Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-11-22
DAILY SHORT STORY
A Bookkeeper's Opportunity.
Ioriglnal.l

after turning out the lights just before
going home he remembered that he had
left a paper in the vault which he
should have mailed. Lighting n can
die that he kept for use i'm the vault.
he unlocked the door and entered. The
door was so set on its hinges that it
would close of its own weight, and
Talbot usually placed n ledger against
it on entering. But tonight he was in
q hurry to get home and thought he
could reach the paper in time to catch
the door before it closed. The paper
was not where he supposed it was.
and he looked elsewhere. Suddenly he
heard Il click. He was locked in!
Talbot was paralyz,d at his situa-
ton. Presently, however, he recovered
his equanimity sufficiently to think.
The first result of his thought was to
blow out his candle, remembering that
it was drawing on the oxygen in the
air. But this was as far as he could
go. for there was nothing left for him
to do except wait to see If he could live
on the atmosphere he breathed. In
the course of half an hour he felt as
sured that he could. This is explained
by the fact that the building in settling
had opened crack in the vault,
through which air could permeate.
Talbot, having been without Sufficient
sleep for several weeks, finally sank
into slumber.
He was awakened by a b-r-r-r-r! The
sound was very like drill. 1t was
drill. Thank heaven, he had been
missed. and they had come to let him
%, I..A
know that he was still alone, so he
called:
I'm all right,
They could not have heard him. for
the drilling went on without any reply.
Then lie wondered why they didn't
open the vault by using the combina-
ton, so he called out again. louder:
"You fellows out there, Don't you
know the figures for opening the lock?''
The sound suddenly stopped. All
was perfectly quiet. Could he have
mistaken the gnawing of Il rat or n
mouse for q drill?
81 say. you fellows. the combination
is 7-15-S-3!"
Still all was quiet, but once or twice
he thought he could hear voices in con-
ference Then there was call.
Hello, you, inside there"'
"Weu?"
"Who are you?''
"John Talbot, the bookkeeperr
Again there was quiet, which was
ended with:
What II you give to get out?"
"Give? Who are you?'
1.-TWO armed men who are after
what's in the VAULT"
"Burglars?'
"That'S about the size of itr'
This put an entirely different face on
the matter. From thinking of his own
safety John Talbot began TO think of
saving the contents of the vault. Was
not this an opportunity? He had
worked ten years for the concern on
meager salary and might work ten
years longer under the same conditions.
He resolved to stand his ground if pos
sible First he must gain time. He
regretted that he had given the combi-
nation.
"Well, l gave you the figures! Why
don't you open the lock, come in and
help yOurselvesT'
Give it again.
John did not give it. and presently
he heard them trying the lock. They
either had not heard all the numbers
or had forgotten them.
| Suddenly John remembered the re-
volver that was always kept in
drawer in the. woodwork inside the
vault for the especial purpose of de-
Tending the funds in case of an at
tempt at burglary during the day.
This gave him new hope. He opened
the drawer, took out the revolver, felt
| to determine if the cartridges We're in
place and found everything In order.
Then he waited patiently while the
drilling went on. There were several
layers to be pierced, and the burglars
were a long while in getting through.
Presently, however, John heard some
thing give way, and, feeling along the
surface, he struck his finger against
the end of Il drill. Then it was pulled
out, and John, placing his eye to the
hole, could see part of mans chest
or his face as the owner moved about
close before ii. John now concluded
that it was time to begin Il defense;
so, placing the muzzle of his revolver
to the hole, he fired.
| 1t seemed to him for a moment that
the drums of his ears had been broken
down, but without stopping to con-
slider this he put his eye to the drilled
hole The men were now farther
away, and he could see them plainly,
at least one of them. for the other was
supporting his companion in his arms
and holding dark lantern to his face.
| Evidently one of them had been hit.
The other drew his companion out of
Johns eye range, and John substituted
his ear for his eye at the hole. Pres
emily he heard the Office door shut. and
all was silent. They had gone.
The next morning when the janitor
came in John was liberated and went
home to breakfast. At 8 O'Clock he
met the members of the firm at the Of