The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1915-03-12

deed, no one could blame him for
that Merely TO have been singled out
by this amazing master criminal was
enough TO cause panic. Already he
had engaged detectives. prepared for
whatever might happen. and they had
advised him TO leave the diamonds in
the counter, clear the store and let
the crooks try anything, II they dared.
Just back Of us, and around the cor
ner, as we came in. we had noticed a
Limousine which had driven up. Three
faultlessly attired dandies had entered
a doorway down the street. as we
learned afterward. apparently going to
a fashionable tailor's which occupied
the second floor OF the old-fashioned
building. the first floor having been
renovated and made ready for renting
Had we been there a moment sooner
we might have seen, suppose, that
one of them nodded to a taxicab driv-
er, who was standing at a public hack
stand few feet up the block. The
driver nodded unostentatiously back
at the man
In spite OF the excitement, Kennedy
quietly examined the showcase, which
was. indeed. a veritable treasure store
OF brilliants.
Slowly the hands OF the clock came
nearer together at noon.
We all gathered about the showcase
with its glittering hoard OF wealth,
forming a circle at a respectable dis
tance.
In deep-lunged tones the clock
played the chords written, believe,
by Handel. Then It began striking.
Nothing had happened.
We all breathed a sigh OF relief.
well. it is still there!" exclaimed
Martin, pointing at the showcase with
a forced laugh.
Suddenly came a rending and crash
ing sound. Il seemed as If the very
floor on which we stood was giving
way.
The showcase, with all it's priceless
contents, went smashing into the eel |
lar below.
The flooring beneath the case had |
been cut through!
All crowded forward, gazing at the |
black, yawning cavern.
Down below, three men, covered |
with smocks and their faces hidden
by masks, had knocked the props
away from the ceiling of the cellar,
which they had sawed almost through
at their leisure, and the showcase had
landed eight or ten feet below, shiv.
cred into a thousand bits.
A volley Of shots whizzed past us,
and another. While one crook was
hastily stuflng the untold wealth Of
jewels into a burlap bag the others
had drawn revolvers and were firing
up through the hole in the fidor des.
perateIy.
Look out!" cried someone behind
US before we could recover from our
first surprise and return the fire.
One of the desperadoes had taken a
bomb from under his smock. lighted It
Ind thrown It up through the hole in
he floor.
1t sailed up over our heads and land
ID near our little group, on the floor,
he fuse sputtering ominously.
heard an exclamation of fear from
elaine.
Kennedy had pushed his way past
is and picked up the deadly Internal
In his bare hands.
| watched him, fascinated. AS near
s he dared, he approached the hole in .
he floor, still holding the thing off at
rms length. Would he never throw =
!?
He was coolly holding it, allowing .
he fuse to burn down closer to the
xplosion point. s
It was now within less than an inch
sure death. j
Suddenly he raised 1t and hurled the
eadly thing down through the hole.
We could hear the imprecations Of d
le crooks as it struck the cellar floor, u
ear them. 8
Leave the store-quick!" rang out
voice.
Down below the crooks we're beat II
lg a hasty retreat through a secret
1trance which they had effected. G.
THE bag! The bag!" we could "
ear one Of them below.
"The bomb--run!" cried another n
Dice grufly. 81
The explosion that followed lifted
, fairly off our feet. q
AS the smoke from the explosion
cared away. Kennedy could be seen, W
e first to run forward. W
Meanwhile Martins detectives had W
shed down a flight of back stairs
at led into coal cellar. With coal eC
ovels and bars, anything they could
Y hands on, they attacked the door gC
at opened forward from the coal cell
r into the front basement where
robbers had been. tn
A moment Kennedy and Bennett OF
used on the brink Of the, abyss tn
lich the bomb had made, waiting for
3 smoke to decrease. Then they OF
gan to climb down cautiously over di
3 piled-up wreckage. dr.
The explosion had set the basement feI
re, but the fire had not gained much tn
adway by the time they reached the mi
sement Quickly Kennedy ran TO ne
door into the coal cellar and ou
ened it.