Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1901-12-20
PRIVATE OFFICE.
NO ADMITTANCE.

PRIVATE OFFICE
NO ADM1TTANcE.
~..........ssssssss.....
One of the detectives tried this door
and found it locked. Whereupon he
placed his shoulder to it and prepared
to force it in.
'Wait minute" said sturgis; "let
me see if cannot open it,
The detective stepped aside with a
quizzical expression upon his face.
II guess you will find it pretty solid
for your weight" said he.
The reporter took from his pocket a
piece of bent wire, and, with few
dexterous turns of the wrist, he shot
the bolt of the lock.
"You would make an expert cracks
man." said the detective. II didn't
know you possessed that accomplish
ment in addition to all your other
ones.''
The four men entered the private
office. The room was quite dark, the
shutters being closed and the blinds
drawn. AS their eyes became accus-
toned to the obscurity they were able
to distinguish the outlines of desk,
q table, and a few chairs.
Sturgis went at once to door in
the corner. With the aid of his skel-
eton key he had soon thrown this
open. After peering for an instant
into the darkness, he took from his
pocket a candle, which he lighted.
Then, reckoning to his companions,
he started cautiously to descend. The
other men followed him and soon
found themselves in the cellar, which
they proceeded to search.
On the street side there was recess
extending for few feet under the
ara in front Of the house. The OPEN
ing above was covered by an iron graf
ing, over which was a wooden cover
securely fastened on the inside by a
chain and paddock. A number of car
boys were carefully piled along the
east wall to within q few feet from
the rear of the building. Here, in the
northeast corner, rose narrow shelly
ing, on which. were arranged collec-
ton of bottles containing varied as
sortment of chemicals.
The detectives searched the cellar.
Our man is not here, at any rate"
said the leader, when at last he had re-
turned to the foot of the stairs; per
haps he'll try to give us the slip by
way of the roof. Come along, jim;
let's go upstairs now. Hello! what are
you doing there. Mr.. Sturgis? Think
you'll find him in one of those bottles?'
The reporter appeared to be closely
inspecting the chemicals on the mar
row shelves.
''Who knows?" he replied, coolly,
continuing his examination. -.
The detective bit his lip and looked
the unpleasant things he thought it
best not to say: ::
"Well, Jim and I will take. look
upstairs while you are busy here
And the two men went up the dark
stairway, Sprague remaining behind
with the reporter.
"None so blind as those that won't
see," said the latter, sententiously.
At the same time he placed his Hand
upon one Of the shelves and gave it Z
lateral push. It responded slightly,
and the entire shelving, with the door
which it concealed, opened outward.
II thought So" continued. the 70
porter; "this looks as If it might lead
somewhere. Will you come, Spraxue7 :"
"How did you find the combination
so quiekly?" asked the artist, prepar-
ing to follow his friend.
1T is not a combination-only q
concealed bolt. Our friends OF the de-
tective force might have discovered it
themselves if they had taken the trou-
bic. The first thing noticed was that
a truck hal recently been wheeled
thFough the cellar in the direction of
this door, from under the grating on
the street side. And this truck was
not hertz neither was large case
which we know was delivered here to-
day. The trail extended clear up to
the wall below the shelving; and yet
no truck, even unloaded, could pass
below thatlowest shelf. The conclusion
was evident. sounded the back of the
shelving and found that it covered IN
opening of some kind. After that, iii
that remained was to notice that ono
of the shelves was slightly soiled IN
just one spot, as though " the ~
peated contact Of . hand. From this, I
urgued that the bolt must be a&1aeAelk.
to this board AID twas. That haAs