The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-03-19

ner vault, and here were row upon row of iron drawers filled with green backs neatly bound in packages. with the amounts marked on the outside At the end of the vault were rows of drawers filled with gold in coin and ingOts.
 "Moneyw said Breed. gloating over the contents as he opened and closed these drawers. "Money!' said he. and he rubbed his lean old hands together. while his eyes began to gleam. Mot all these receptacles are filled. though. When l had these vaults built calcu- lated how much money there was in the United States and built in enough drawers to hold it."
 There was something so sinister ip the way he said this that even Phillip himself seething with enormous am- bitions. was startled.
 Lillian plucked Phillip by the sleeve and drew him outside the vault.
 "He always likes to be alone when he is down here." she whispered
 Phillip stopped in the second passage to examine with interest the heavy hanging of the door Lillian drew quite near him and slipped her hand within his arm. He could feel the warmth of that hand instantly. He was afraid of this girl, afraid of him. self. The thrill she gave him was not like that which he had shared with Elsie. With Elsie it was love; with this girl-he drew slightly away.
 Suppose anything should happen to MT. Breed" he asked What would become of this vault? presume it's combinations are written in some safe placer
 "They are not written anywhere" she told him. ''There is only one person in all the world besides my grand. father who knows how to get in here, and that person Is myself. Of course would not tell 1t. would I?'
 He looked down at her. He half bent forward. seized with a mad im- pulse to take her in his arms. He was ashamed of that impulse.
 "You must keep away from me!' said he harshly. ''There are things I want to do-big thingsr'
 The girl laughed lightly, well con- tent for the time. but shrill chuckle startled them both and made them
 turn hastily. Old Henry Breed stood in the door of the vault, rubbing his hands softly together.
 "Goodr" said he. Good. Phillip. my boy! I knew you were about it. You keep as strong as that and I will make you anything you want to be-any- thing!"
 Out in the library they found the gaunt wireless operator. whose eyes seemed to have the peculiar catlike property of shining in the darkness. The operator was just turning on the lights, and a flash of lightning out lined him as he reached up to press the hanging bulb.
 "I have a wireless for you. sir" he said to Mr. Breed. The old man took
 the yellow slip and drew under the
 chandelier Presently he turned to Phillip triumphantly:
 '"The board of governors of the New York Stock Exchange. after having sus- pended the exchange for a week in a vain attempt to straighten out their muddle. have just called a meeting of the members. and the only fo to at. tend were four of the five witt whom you did business. The seats of all the others are for sale. and there are no buyers. The Stock Exchange" and his voice rose to shrill and tremulous shriek. 'is wiped out of existencel
 There is no Stock Exchanger' At very early hour the next morning. in his bedroom near the top of the house. the gaunt wireless oper. ator was upon his knees before his open trunk. his long fingers slowly turning the knob of a combination lock. It was. mounted upon a plain iron plate and was now temporarily clamped upon the front edge of the trunk to keep it in its normal vertical ! position. Blagg, as he turned the knob,
 kept his eyes carefully averted from | it. but he listened most intently Pres | ently his acute fingers caught the faint | est perceptible shade of difference as quickly as. if not quicker than. his I ears. for they stopped rigidly upon the ! instant. Biagg now looked at the dial then consulted a small card which he 1 held in his left hand. and a look of in | tense satisfaction. amounting almost to | fierceness. flashed into his beady eyes
 The last number of the involved com
 bination had been found by the sense l of touch and hearing alone! | "Cashr' he whispered Millions of
 cash. all gathered into one placer He changed the combination. marked
 it carefully upon his card and started | once more. with averted eyes and in. tent ears. to turn the knob.
 In an office on the second floor Phil
 lip Kelvin stood over a large hand
 drawn map. on which every mile of | every railroad in the United States | was carefully set down in strong lines,
 though in inks of six different colOrs,
 indicating the six main financial | groups. Starting from the network of
 lines radiating from New York. Phil
 Tips clear eyes followed each road in turn. ramihcation by ramification. to
 the end. going slowly and pausing over
 each branch as if to fix more firmly tn his mind certain facts connected with
 1t.
 suTo make these all one color" he