Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1899-07-13


tum it closed with . clang. With
. fevsrish haste John pressed the
lever. A moment later he heard
the clicking Of the time lock, and
knew that he could not then reopen
the vank, eyen il he wished.
John Preston drew Q Sigh of re-
lief and wiped bic damp brow. The
| janitor came in . few moments
lnteF 20 dos she hank, John took
kiu n - - hehind Ne
desk, and uAlktd quickly toward
his hotel. An insanely exultant
feeling possessed him. He could
have shouted for JOY. It seemed
that great load had been lifted
from his mind.
On table in his room he found
Q small square package. Il was ad-
dressed to Bidwell. The servant
had made . mistake in the rooms.
John recognized the delicate hand
writing. and. with gloating eyes, he
tore open the parcel. Inside he
found q ring, set with rubies and
diamonds. He also found note
from Florence Hamilton. He. de-
voured the lines hungrily.
Il cannot accept IT, John read,
Il will be frank With you. 1t is as
you feared, l love your partner,
John Preston. Forgive snd-
The paper fell from Johns
hands. With glad cry be strode
from the room and through the
hall. Halfway down the stsirs he
halted and pressed his hand to his
side like one in pain, and the blood
left his face. He rallied with an
effort, and Q moment later was
walking with fierce rapidity toward
the bank.
He bounded up the steps and
hurriedly unlocked the street door.
He sprang across the room toward
the vault, aud then paused, horri-
fed, a. be realizedAthat he was pow
erless to open it. The full import
Of his act flashed over him. He
was q murderer. His head swan,
he reeled to and fro like drunken
man, and fell heavily to the floor.
His limbs seemed paralyzed, bat
his brain performed its functions
with terrible activity. In an in
slant it mirrored to him every good
trait in his partners character ;
each succeeding second it brought
q memory Of old school days, or OF
the times when he and Bidwell we're
struggling together in poverty. he
had fallen where he could see the
slab Of steel which was grimly
holding Harry in that dark, suffo-
eating vault. He cursed it in i'm
potent fury, and it seemed to shoot
mocking rays Of light at him from
| it's polished surface. With almost
superhuman effort he dragged him.
self away from its baleful sight to
q niche between the vault and the
wall. Then the iron-nerved man OF
business lost consciousness.
Hours passed. The busting
town grew quiet and the electric
lights blazed in solitude above ths
deserted streets. The clock in ths
Sante Fe depot tower had jus,
chimed the hour of two when John
again opened his eyes. He strug'
gled painfully to sitting position
and tried to remember what hai
happened and Why he was there
but his memory seemed to have de
serted him, and be sat for . time il
stupid silence.
Presently he became aware Of tn
fact that he was not alone: Stand
| ing in front of the vault was |
, short, thick-set man, whose jam
bled features were noticeable onl'
, for the little black eyes imbeddet
! in them, and the hesviness of th
, chin. He held in his hand bull'
. eye lantern, and, when John dis
. covered him, be was cautiously al
lowing the yellow light to steal owe
j the safe-do
Slowly it dawned upon prestol
, that the man was burglar, AM
|, that he was preparing to rob th
bank. John chuckled softly :
|. himself. That burglor would hav
.. his labor for his pains; the safe va
. burglar proof. Al one in dream
he looked out from tis place Q
concsalment, and watched the ma
take few simple-looking instru
. ments from q hand satchel an
. kneel before the safe door. The