The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1896-09-16

sure success. We should like you to
furnish us with your private address,
so as to communicate with you during
the night should your services be re-
CURED"
Yes, of course. THE Hollies,' Is
Winstanton Crescent"
"Well known, sir. That will be
sufficient, thank you"
And the officer iotted it down quickly
in his pocket-book.
After pointing out ponderous iron
safe, which he hoped the villains would
not turn their attention to, Mr.. Philip
Marsden babe them good evening, re-
qLesting them to let him know the in
slant he might be wanted.
He departed in a feverish state of
anxiety, wondering, naturally, what
the night.would bring forth.
Directly after the old gentleman had
left, the real character of the pseudo
police officers was apparent. 1t was
quite true that notorious little "
gang of bank-robbers contemplated an
attack on the bank that night, and
those scoundrels were actually none
others than themselves! Their war
rants were forgeries and the sergeants
uniform the perfection of imitation
to the last button. No time was to
be lost From the coat-tail pockets
of the sergeant came some of the
finest-tempered steel drills and other
implements for forcing and boring
iron safes that ever graced the person
of the most experienced crib-cracker.
Deftly-manufactured skeleton keys for
picking the best and most complicated
locks were brought forth; in short,
everything needed for thorough, dar-
ing and successful burglary.
We've got a long nights work,
Charlie, Pm afraid" said one. "It's
now nine o'clock, and if we get through
this safe under ten hours we're lucky.
We must set to work with a will"
Accordingly the sergeant" speed
lily turned his attention to the back
premises, with view to hurried es-
cape should they be disturbed, while
the two ,others directed theirs TO the
huge iron safe spoken of by the banker.
Drills were quickly applied behind the
hinges of the door and boring COM
menced in real earnest, for these "gen-
tlemen" burglars knew pretty well
everything worth knowing as to the
construction of most safes in use.
Progress was very slow at first, but
the men never ceased. Drill, drill,
drill-on went the work, almost in 81
lence. Now and then just short spell
for "breather." Midnight arrived,
and little better progress, for they la
bored harder than ever. One, two,
door began to yield and creak little.
"Tough work, jim But it'll pay us
in the end, old fellow. Keep it up.
| Ant oh hr, o; on
perhaps some blessed oflice-cleaner
may be here, or people be moving out
side"
Four o'clock, and good aperture
was made. Five o'clock, and they
were perspiring like blacksmiths at a
forge in July, and they worked like de-
Presently, with united and terrific eff
fort, the outer door was loosened from
its sockets.
"Goodl" muttered one, as they grad
ually, yet laboriously, lowered the
mighty piece of metal to the ground.
"The inner compartment is very short
work, chummie"
And so it proved, for with the ut
most dexterty one pried the lock as the
other, with a thin chisel as hard as
adamant, started forcing the door.
zone more wrench, Jim, and then
for the spoil!" And he rubbed his hands
with glee.
Clang! And open flew the door. But
what?
Foiledl frustrated Baf1ledl The
safe was empty!
The scoundrels, who had instantly
; dived their hands into the interior,
shrank aghast, swearing and pouring
curses upon the old bankers head.
BAIL the old BLACKBOARD! He has
done us, Jim! And who'd have
dreamed it?"
, "There's no time to lose" blurted his
confederate, smashing anything he
could lay his hands on in sheer wanton-
ness. "It's striking six o'clock and
work people are about"
Tools were hurriedly collected and
pocketed again, and the sergeant"
with disappointed growl, suggested
that they should 60 out by the door
they came in by, as nobody was STIR
ring much, and the back way meant
scaling walls and roofs.
: This they did, but Immediately on
emerging into the street they were met
, by Mr.. Marsden, in company with three
constables. The old banker had expe-
rienced a sleepless night and risen
J early, calling at the police station, in
nocently enough, to ascertain the news,
if any, and he was there astonished
to learn that they believed it to be a
bogus affair, as they knew nothing
of it,
There was desperate effort on the
part of the burglars to escape, but one
or two passing workmen, at the cry OF
"Helpl" rendered assistance, and the
"police officers" were strongly Sc
| cured.
. Mr.. Philip Marsden, on stepping into
the bank, although greatly unnerved
and agitated at the state of affairs
could scarcely suppress his laughter on
finding his "decoy," as he called it
had given so much trouble, and thor
oughly done them, although he wat
quite ignorant of the plot he had unin