Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-03

ed-up: and the avenue itself is little too
conspicuous. The bolts Of this door, as far
as I can make out. slide into heavy steel
cups sunk in solid cement. and are con-
trolled. Of course, from inside. Judging
from the thickness of these. and the sound
or the door, 1t would take either q pound of
soap and nttrogylcerin on the one hand,
or five hours of hard drilling with diamond
point drills, on the other, to get through.
Wen say seven hours altogether, to get
into the building. Then comes the safe, or
rather. the vault itself. I had a casual
glance at that safe this morning. before
got these buds on-dropped in to purchase
an engagement ring. but was altogether too
hard to suit. It's ten-tonner, believe.
made. Nothing but a gallon Of cotton
would make so much as a dent in it.~But
here again. explosions are not in my line.
We've got to use these wits Of ours. We've
got to get In that safe. and we've got to get
through that door! I can't risk six hours
Of machine-shop work down there; and I'm
still too respectable to drop into safe
cracking"
well. the combinations of that sort of
vault. you know. aren't often advertised on
the ash-barrels."
What do you mean?'
II mean we have got to get it by our own
wits. as you say"
The janitor, old Campbell leaves the
building about 1913 every night. He's also
sort of day Waterman, 1 find. He's a
pretty intelligent and trusty old fellow, alb
solutely unapproachable from our stand
point. Another thing. too, the place is
webbed with Holmes burglar-alarm appar-
atus. 1t would take another hour or SO to
! get the right wires cut safely off. 1 hate to
feel squeamish at this stage of the game
but that Ottenheimer safe does look unin-
viting!'
Frances walked up and down. with the lit
tie watch-case receiver and Its handkerchief
still browning her heavy mass of dark hair,
like coronet and the green wires trailing
behind her: like the outline of a bridal-veil.
She was thinking quickly and desperately.
Suddenly she stopped in the midst Of her
pacing, and looked hard at Durkin.
I've found It," she said. in a feverish
| half-whisper: We've got to do it!'
Durkin looked at her gloomily still strug-
Cling with his own line Of fruitless Thought
Here. Jim. quick. take this and listen!'
She placed the receiver close to his ear as
she spoke. Now, that's Ottenheimer him.
self at the phone. Can you catch his voice
I distinctly? Well. do you notice what kind
of voice 1t is-fts timber, I mean? A plain
| tive-toned, cultural. suave, mean, cringing
sort of voice! Listen hard. He may not
| be at the phone again today. Is he still
talking?'
Yes the old scoundrel. There, he's fin
| ished!'
What was 1t about?"
| lane. because Judge Hazel of the district
court has overruled the board of appraisers
| and imposed a 10 per cent ad valorem duty
| on natural pearls coming in
4
| to initiate that voice."
] And then what?'
Then cut in presumably from Often
heimer's own house. and casually ask say.
| Phipps. the second salesman, and head of
the shipping department. just what your
| safe-combination happens to be- 1t has
| slipped your memory, you seer
And Phipps, naturally, in such a case,
| will ring up Central and verify the CALL"
Not necessarily. At the first call from
| him we shall cut his wire!'
| Which cuts US OF. and gives us away, as
| soon as a special messenger can deliver a
message and a lineman trace up the trou-
| ble."
| Then why cut him OF at all? II that's
| too risky, should the worst come to the
| worst, we can tell Central it's case of
| crossed wires. bewilder her q bit, and then
I shut ourselves Of"
II believe you've almost got It."
But can you get anywhere near that
voicer'
Listen. Frank: how's this?"
He drew in his chin half-laughingly, and
| throwing his voice into a whining yet bust
! ness-like cultural, spoke through an mag
mary transmitter to an imaginary Phipps.
| THAT would never, never dor cried the
\ other. despairingly. "He's a German Jew.
| II you have noticed-he sounds his WIS like
WIS. and not like VS.. but he makes his RS
| like VS."
| oh. have It," broke In Durkin, from a
| silent contemplation Of his desk phone.
| We'll Just release the binding posts on our
transmitter q little. and. let's say. keep the
| misunderstanding q triie slack-fx things
up, mean, so that any voice will sound as