Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1906-05-19
CHAPTER II


The clearinghouse of Andre Fatrvsl.
No. 81 Rue dc Provence. is an inn
portant establishment. aud. owing TO
It's large force OF clerks. presents
very much the appearance OF gov
eminent department
On the grouud-foor are the Offices.
with windows opening on the street.
fortified by strong iron bars. suiR-
eiently large and close together 20
discourage an hurgiarious attempts.
4 large giass door opens into a spa
eious vestibule where three or four
ofhce-boys are always I'm waiting.
On ths right are the rooms 20 which
the public are admitted. and from
which narrow passage leads 20 the
principal Cash-room.
The offices % the corresponding
slerk, book-keeper. and general ac-
counts are on the left.
A. the further end IL small court
on which open seven or eight little
wicket doors These are kept closed.
except on certain days when notes are
due; and then they are Indispensable.
A. Fauvel's private Office is on the
nrst floor over the Offices. and leads
into his elegant private apartments
This private office communicates d.
rSctly with the bank by means of a
narrow staircase, which opens into
the room occupied by the head eaGh-
Ter.
This room, which in the hank goes
BY the name OF the cash Office" IA
proof against all attacks. no matter
how skillfuny planned. indeed, IL
could almost withstand q regular
nege, sheeted as it Ia like a monitor.
The doors, and the partition where
GAs wicket doors are cut, are covered
with thick sheete Of iron; and a heavy
grating protects the fireplace
Fastened IN the wall by enormous
Iron clamps is a safs.a formidable and
faStastie piece OF furniture, calculated
90 I'll with envy the poor devil who
saSily carries his fortune in a pocket
book.
This safe, which 80 considered the
masterpiece of the firm Of Becque4, Is
EiN feet In height and four and a half
In width, made entirely OF wrought
IRON, with triple sides, and divided in
70 isolated compartments In case of
Ere.
hey, which is. however. the least i'm
Portant part Of the mechanism Five
movable steel buttons, upon which ara
engraved ali the letters OF the alpha
bet, constitute the real power OF this
Ingenious safe.
Before inserting the key into the
lock, the letters on the buttons must
be in the exact position in which they
were plsced when the safe was
locked.
In NJ. Fauveis bank, as everywhere,
the safe was always closed with a
word that was changed from time TO
nme.
This word was known only 20 the
head of the bank and the cashier, each
OF whom had also a key 20 the safe.
In fortress like this, a person
sould deposit more diamonds than the
duke Of BrunsNviek'S, and sleep well
assured of their safety.
But one danger seemed TO threaten
that Of forgetting the secret word
which was the Open sesame" OF the
safe.
On the morning OF the 2sth OF Feb
ruary, the bank clerks were all busy
AZ bnelr various desks, about half past
cine o'clock, when middle-aged man
Of dark coTaPleSion and military air,
siad in deep mourning. appeared in
the Office adjoining the safe" and
announced 70 the five or six employees
present his desire TO see the cashier.
he was told that the cashier had
not yet come. and his attention was
called 70 a placarG in the entry, which
stated that the "cash-room" was
opened at Ten o'clock.
This reply seemed TO disconcert and
annoy thu newcomer.
Il expected" he said, in q tone of
cool impertiencc. Ito And some one
here ready 20 attend 70 my business.
explained the matter 20 Monsieur
Fsuyei yesterday am Count Louis