Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-02-12

were lost in my horror OF having 10
share the punishment that these men
were likely to get in the end. My
whole mind was at once bent On out
whiting them. The moment theg sus-
pected that | had got on to their
scheme | would be forced to continue
nv work at the muzzle of a revolver.
What should l do? Anything | should
do to attract attention without would
fall upon me as well as on the bur-
glars.
/ saw but one possible way Of de-
feating their purpose. That was TO fin
ish the drilling, get at the tumblers
and put them so out Of gear that 10
get them in order again would require
taking out the whole apparatus. On
this course / resolved.
Having come to decision, l was
anxious to get through as soon as pos
sible, fearing as much as they that we
might be caught in the act l there
fore worked with all my vigor, the
typewriter pounding the while. My
employer. seeing that 1 was doing my
best, seemed to regain any confidence
he might have lost by his mishap.
You're all right, young man. You're
sure to win Ten minutes yet to make
your $4,000. I'll do better. I'll make
it $4,000"
He didn't need to make it $4,000 to
induce me TO hurry. If any one should
interrupt the proceedings l didn't see
how L would escape the penitentiary.
So L worked as hard as l could, but in
order to inspire confidence L purposely
In mil
That's all right" said the chief in
response to my look OF disappoint-
ment. Two minutes don't make any
difference to a man who will make
as much out OF your work as will.
I'll give you the whole amount Now
open the door"
THE most important work yet re-
MAINS" / replied. These tumblers are
complicated affairs. If L get them out
of gear I'll lose this fortune and my
girl too"
well, be careful" he said anx-
iously.
Meanwhile my brain had been as
busy as my hands. l saw that more
depended on my deceiving them than
in throwing the lock out Of gear. If 1
could persuade them to give up their
job without my throwing the lock out
Of gear it might help me in the story
1 would tell after all was over. 1
worked on for awhile, then let a piece
of steel IN the lock drop in its place
with a click. With an exclamation
and an assumed look of horror 1 turn
ed toward the men.
What is itT' cried the chief.
1--WE done it"
"what?'
CT couldn't open it now If you'd give
me a million. I've lost! I've lostr'
81 believe you're fooling," said the
/ man.
He called the two clerks" together
for a consultation. 1 knew very well
that they were discussing the feasibil-
ity Of forcing me at the point Of a pis-
toll to go on. l also saw from their eI-
pressions that two Of them believed
my story and the third was doubtful.
Finally the two convinced the third,
and the chief, approaching me, said:
you've done the best you could, and
I'm sorry you've lost your prize. II
you'll come around in the morning I'll
make you a handsome present. l can't
do it now because all the money is in
the safe. You can go now. Goodby."
1 thanked him, picked up my bag
and was about to leave when the man
who had doubted by sincerity ap-
preached the chief excitedly and said:
You don't mean to say you're going
to let him go out first and send cops
in here after u.s.
From this point they threw on all
idea of deceiving me. The leader said
to me: You stay here for ten minutes.
Ten minutes-do you hear? One of us
will be waiting outside, and If you
come before ten minutes you're a dead
man. See?"
/ feigned to be very much astonished
and frightened and told them l would
stay as long as they wished. Then
they turned out the lights and went
away. | knew their ten minutes for
me to stay didn't mean anything, and
after l was satisfied they were off 1
went out myself and in a drug store
looked up the residence of the presi-
dent of the company. Then l went to
his house and told him the whole sto-
ry. handing him my written promise Of
$1,000 if / opened the safe within q
given time. The next day ne gave me
a check for the $4,000 I had been
promised verbally. There was 100000
in the safe.
1t is needless to say that l got mar
ried. furnished a holse plainly and
had plenty left to set up in business in
the hardware line, making locks, cleo.
trio bells, etc, n speciality. 1 am now
well off and the father OF six children.