, too. Take off his hoodwink and
let's proceed to business"
/ could now hear some light movements
for a few moments, and then one OF them
came to me and removed the bandage from
my eyes, which, as soon asi got accustomed
to the sudden light afforded by a couple of
whale-oil lamps. enabled me to see that /
fortably furnished with chairs. a table. a
bed, a looking-glass and on the hoor several
cheap rugs.
My companions were but three, as ! had
cloth, SO that / could form no idea of their
faces. Two of them were plainly but not
I'LL dressed. and the other, whom L knew, by
his voice to be the last conner. wore clothes
of better material and cut.
addressing me, 1--WE mean you no harm II
you do what's wanted without any fuss"
i said nothing, for i was still rather dazed
and somewhat frightened, as observed
that he held a pistol in his hand. and that
one of the others was lingering somewhat
ostentatiously the handle OF a sheath knife.
and he continued:
You see this boxf Well, the quicker YOU
do your work the sooner YOU'LL get home
and into bed. We want you. to open the
lock without doing it any injury. That is
all, and then you can 60" -,
AS he spoke / looked at the box, which
lay on the table, and at once recognized it
| as the one l had seen in the brokers' safe,
but made no sign.
Come, boy,J said the man with his knife.
advancing with threatening manner, git
s to pnt 1t ae ovid wftS Sq nS delay ioy We amt disposed
but / have no tools with me-" / said at
last.
"Dick, fetch our tool chest"
Tha fal1nxu o11roooaH and xvhn had NOT
yet spoken, went across the room. and un-
locking and opening a small iron door in
the wall, disclosed one of those 'wail-safes
which are still to be found in many old
buildings, and brought thence a wooden
box containing a great variety of machin-
| lists tools, picks, skeleton-keys and jim
mies-in fact, a complete burglars kit.
There, Mickey" said the man with the
knife. i guess you'll lind what you want
land mind,n added the one who had
brought the steel chest. don't hurt the
lock in the least if you don't want to be
| hurt YOURSELF
As I have said, 1 once fitted a key to the
box and therefore fully understood 1t. l
felt certain that robbery was the business
in hand and hesitated about lending my
aid; but rejecting that l could not prevent
it. and refusing. might cost me my life,
while libety might enable me to assist in
| discovering the thieves. / decided to do as
they wished. So selecting. the necessary
Implements, which | readily found In the
kit. in a very short time the villains had the
satisfaction of seeing the lid fly OPEN. for it
was a spring lock. which secured the lid by
closing, but had to be opened by, q key.
Good! that's our Sort" said the man
who had brought it; and as he reached for,
ward to examine the contents the light of
the lamp. held by one of the others to as
sist my work, fell upon the back OF his
head. and / was startled at seeing the mole
on the ear that had SO tenaciously haunted
wn- ,0.0. n-n~ inn INV lnh a T. In
brokers'. 1t flashed upon me in a moment.
The mans height, figure, hair, all Tailed
He was the brokers' clerk.
Had they all not been so interested in the
box my mOmentary agitation must have
been noticed. but l had time to recover my
self before they paid any attention TO me. A
brief glance as the lid flew open showed me
that the chest contained several packages
of bank bills and many rolls OF coin, prob
ably gold. However, my survey was short.
But, come, get the boy out of the way.
He's wisely given us no trouble, and. l
guess, can do Us no harm, SO let him go.
Here, young fellow, a something. for
your trouble. and if you say nothing about
the matter outside it'll be all the better for
YOU" and he handed me a ten-dollar note.
which he took from the box.
1 unhesitatingly took the money, for, by
this time, finding that they evidently had
no intention of %harming me: l had resolved
that, knowing so much already, / would
acquiesce in everything that would not i'm
plicate me as a participant, IN order to learn
more, with a view to aid in bringing them
And now, Jockey aid the one with the
knife, yell have ter have yer blinkers
devised agin." :
submitted while he again put the cloth
about my eyes, when / was conducted out
as I came; but by this time / was calmer,
and paid more attention to my course. 10
tell the truth, l was elated that l was being
Ia eff CO uuol opA fhnrnhf of Ali R0hn
whom / had seen at the theater that
night, so / counted my PAGES to the stair
way from the room, noted every turn in
the descending, and when we emerged from
the outer door / noted that the steps to the
ground were three, and that the middle one
appeared to be split lengthwise, as my heel
sank as l stepped upon 1T, and at the
bottom on the ground lay q piece of loose
ticed that we turned to the right. SO that ]
knew that / was not being led back as |
came, and we afterwards made several
turns which confused me. but at last my
cOnductor-fOr / was aware that only one
had latterly accompanied me-halted, say
ing as he let go of me: -.
"Wait a bit till / see If we are watched"
and apparently moving Oft.
After a few minutes | felt convinced that
was alone. and. slipping the bandage from
my eyes, / found myself standing In an old
carriage-shed looking on the waterfront.
Starting out | discovered that L was on
commercial StreeU, anu uOU lar IrOm han
over.
My resolution was instantly taken. 1
proceeded straight to my employers house,
and after / had rung several times Mr..
Searle himself came to the door, partially
dressed, and. on recognizing me, wonder
ing. led me in. In as few words as possible
/ told him my adventure.
Mr.. Searle was a man of prompt action.
Bidding me wait. he went and dressed as
speedily as possible, and together we pro-
ceeded to the nearest police station. where
1 rehearsed my story to the officerin charge.
He was equally prompt. He asked US if we
were willing to follow up the matter at
once. adding to Mr.. Searle:
II think, since your young man has done
SO well, that the thieves are already half
taken, and can be entirely so. 1 believe /
know who at ieat one of his captOrs is"
We at once expressed our willingness,
and the captain, calling a sergeant, gave
him some instructions and then requested
us to the officer to the residence
of Mr.. Gould, the broker whose safe / had
operated on. Arrived there, we learned
that Mr.. Gould had gone to Portland the
day previous and would be away a week or
more. His son, who was also his business
associate. was at home, however, and on
his hearing, with much surprise, my story,
he said:
Gentlemen, the box was my fathers
private affair, and he always kept the keys
with him. He often had n large amount of