The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-01-07
who's been robbing me7"
"Your bell boy


after another rapidly over and put them at Mercer
they - ,es don't belong TO me, my friend"
put they came from here, Doctor Speaking he stepped
tho To ta ante and as by instinct put his hand
'"e eh nj In the slab Right from this crack"
Are you drunk dreaming? What's tho matter
Win .his man? demanded Dr. Mercer turning to me;
. ms lace was setting into paste.
70 put It bintly. Doctor, want you to explnlnn
sau whispering Smith.
II can't explain n nine drc,n, nv, ro,r ,oi, ,,,,.
you need is rest" - 20 i''o nat
vo ~ know ,s Il What makes is to have to push
boxes at two different safety vaults under two
IT seemed to drive the iron clear through tho roo.
lie sat for instant transhxcd; then he s,otd aa
ance-only too loud. ~ - tu q ueii-
Il don't explain my business TO every ,u,,tt, .,+
breaks into my room at midnight Get out Of hare e'''s
whispering Smith appeared hurt. "Don't YOU Under
stand? You are under arrest" ~
Mercer started.
u will stay with you. Doctor until O'Clock; then
want you to to your boxes with me and ono, mo-
at the Western National and 1918 at the aa
It's brutal1 know IT. but can't help that Doctor tia
up to you
Something in the detectives words frozc the dunn
founded physician Morse" he asked nervousy, what
does this mean?"
What does 1t mean, Dootor'" echoed steadying my
voice as could For Gods sake. does it mean ~
You VIII ruin reputation by such crazy proceed
ings. What recourse have after I'm dsgraced? II you
arrest me am ruined Now appeal to you. l am as
Innocent of this charge baby innocent Morse
for Gods sake have consideration for met I tell
you, there's not shred evidence against me"
Whispering Smith stared ceiling.
gladdcr to see 1t than Tho is and has been in
this mans hands from the opened Tell him every
thing know. tell it now. 1t is impossible for
your best friend to advise you more sincerely"
Dr. Mercer sat frozen. Then of sudden he started
to his feet Both Of u.s. think, saw the strange express
sion his face.
II swear am as innocent baby" he cried. III
you are determined ruin me
Now don't talk slop," whispered the detective ..see
here; IL you're innocent, give Mr. Morse the keys to yo,r
boxes now Meet us at the Guardian Vaults o'clock
no one need know you suspect. II will save
searching your ROOM"
"Il do IT," said Mercer calmly. His mood had
ha rtprn ff1n,-
his pocket wallet and picked keys handed them to
me; his finger touched mine; 1T like Ice.
You are not to leave your until you are ready
to go to the vaults. Doctor, Nine o'clock
Dr. Mercer stared at him. Nine o'clock" he re-
peated. vaguely well remember the words.
Whispering Smith, detailing collcrans men
at the door of the sos suite followed my room and
asleep before 1t arrived cupfuI hardly necessary
TO keep awake till day. at breakfast barely tasted
food, Whispering Smith ate for time with apparent
uneoneern Then of sudden he threw down his paper
looked spryly at passed his napkin his lips
and pushed his chair from the table. by George I'll be
back in Minute he excalim~.. rising sit sim"
For five minutes sat alone. A walking rapidly
into the dning-room came straight tory chair.
whispered
caught the elevator and made my way around into
the sos corridor colierans behind whispering
Smith stood with Dave. his ear at the door.
What's the natter" asked.
i've made mistake.
Hes gomez"
NO. heard him in there minute ago. Just the
same. shouldn't have left him alone He pounded
with both hands the door Doctor" called. as
loud as his ragged throat would carry open up I'll
smash you in. Without another word he the end
of the corridor. / heard crash glass. In
mcnt he was back with hrelman's
stop said l. Would he shoot through the door,"
HE has pistol
How. in Gods you know everythingY'
ITS my business back, will you? stand clear
there
swung the like sedge and sunk it into the
oak Again he landed on the knob and on the bolt the
door and he into the The blinds were
closed, the shade drawn. whispering Smith sprang
the window tee the shade from the roller and erked
open the blinds
He's here" said he, trying the bedroom door land
locked in Give me the axe. Foley. Get that crowd OF
rubbernecks the hail. Damn it. shut the door.,
Without looking his orders executed Whispering
Smith smashed at the inner door AS it gave way he
caught the knob pushed forward but he held
Don't take unnecessary chances. Just second.
While Foley kept the mob In the hail. Whispering
Smith pushed into the gloom of the inner apartment;
moment later electric button snapped and lamp lit
the room. 'Kneeling chair, almost the feet
saw the figure Of man. his head fallen over the side
OF the chair between his arms Whispering Smith. soop
almost parted from tho body Stepping behind
catching the shoulders he lifted the head The
was MERGERS. He had cut his throat
Whispering Smith like whirlwind, nventorled the
room. He had the whole story munte later. when he
handed note ncoherent in terms, addressed
me, saying that the missing money in the Western
National Deposit Vaults.
Mercer not six inches from Fuers box the pack
of bills that covered the trail of much
horror
How could he have done it?' stammered in
amaze sitting in the coupon room with whispering Smith
as we told over the bills
mot difficult. after all, He got hold Col
onels keys Just how, will be buried with him but he
evidently got them. made this duplicate" held
up a key which he had unearted under the silk lining
Of hypodermlc case. 1t opened RULERS box.
But with the double tumblers and unable visit
the box without attendant, who opens it with his
key?' I exclaimed
He cut me off nlpatlently 'Yet is done. suppose
he in here-n new clerk for him; Fulera
box was 4o9s; Mercers own right next to it, 4O7&
What's your number, Doctors? says the clerk. 4O0s,'
Mercer; and flashes the key opens It, the
safe to tho coupon roomthere you are! He had only
carry Doodle with an instrument bag,
and the next day bring 1t back to his box
That night seated at Colonel Fuers bed with Willis
Howard he told solne all, the details OF how
he had first found from the list the Guardian Vault
patrons that Mercer had box there under assumed
After that it only time and Whispering