The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1901-1903, 1902-08-23

consignments had come in late too
late for deposit For the night nearly
a million dollars must remain in the
Office safe. The unexpected influx had
kept the junior partner later than usu-
al, for he was a master of the detail Of
his office. For time he debated estab-
fishing an extra guard at the Office,
but gave over that idea. Special pre-
cautions would arouse talk. and there
were business reasons for keeping the
matter quiet. Anyway, the burglar
alarm system and the special watch
man We're sufficient guarantee of safe
ty. So the Junior partner leaned back
in his easy office chair and closed his
eyes for a moment
Anything more, Mr.. franklin
asked the senior bookkeeper from the
inner office, where the big safe was
kept
"No. Has every one gomez"
Every one but you and me. SIR re-
piled the other with the exact particu-
larity of language which is the result
of long years spent over ledgers.
1OON nlElly tiltIi. L Sudli DG NOuluS
along in few moments"
1t seemed very few moments after
the door had closed on the head book
keeper when Franklin opened his eyes
again He swung forward In his chair
dazed, for darkness was about him.
Consciousness, dragging itself slowly
from the cloying sands of sleep strug-
gled with vague uncertainties. The
flicker of an electric light from Wall
street, seen through a distant window
helped the junior partner to recall him
self to realities. He half turned. and in
that instant was wide awake. for
harsh, startled voice outside said:
whats that?"
"Shut your head" piped another
voice in a high piercing tone instinct
with savageness. you didn't hear any
thing"
Maybe twas somethin' outside
Where's the glim?'
Don't open up too wide, you fool"
warned the high voice as a band OF
light appeared and broadened through
/ the darkness.
Sitting motionless as stone, Frank
lin heard the men moving along the
outside partition until they reached
point opposite him. There was a fun
bling at the door, which was fastened
by a spring lock-
Hold on" said the gruff voice. Les
climb over the partition"
"Climb over nothing" retorted the
other voice angrily. Going out to look
for a ladder. suppose Dyou think
we got all night to waste?'
you said the Waterman was doped
for two hours"
whats two hours to a bungling fool
likeyou up against good safer
"You gimme an hour at this safe, and
I'll make wide open Moo York of it,"
said the gruff voice confidently.
"Open up that door first, then" said
the other.
That's all right, but every time
tackle n door / think of that burglar
alarm we run against in Stcyn's joolry
store
1--WE amt goln' to run against any
alarm here. Didn't tell you | squared
the janitor's assistant and fixed the
wires in the cellar?"
"Well there might be-
"Wen, there amt" broke in the 9th
er furiously. "Cut it Quit D'you think
you can teach me anything about any
kind of wires, alarm or telegraph, or
anything else? Haven't l been every
thing from lineman to operator, and
didn't | run the wire tapping outfit
that biIked the poolrooms last yearY
Hold the light here, then" growled
the confederate. THE locks dead
easy"
During this conversation Franklin
sat paralyzed at his desk. Any re
sistance that he could put up against
the robbers would be almost useless.
lie had never kept revolver in bis
desk and was accustomed to deride
mildly the more cautious men of bis
acquaintance who always kept a load
ed weapon at hand. Now he cursed
himself for neglecting this precaution,
recalling a saying Of western friend:
"You don't want gun very often,
but when you do want it you want it
bad"
The entrance Of the robbers meant
ruin to him and to his firm. How easy
the safe would be for them he knew
better than they, for the heavy door
had been left open at his orders that he
might put some papers in it before
SAsing On any other night the safe
would have been closed. But this
night, Of all others, the junior partner
had fallen asleep at his post and not
only he himself, but a thousand limo
cent people, whose interests were
bound up In the house, were TO suffer
the penalty. Well, he would at least
do what he could to save them, though
it were ut the forfeit of his own life.
a wild idea of smashing his window
and shouting for help he put aside.
To send ones voice ringing up and
down an empty airshaft, bordered by
vacant windows, would be a cherries
performance and prodigal Of breath
that ne might need later on.
Then it came to his mind that his pa
per cutter was Malay creese, small,
but keen and strong. Armed with this
he could creep over to the door and
q a.