Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-08-15

had those doors open. and he didn't use any
explosive. either. / noticed that the colonel
got little nervous when he saw how well
Danny was getting along; and at the last
he kept looking at his watch and smoking
very hard.
1T was twenty minutes to twelve when
the doors swung open. There was the little
black bag. and I saw the colonel look at it
as a schoolboy looks at apple when a
bigger boy has snatched it away from him.
Danny put his big hand on the bag and
pulled 1t out of the safe. 1t was locked.
hut he wrenched it open.
Empty he croaked; and he was too
hard hit to swear.
Col. Tracy came up out of his chair as
II Danny had exploded his whole safe
blowing outfit under 1t. He forgot entirely
that l was covering him with a gun, and
had promised over and over again to shoot
him if he moved. All he thought about was
that bag. He grabbed it out of Danny's
hands, and pretty nearly turned the thin 2
inside out. Then he dropped 1t on the floor
and looked blankly from one to the other
of US.
We'll. it didn't take a very smart man
to through the hole in that milestone
Colonel Tracy" said /. you've been
robbed. This is an inside job. Your cashier
has got away with this money. If l hadn't
been the biggest stiff in the United States
I'd have known it long ago. for l Swallowed
Wright this evening and saw him get out
of town..
Wright cried Tracy. dazed. 1t can't
be possible! And yet it must be. Nobody
else could have got at this safe
"Of course 1t was plain enough to me-
but 1t took bit of argument to convince
him. When he was finally made to see it,
l said:
Colonel. in a certain sense we're all in
the same boat. You've been robbed, and
we've been defrauded by the same man
Now here's my proposition. You want your
money back. l know where your cashier
has gone and you don't l and nv pal can
m me- 10 i'm, eyix N
up. We can get at hin. by tomorrow, where
as it may take the police a month or a
year. How much Is it worth to you to have
Us do it?'
:" Half the money exclaimed Tracy, with
flashing eyes. Bring that rascal back or
knock him on the head il you'd rather, and
I'll give You $4,000. and be glad to do it.
Not word about this Job either The TN
grateful rascal! Why, l made him. 1 pick
ed him up when ne hadn't a cent Get
after him. Cause his arrest. and recover
the money. and you have my word for
what I'll do
I'D already told Danny that the cashier
had taken train for Montreal. and he was
wild to get started after him. OF course
whether we returned any of the money to
Tracy would depend on whether we had to
have Wright arrested or could work him
alone. 1 was in favor of working 1t legit-
imately. for I was willing to trust to
Tracy's word.
But here was the rub; both Danny and
make the chase. for as a matter of fact We
needed a special train TO make sure thing
Of overha ulng Wright. 1 thought the case
over for half minute. and then told the
colonel frankly how we were fixed. He
went through his pockets and raised $57.
Danny and l between US had about as
much 1t wasn't enough.
Il asked Tracy II there was any place
where he could raise money SO late. and he
said he might get 1t at one of the clubs
Danny said he could borrow fifty, perhaps
of a barkeeper that he knew, If the colonel
would agree to make good. win or lose. The
colonel said he would. Then he suggested
that there might be little in the safe
We'd been so ratified that we hadn't thought
Of that. So We all went through the safe
together but we didn't raise any except a
few dollars in change. We had about de-
cided that Danny should go to his friend
the barkeep. and the colonel to his club
and that TIE three of should meet at
the Grand Central station. when our DELHI
erations were interrupted by a loud sound
of voices at the outer door, which Danny
and 1 had locked.
It's all right said the colonel. I rec
ognize their voices. They're friends of
mine. and it's blessing that they've shown
Up just at this hour. We can borrow the
money of Them
Danny glanced uneasily at the safe
:" Shut the cutter door, said the colonel.
They'll never suspect anything. Just sit
down and make yourselves ut home You're
friends Of mine. you know. and you've come
to do a little business. That'll he all right
"He ran to the door, while Danny and I
sat down and tried to look as if nothing had
happened. l felt comfortable enough, for
1T no hardship for me to play the gent but
Danny-well, he has not what you'd call a
high society countenance. He looks like
crook. Danny does. I'm sorry to say. told
him to straighten up his necktie and pull
down his cuffs. but he didn't have any cuffs
and his necktie wasn't SO suitable to his
complexion as II 1t had been made OF rope
I'm came the crowd--a lot Of jolly fellows
Laughing and talking.
-" Friends of mine said the colonel, in
dicating US. and we got up and shook hands
all around.
Well. Col. Bob said one of the new.
corners. when the Misunderstanding was over
can we get right down to business"
Sure says the colonel.
" Then thu first fhinR ia tho ,,,ona,r H..