Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1912-02-29
CHAPTER xlv.-(continued.)

"Also, for the easment of your mind
will tell you that you need not worry
about the criminaIity of the thing. 1
give you my word as a detective, and
therefore necessarily as a gentleman,
that what I am after has no intrinsic
value. It is nothing but evidence,
without value to the one who is to
furnish it, but is of great value to
me in proving my case. Moreover, the
one from whom l will get it will know
nothing about it until the time comes
for me to denounce him. There is this
slight risk about the transaction,
however. If we should be detected in
our act by some officer we would be
arrested, and that would probably IN
volye the disagreabIe necessity of our
going to headquarters and making an
explanation. But you need have no
fear of its going any further than
that The police officials know me,
and I could readily satisfy them of our
guiltIessness of anything more than
necessary technical offense commit
ted in the unearthing of a serious
try, and will have all the outside
earmarks of a malicious offense, and
I need your help to put it through sue
cessfully. Are you prepared for it
now?"
told him that while such things
were not exactly in my line, that re-
lying upon his assurances I would put
~, h hO
down a street that branched from the
brightly lighted main thoroughfare
which we had been pursuing into
less lighted section. For several
blocks we continued our way under
the scattering street lights of a sec
ton of the wholesale district which
was practically abandoned of nights.
IL front of a darkness haunted alley
we came to a standstill. On each side
of it lowered great buildings with
darliened windows. and with a quick
glance around to make sure that no
one observed US, he motioned for me
to follow him. Keep your eyes open
for private watchmen-they are the
fellows we have got to look out fol"
he whispered as we fastened through
the gloom. Absolutely ignorant of
what he was about to drag me into,
felt my heart beat faster as l trOd
close at his heels Half way through
the block he stopped and I saw dimly
before us an iron fire escape that
zig-zagged its way upward and disap-
peared in the blackness above. 1T is
a case of climb from now on. Just
follow me-" he instructed Although
not at all in love with the proposition,
l grasped the rounds of the structure
and mounted upward close under him.
At the fourth story he stepped aside
upon narrow platform that branched
out from the ladder in front of win
dow The exertion had been quite
severe. and we were both breathing
rather heavily as I took my place by
his side.
BEST kind of exercise for the ap-
petite Ought to get up every morn
ing and do it for a couple of hours
before breakfast" he painted. This
is the place I want to get into-this
window here" He tapped on the
glass before him with his finger. And
now comes the thing that I want you
to assist me in doing. I have got to
cut circle out of that glass in order
to raise the catch, and in doing it l
am going to show you trick of the
cracksman's trade. Take this piece
of soft putty and press it firmly
against the glass with your right
thumb while l cut out a piece of the
pane around it. The putty will adhere
to the glass and to your thumb, and
you. can thus keep it from dropping
and making a racket when it is loos-
ened. See the point? Now keep on
pressing as 1 tell you" Placing my
thumb tightly against the soft ball,
l pushed steadily as with some in
strument he scratched and grated
harshly as he circled my hand In
perhaps five minutes there was a
slight crack and he struck the circle
a quick blow The next instant I
found a circular disk dangling from
my thumb.
Good work. But easy now" he
whispered as he gently removed the
glass and putty from my hand and
slipped them into his pocket.