Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1910-04-22
CHAPTER vI--(continued.)

ine admittance to the flunt of the
Borough Lot was not original. Come
Jimmy stepped gingerly through into
the darkness. He heard the snap of a
button, and a soft glow of light re-
vealed a tiny chamber, in which two
men might comfortably stand upright,
The back of the wardrobe closed, and
they were alone In a little room about
as large as an average cupboard.
There was q steel lever on one side
of the walls, and this the lawyer pulled
cautiously. Jimmy felt a sinking SEN
~sation, and heard a faint, far off buzz
ing of machinery.
IAN electric lift, / take it," he said
quietly.
IAN electric lift" repeated the law
yer.
Down, down, down, they sank, till
Jimmy calculated that they must be
at least 20 feet below the street level
Then the lift slowed down and stopped
at a door. SPEEDING opened this with
q key he ook from his pocket and they
stepped out into a chill, earthly dark
ness.
There's a light here" said the law-
yer, and CROPPED for the switch.
They were In a large vaulted apart
ment lit from the roof. At one end q
steel door faced them and ranged about
the vault on iron racks a number OF
black japanned boxes.
Jimmy noted the Inscription and
was a little surprised at the
extent and importance of the
solicitors practice. Speeding must
have read his thoughts, for he turned
with a smile.
Not particularly suggestive of a de-
faulting solicitor" he said ironically.
"TTwo million pounds" replied jimmy
Immediately, that is my answer to
you, Mr.. Speeding. An enormous for
tun for the reaching. 1 wouldn't trust
the governors of the Bank of Eng
land"
Speeding may have been annoyed as
he walked TO the doc in the wall and
opened 1t, but he effectively concealed
his
AS the door fell backward, Jimmy
saw a little apartment, four feet by six
feet, with a roof he could touch with
his hand. There was a fresh current of
air, but from whence 1t came he could
not discover. The only articles of fur
niture In the little cell were a writing
table and a swing chair placed exactly
beneath the electric lamp in the roof.
Speeding pulled open a drawer In the
desk.
Il 10 not keep my desks locked here"
he said pleasantly enough.
1t was characteristic of him that he
INDUCED in no preamble, no Apologize
preliminaries, and that he showed 40
sign of embarrassment as he slipped
his hand into the drawer, and drawing
forth a bulky red envelope, threw 1t on
to the desk.
lyon. might have forgotten that his
last words were denials that the red
envelope had existed. Jimmy looked
at him curiously, and the lawyer re-
turned his gaze.
"A new type?" he asked.
Hardly" said Jimmy cheerfuliy. 81
once knew a man like you in the Ar
gentine-he was hanged eventually"
Curious" unused the lawyer, Il have
often thought / might be hanged, but
have never quite seen why" He
nearly added something else, but check
ed himself.
Jimn, had the red envelope in his
hand and was examining 1t closely. II
W. heavily sealed with the lawyers
own seal. and bore the Inscription in
Reale's grabbed, iIliterate handwriting,
Puzzle IDEAS He weighed II and
1t, There was a little compact
packet inside.
II shall open this said Jimmy deci-
sively. You, of course, have already
IL.
The lawyer made no reply.
5immy broke the seal of the envelope.
Half his mind was busy in speculation
to its contents, the other half was
engaged with the lawyers plans. jim
my was too experienced a man to be
deceived by the complaisance of the
smooth Mr.. SPEEDING. He watched his
every move. All the while he was en-
gagged in what appeared to be a con-
examination of the packet his
eyes never left the lawyer. That Sped
ding made no sign was a further proof
in Jimmy's eyes that the coup was to
come.
'We might as well examine the en-
velope upstairs as here said the law
yer. The other man nodded, and fol-
lowed him from the cell. SPEEDING
closed the steel door n locked 1t, then
10 Jimmy.
"Do you notice. he said with some
satisfaction, how skillfully this cham
her Is constructor He waved his
hand round the larger vault, at the
iron racks and the shiny black boxes.
Jimmy was alert now. The lawyers
geniaiity was too gratuitous, his re- I
marks a trifie inapropos. 1t vas like
the lame introduction TO a story which
the teller was anxious to drag In at
all hazards.
Here, for instance, said the lawyer,
tapping one of the boxes. rs what ap-
pears to be an ordinary deed box. AS
a matter of fact, IL is an ingenious de-
vice for trapping burglars, IL they
should tv any chen9e reach the vault.
II is not opened by an ordinary key,
but by the pressure OF a button, either
In my room or here"
He walked leisurely to the end OF the
vault, Jimmy following.
For a man Of his build SPEEDING was
a remarkably agile man. Jimmy had
moderated his agility.
He realized his when suddenly
the lights went out. Jimmy sprang
for the lawyer. and struck
the rough stone wall of the vault. He
CROPPED quickly left and right, and
grasped only the air.
Keep quiet" commanded Speddtng's
calm voice from the other end OF the
chamber, and keep COIL I am going
TO show you my burglar catch"
Jimmy's fingers were feeling along
the wall for the switch that controlled
the lights. AS If divining his intention,
the lawyers voice said:
.'The lights are out OF control. Jimmy.
and 7 am fairly well out OF your REACH
I'VE shall See was Jimmy's ever
reply.
AAnd il YOU start shooting Won will