Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1914-05-23
CHAPTER N.
A Pair of Brass Weights.

silence. A little farther along
third pCrson glided noiselessly to the
opposite side of Crewe and kept pace
with them-that one who had gone
out from Crewe's place in the wake
of Shaughnessy. Crewe merely
nodded in his direction, and the
youth-he was barely out of his
teens-spoke in a low tone, which
Faber. at the other side of Crewe,
could not definitely overhear.
Hes gone to headquarters, all
right; but it's another guess comm
if he'll stay there. Shall | go back ?"
mo. Stick"
A taxicab turned upon the square
near the Judson Memorial and crept
slowly along the east side of it. The
three men bore to the right and in
tercepted the taxi in front of the
University Building. 1t pulled up
long enough for them to step inside,
Crewe last, and he paused long
enough to murmur direction to
Cross, the driver. Bells in the city
were ringing midnight. 1t was two
hours early for an expedition of the
sort if precedents were followed
but this particular venture was to
establish one, it appeared.
The cab conveyed the three men to
the vicinity of another square
Stuyvesant-and stopped around a
corner where there was a deeper
shadow. The three men got down.
keep moving around this block
the way you're headed, Cross, al
ways turning to the left so We'll
rected. He crossed Second Avenue
with his two companions, and in the
middle of it spoke again. Your
beat is from the next corner, down
to the cross-town cars, Rat. He'll
come that way if he comes, and then
it'll be up to you. If you can't get
TO me in time, you'll have to lead
him off, that's all. We're going to
his fiat"
Crew and Faber Lent Rat at the
next corner, turning eastward. Their
knowledge of the ways and habits
of policemen was such that they did
not encounter one.
cts too early, Crewe," Faber
grumbled once, but, receiving no re-
spouse, shrugged his wide shoulders
and said no more.
They turned presently into the en-
trance of a double fve-story fiat,
building. The door had not latched
after the last person had passed II,
and they carefully pushed their way
inside toward the stairway at the
middle of the structure.
At the second floor Crewe turned
off the hallway gaslight. Az the
third he did the same, and paused
long enough to put a pair OF plump
ers into his mouth. Their presence
so altered his voice that when ne
spoke again it was hoarse ana
cracked and unacceptable.
Then he pulled a hoodlike arrange,
ment over his head. 1t was thin, and
had large eyeholes in it. His cap
held it in place, and it dropped to
his shoulders. They mounted to the
fourth story and stopped.
"Open that door first" Crewe di-
rected, pointing, before he turned OIL
the light. "That fiat is vacant.
After you've let me into the one OPP
posite it, you'll stand there, in that
doorway, and if his nibs comes nall
him. | don't care how, only get, him
good and plenty, so we can make a
getaway.
"You amt told me who he is yet"
Faber growled.
you'll know him, all right, when
you see him." Crewe replied.
"Who is he?" doggedly.
"The fy-cop-Shaughnessy."
Say, Crewe, I'll be"
You'll be good, and do as you're
told" the master interrupted. open
those DOORS"
Faber, conquered, opened the door
of the vacant fiat. He then stepped
across the narrow corridor to the
other, bent forward a moment, then
Strengthened up with a jerk.
There's light in there" he said
in a whisper. "You jimmy the door
yourself, if you want to. I won't"
He turned abruptly away toward
the stairs, but the hand of Crewe fell
lightly upon him. and the delicately
long white fingers of the man tight
ened with a painful and convincing
grip. There wasn't another word
spoken; but after an instant Faber
slowly bent TO his task again. con
quered the second time. and finally.
The dexterity and the utter silence
Of his work was amazing. Crewe
chose his assistants well, and Faber
was the ablest Of them all. The door
swung loose, and a person seated in
one of the rooms of that fiat would
not have detected an unusual sound
Crewe made a gesture, and Faber
disappeared inside the doorway OF
the vacant fiat. Crewe waited a
moment, then passed silently inside
Of the other one.
He paused TO listen. 1t was as il
he could command the production OF
sound if one were latent some
where, waiting TO be made A flut-
ter Of paper. as if the leaf Of book
had been turned. reached him. A
faint sigh came with it. Crewe
g;ided 10 the door at the end Of the
private hall II stood ajar. an inch
from tho casing.
He glanced through, took the
chance Of the door creakinC, pushed
IL open. stepped swiftly into the
room. and across il oward the wo-
man whose hack was toward him.
No sound warned her, for Crewe
made none. She sensed his presence
OF the change of air caused bv the
open door startled her. But Crewe