The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1911-07-20

| had got on to his scheme. He had
| purlioned the letter head on which he
had written me, and his two clerks were
confederates.
pretended to work all the faster after
this incident, but in reality accomplish
ed very little. | didn't dare lessen the
pressure of my bit on the steel, for the
diminution of noise would have betrayed
me, but bored to make the hole larger
instead of deeper. | couldn't see my
man s face, but he was evidently partly
treasured. At any rate he said nothing.
And while worked thought Here
was unwittingly participating in a bur
glary. All the other considerations
were lost in my horror of having to share
the punishment that these men were
likely to get in the end. My whole mind
was at once bent on outwitting them.
The moment they suspected that | had
got on to their scheme | would be forced
to continue my work at the muZzle of
revolver. What should | do? Anything
| should do to attract attention without
would fall upon me as we'll as on the
burglars.
| saw but one possible way of defeat
ing their purpose. That was to finish
the drilling, get at the tumblers and put
them so out of gear that to get them in
order again would require taking out the
whole apparatus. On this course | re-
solved.
Having come to decision, | was anx-
ious to get through as soon as possible,
fearing as much as they that we might
be caught in the act. | therefore worked
with all my vigor, the typewriter pound
ing the while. My employer, seeing that
| was doing my best, seemed to regain
any confidence he might have lost by his
mlshap.
"You are all right, young man. You
are 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 $40, 900 to
induce me to hurry. If any one should
how | should escape the penitentiary.
So l worked as hard as | could, but in
order to inspire confidence | purposely
lost the $1,000 by two minutes.
''That's all right" said the chief in
response to my look of disappointment.
1.-TWO minutes DOM make any difference
to man who will make as much out of
your work as Twill. Now open the door. "
''The most important work yet re-
mains, | replied. These tumblers are
complicated affairs. If get them out
of gear I'll lose this fortune and my girl
too.
Meanwhile my brain had been as busy
as my hands. | saw that more depended
on my deceiving them than in throwing
the lock out of order. If | could persuade
them to give up their job without my
throwing the lock out of gear, it might
help me in the story | would tell after it
was over.
| worked on for a while, then let a
piece of steel in the lock drop in its place
with click. With an exclamation and
an assumed look of horror l turned
toward the men.
"What is it," cried the chief.
'1've done it,
WHAT"
Il couldn't open it now if you'd give
me a million dollars. I've lost! I've
lostr'
81 believe you are fooling," said the
man.
He called the two clerks" together
for a consultation. l knew very well
that they were discussing the feasibility
of forcing me at the point of pistol to
go on. | also saw from their express
sions 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. If
you'll come around in the morning I'll
make you handsome present. | can
do it now because all the money is in the
safe. You can go now. Goodbye"
! thanked him, picked up my bag and
was about to leave when the man who
doubted my sincerity approached the
chief excitedly and said:
"You don't mean to say you re gong
to let him go out first and send the cops
in here after US.
From this point they threw off all idea
of deceiving me. The leader said TO me:
"You stay here for ten minutes. Ten
minutes you hear? One of us will be
waiting outside, and if you come out be-
fore ten minutes you are dead man.
See?"
feigned to be very much astonished
and frightened and told them | would
stay as long as they wished. Then they
turned out the lights and went away. l
knew their ten minutes for me to stay
didn't mean anything, and after l was
satisfied that they were off l went out
! myself and in drug store looked up the
residence of the president of the COM
pany.
then went to his house and told him
the whole story handing him my written
promise of $1,000 if l opened the safe
within a given time. The next day ne
! gave me the check for the $40, 900 had
been promised verbally. There was
$500, 600 in the safe.
1t is needless to say that l got.marrled,
furnished house plainly and had plenty
left to set up in business in the hardware
line, making locks, electric bells, ETC., a
speciality. I am now well Oft and the
father of six children.