The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1914-01-21

| into the dark room.
! For q space he rested motionless
| listening intenty. Reassured, he drew
| out an electric torch and set 1t glow
| ing. A little disk OF light touched here
and there about the room, travelling
very swiftly and In methodical cir
cles. Satisfied by the survey, Carson
crossed to the hall door. where he lis
tened for any sound OF life without
and found none. The door into the
passage that led TO the stoFeroom
where the detectives waited next en-
gagged his busiuess1ike attention. And
here again there was naught TO pro
yoke his suspicion
1t seemed to him that everything
was In readiness for the coming OF his
associates. There remained only to
give them the signal IN the room
around the corner where they waited
at a telephone. He seated himself in
elders chair at the desk and drew the
telephone to him.
GIVE me 900 Bryant" he said.
There was a little wait Then an an
swer in voice he knew came over the
wire.
Carson picked up a penbolder from
the desk and began tapping lightly on
the rim Of the transmftter. It was a
code message In Morse In the room
around the corner the tapping sounded
clearly. ticking out the message that
the way was free for the thieves com
ing.
For & final safeguard Carson search
-
box and unscrewed the bells. which he
placed on the desk. He then took his
pistol from his hip pocket and thrust
It into the right side pocket OF his coat.
Once again, now, he produced the cleo
tric torch and lighted It as he extin-
guished the lamp on the table.
He then went to the door into the
hall, opened it and, leaving it sjar.
made his way in silence 10 the outer
doorway. The doors there were freed
OF their bolts, and one OF them swung
wide SO nicely had the affair been
timed that hardly was the door open
before the three men slipped in and
stood mute and motionless in the hall
while Carson refastened the doors.
Then Carson walked quickly back TO
the library. Behind him, with steps as
noisaIess as his Own, came the three
men.
When all were gathered in the II
brary Carson shut the hall door,
touched the button I'm the wall beside
it, and the chandelier threw fits radiant
light on the group.
Griggs was in evening clothes, seem
ing q very elegant young gentleman
indeed, but his two companions were
Of grosssr type as far as appearances
went-one. Dacey. thin and wtry, with
ferret face: the other. Chicago Red,
brawny rufian, whose stolid features
nevertheless exhibited something Of
half sullen good nature.
Everything all right so far" Carson
said rapidly. He turned to Griggs and
pointed toward the heavy hangings /
that ghrouded the octagonal window. |
Are those the things we wantT' he |
demanded.
Yes was the answer.
"WeIl, then, we've got to get busy"
Before he could add a direction he |
was halted by soft buzZing from the |
telephone. For an instant he hesitated /
while the others regarded him doubt |
fully.
We've got to take a chance" Gar
son went to the desk and put the re- /
ceiver TO his ear.
There came again the faint tapping i
of some one at the other end of the
line, signaling q message in the Morse
code. An expression of blank amaze
ment, which grew in a fash to deep |
concern, showed on Garson's face as
he listened tensely.
why, this Is Mary calling he NUT
tered.
Nary Gr1ggs cried.
Yes, she's on" Carson interpreted /
moment later as the tapping ceased for |
q little. He translated in a loud whis-
per as the irregular ticking noise
again.
"I shall be there almost at once.
am sending this message from the Il
drug store around the corner. Have
some one open the door for me 1mme-
diately." 4
she's coming oVerE" Gr1ggs cried In
mo, I'll stop her, Carson declared
armly.
But when after tapping few words
he forger paused for the reply no
sound came.
she don't answer he exclaimed.
ION her way already" Griggs sug-
yested. ''I'Il let her in" He drew a
mail torch from the skirt pocket Of
1is coat and crossed 10 the hall door as
Carson nodded assent
God! Why did she have to Gomez"
Carson muttered, filed with forebod-
ngs. eff anything should go wrong
1owTs
He turned back toward the door just
Id It opened, and Mary darted into the
-oom. with G1sgz following closely at
her heels.
What do YOU want here7" he de-
handed. with peremptory savageness