The Delta independent., 1899-12-15

to overpowar me. and then they would
not have much difficulty with the safe
Perhaps for the moment the safe isn't
really the best place to keep those bags
of gold i'm
He thought that matter ont. The
problem was delicate one Supposing
the gold TO be stolen, then. il by any
accident it could be proved that il had
been stolen from any place except the
safe. clearly it would be - very serious
matter fer him.
So midright arrived before Mr.. Fos-
ter. who Lad in the meantime been to
his bedroom to put on his dressing gown
and slippers. made Up his mind what
to do.
"By Jove. have itr' hs exclaimed
ct last. "Hanped if those beautiful
jerry builders haven't left plank loose
in the floor! The very thinpn'
Working as quietly as if he had been
q burglar himself, he stripped back q
bit of the felting, lifted the loose .plarl:
and slipped the ten bags underneath il,
one after the other; then by judicious
ly driving in little wedges which he
cut from the firewnoi ne made the
and once more fastened the felting neat
ly over it.
Now, Mr.. Burglar" he s,id. ''ev
erything's ready. I'll retire TO my hid
ing placs and wait for you.
AZ the front Of the bank faced tho
street. there was no probability of bur.
glars entering that way. They would
come. il they came. over the garden
wall and through the kitchen. So Mr.
Foster withdrew into the bank itself
and watched developments in the bark
parlor through peephole which Le had
bored in the door with . Rimlet.
The hours dragged on. trying his pa
thence sorely 1t must have been be-
tween s and in the morning when a
slight noise. which obviously was nei-
tbef the rafting Of window nor the
snoring Of the bousekeeper. arrested b.;
attention. The door by which the bank
parlor communicated with the private
part of the house was being tried
In minute nr two the lock was fore
ed aud two men entered. Both of them
were masked. and oue Of them carried
a little Tag Of tools.
1t was too dark for him 10 observe
their methods with exactitude. So far
as he could Judge. they forced the lock
gradually by driving in flmy plates of
steel to act as wedges until at last the
jimmy could be inserted and the proper
leverage brought to bear
The process took about 40 minutes.
AZ the end Of that time the door Of the
strong box was open. aud the thieves
all SufD ~ nj
II in their eager quest for bags of gold.
The psychological moment had arrived.
"Whas in thunder!' Mr.. Foster ex-
claimed aud burst In upon them. tring
.. he came.
Ono Of the men fired bsck 1t him.
aud for ten seconds or 70 there was
quick exchange of shots In the half light
Whsu is had ceased and Mays scrcsms
from tbs top windows bed brought shs
oonasabisA one of sbe bss9lsss ny
ssrsschcd out With . beokes 1eR bsfors
the violated safe. The other had escap-
ID over tts garden wall. leaving . trail
Of blood bsbind him. while the bank
p.auager himself had . Rvazed cheek
and nasty flesh wound IN the shoulder
A doctor. following hard ON she heels
Of ths policeman. dressed his wounds
aud assured him that they were NOT
serious. He pulled bimseif together aud
gave his version Of ths story
IL was too late-too late; the other
chap got away. Hes carried of 900.
900 It's all the hanks fault for hav.
ing such silly safe.
"Ah. we'll" said the doctor philo.
sopbicaiiy. $50. 900 won't break the
Lcndon and miscellaneous! In fact
spesEing as n shareholder. I shouldn't
wonder IL the directors found they'd
got Bit over to do something for you
They ought to. anyhow.
And they aid They paid Mr. Fos-
ter doctors bill, and they gave bin
tbs service Of plate which he had prom
ised himself. and then expressed the
grestest regret when. . few months aft
erward. he announced his intention 81
retiring from their employment on the
ground that IN fortunate speculation
had released him from the necessity of
working for his living. "-LoLdon An
swern
The Nisus~ss ~ sh~o1s.