Tombstone epitaph., 1915-07-18


 stant Poe was all action. He stuffed a handkerchief into the open mouth. and securely tied his man. arm and leg. The stupor's strength held, the man did not awaken.
 Going to the opening in the room and making sure the coast was clear. except for the guard, Poe caught up the insensible man. paused to give two staccato taps on the bamboo pipe, and rushed through the damp. dimly light ed passage-way, half carrying. half dragging the limp body.
 At the door the wiry little China man sprang from his post, and took in the strange spectacle with wide. wild eyes.
 No glo out" he squealed. as Poe silently twisted the yellow hand from the door-knob. giving the man a shoul. der shove and trying to force the door
 It was locked,
 A terrorized. shrill jabber of Chi nese burst from the guard; there was a slight commotion in the large smok- l ing room. and Poe glanced over his shoulder just in time to see Burns backing out. blocking the passage to Simmy. who rushed at him, until stop ped at the point of his gun, covering and screaming in sheer devilterror. The surprised guard made a sudden feint, grasped a twist-tongued dirk, and, with leap and a howl. drove it full force for Poe. At that instant Poe managed to wrench back the heavy bar blocking the door. and stag. gered through. the knife slashins | across the shoulder of his insensible | burden.
 Make a run for it." he yelled back to Burns, who was already dashing down the passage to the open door. Poe having rushed on up the cellar stairs. Burns leaped through, slammed the door behind him. caught up half of Poe's burden. and together they dashed into an alley.
 They won't follow,- breathed Poe. They're afraid to peep their noses | outside. I'll phone for a taxi. You stay here. and fix the cut this poor devil got in his shoulder" Half an hour later the pair of bank. CTS carried their insensible bundle into Poe's apartment uptown. With delft fingers Poe searched him thor. oughly. and finally held up a thick belt he had taken from the mans waist
 It was padded With pair of pock. ct scissors Poe ripped out the stitches, and drew forth the amazing contents "a handful of 5000 bills. Taking from his pocket a memorandum Crib ben had given him, describing the missing money. Poe compared the numbers on the notes with the list Suddenly grasping Burns hand. he cried:
 You picked the right man.
 During the succeeding hours a full confession was wrenched from the poor wretch, who had revived to face the proof of his guilt
 Two years before be had conceived the scheme, and, calling on his expert ence as an amateur actor at Cam bridge. had disguised himself as a scrub-woman, his tenor voice helping the deceit. and managed to secure the position at the bank through forged references. He explained in detail how on Saturday afternoons, when the clerks had all left and when the watch man was sometimes reading his paper at the door, he had managed to worI at the safe, little by little. with dia mond drill. concealed in his scrut pail. carrying off the shavings in hii mopping-rag.
 He kept at the thing doggedly and secured. through small crimes, the money to buy and perfect a powerful and compact electrical drill, which he had attached to an electric power trunk in the bank, and with 1t melted the inner safe door. He told how hs had bored to the right depth in the outer door. having a complete knowl edge of the safe. acquired in his worb at Liverpool. On the fatal day he had slipped oil his wig, skirt, ant waist, when Begg's back was turned and appeared before him in the mans clothes he had on beneath. knowing that he would not be recognized. The killing of the scrub-woman, he de clared was accidental, and explained that he had rushed to the rear of the bank directly, kicked over stool broken the bucket, and screamet in the voice he had assumed as scrub woman. to fool the watchman. Thel he had chloroformed Beggs. GU through the alarm plate in the outer door of the safe, and sent in the prop CT signal to the insurance company al 5:15. In penetrating that plate be fore signaling the insurance company to set the alarm, he knew the opening of the safe could not be registered He had then gone to work on the inner door with his electric drill, which he had concealed in his pail The power full current had melted through the lock and exposed the treasure. Tying up the money and bonds, he stole the warchmans keys, opened the froa: door to the bank, and dragged through it the dead body of the scrub-woman leaving the door open in a spirit Of brayado. knowing that the sight would horrify and mystify the police.
 He had then packed up the swas in a false-fapped suitcase, and skip