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

En,renched In her little top-floor studio,
behind a showcase Of cotillon favors, Miss
Cecilia Starr sat in her wicker rocker. very
quietly and very contentedly sewing. She
felt that 1t had been an exceptionally prof
liable day for her.
Three hairpins and linen handkerchief
held a watch-case receiver close over her
ear, after the style of the metallic ear bands
of central Office operator. Leading from
this improvised ear band and trailing across
the floor out into her private room at the
back. ran a green cloth-covered wire. This
wire connected again with an innocent-look-
ing and ordinary desk-battery transmitter,
rugged up with a lever switch, and standing
on a little table next to the wall. up which
might be detected the two bimetallfc wires
which, since 10 o'clock that morning. tapped
and bridged the general wire connecting the
offices of Ottenheimer & Co. with the out
side world.
From time to time the members of that
flrm went to their telephone, little dreaming
that young lady, decorously sewing velvet
scissors Ca ses on studio top moor OF an
other building, was quietly listening to
every message that passed In and out of
their busting place of business. 1t was
strange medley of talk some OF 1t inconer-
ent. some of 1t dull. some of 1t amusing.
Sometimes the busy needle was held poised
and n more interested and startled express
sion fitted over the shadowy violet eyes of
AllsB CeCtIid starr AZ SucH tiiiieS BIC
vaguely felt that she was a disembodied
spirit, listening to the hum of faraway
world. or. at other times. that she was an
Old astrologer. gazing into some mystic and
forbidden crystal. Still again. as she lis
tened. she felt like a veritable eagle. invs-
ible poised high IN ethereal emptiness.
watching hungrily dim and far-off sign Of
earthly life and movement.
Suddenly. from the street door sounded
the familiar two-three ring of Durkin. This
door remained open during the day. and she
waited for him TO come up. She went to
her own door. however. and laughed girl
ishly as he stepped into the room, hopping
his moist forehead. There was very alert
nervous. triumphant expression In his eyes.
and once again the feeling swept over her
that II was now crime. and crime alone.
that could stimulate into interest and still
satisfy their tagged vitalities. 1t was their
one and only intoxication. the one thing that
could awaken them from their mental sloth
and stir them from LIES shadowy valley Of
establishment.
Her quick eye had taken note of the
fact that he wore a soiled blue uniform. and
the leather-peaked blue cap Of a Consolidat-
ed Gas Company employe, and that he car
ried with him brass hand-pump. He
laughed little to himself. put down his
pump IN one corner of the room. and al
tilated vandyke. now a short and straggiy
growth Of sandy whiskers. Then he turned
to her with an unuttered query on his face.
~ was right" she said quietly. but hur-
risdiy
Il never really doubted itr'
"Ottenheimer has private drawer in the
vault. It's in that. His wife telephoned
down very cautiously about It this morning
A little later. too, Ottenheimer was called
up from a Brooklyn drug store, by Mrs.
Van Gottschalk or some such name. who
said her husband was still In bed with the
grip and couldn't possibly get over until
Monday. This man. you see is Ottenheim-
er's diamond cutter"
Thank heaven. that gives US a little more
tine!"
Three days. at least! But what have you
done. Jim7
Been trying to persuade the Janitor of
the Ottenheimer building that I was sent
10 pump the water out of his gas pipes
but no was Just sure that / wasn't. /
got down In his cellar. though, and had a
good look about. before / saw 1t wouldn't
do to push the thing too far So insisted
on going up and seeing the owner about that
order. There was an inside stairway. and a
queer-looking steel door wanted to get my
knuckles against. started. up there but
he hauled me back. found out, though,
that this door is made of one-inch steel ar
mor-plate. There's another door leading
from the foot Of the outer hallway into the
cellar itself. But that's only covered with
soft sheetiron-more against fire than any
thing else. Fifteen minutes will get
through that one, easily. It's the inner door
that IN the problem. / tried 1t with a knife
point. Just one hard little Jab. 1t took the
end on my Rogers blade"
But 10 this door the only way inf'
Absolutely; the rear Ia impossible, brick