Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1911-07-20

entine. IF this is it. Red"-reversins
the dial a~gain-"she's ours in another
minute. Match!'
Red struck another match.
ITEM! be cried.
A half turn of the dial forward.
Valentines sharp ear detected the
sound as though another bolt had
drawn back. Here we are again!
Match"
"Forty-two," exclaimed Red.
"That's it-forty-two-that's what it
should be. Do you hear Kitty now?"
"NO. Good God, Jimmy.
after all, she's dead?"
Two more turns Of the dial.
keep your nerve. old pal-there-
match
To George Doyle. standing in the
doorway. the scene was one of grip
ping interest. The consummate, al
most uncanny, skill of Jimmy Valen.
tine was something to cause in the de
t%ective. experienced even as he was
with resourceful and intelligent
craftsmen. thrill of genuine admira
ton. No wonder Valentine had proved
the despair of the safe makers, the
banking officials and the sleuths of
half a dozen states. And a lieutenant
governor had pardoned him!
AS Doyle surveyed intently the op-
erations of Red Flanagan and Jimmy
Valentine in their superhuman effort
to rescue their beloved little playmate.
Kitty Lane. from the sitting clutches
Of the steel vault he became aware of
a sudden though very slight change
in the darllened room, the windows of
which. opening into a shaft. gave al
most no aid at all to inquisitive eyes.
He glanced across the room to the
point from which the light seemed to
come and saw that the door leading
from the assistant cashiers office had
been partly opened. Next. to his utter
amaZement. lie saw q plumed hat
thrust forward into the opening. and
then a girIish figure appeared. The
figure halted and turned its face to-
ward the vault where Red Flanagan
and Jimmy Valentine were at work.
In practically the same position as
himself. though at the opposite side
Of the room. Doyle recognized that the
girl could watch the operations Of
the two expert crncksmen without de-
lection unless either of them should
neglect his work and glance in her
direction. and. as he thoroughly ap-
preciated. both Valentine and Flana.
gan were too intent on their mission
of rescue to turn for an instant from
their task.
AS Red struck the match at the
latest command of Valentine DOYLE
saw the girl bend forward to better
gain a view Of the proceedings. The
side OF her face was illumined by the
!ight. in the assistant cashiers office.
and-could it be true?-yes, Doyle was
positive that the form of the witness
in the opposite doorway was none 9th
er b that of the young girl who
had seen Jimmy Valentine in Warden
Handlers office at Sing Sing and who
had prevailed on the lieutenant gov
ernor to obtain his release.
Doyle's memory had not betrayed
him. 1t was Rose Lane. who, return
ing to her lovers Office in quest Of
him, had opened the door Of the vault
room and had, just as Doyle had done,
caught him red handed" She moved
forward a step. as though to speak,
but her attention was attracted by
Doyle, who moved Slightly. She saw
him put his fingers to his lips, coun-
selling silence. The girl therefore
stood mute. watching the man she
fondly loved cop the gopher" in the
bank that between them she and her
father owned.
"One," announced Red as the match
fared into q blue bright sulphurous
CLEAN.
That's it! That's the old rotationv
cried Valentine enthusiastically. Ten