The hummer. (Houston, Miss.) 1914-19??, 1915-07-02


that. Merely to have been singled out
By this amazing master criminal was
enough to cause panic. Already be
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 andes 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, I suppose, that
one Of them nodded to taXicab driV-
er, who was standing at a public hack
stand a few feet up the block The
driver nodded unostentatlously back
at the man.
In spite Of the excitement, Kennedy
quietly examined the showcase, which
was, indeed, a veritable treasure store
Of brilllants.
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 respectable dis
lance.
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.
We'll, It is stiH therel" exclaimed
Martin, pointing at the showcase with
a forced laugh.
Suddenly came a rending and crash
ing sound. II seemed as II the very
floor on which we stood was giving
way.
The showcase, with all its priceless
contents, went smashing into the cell
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 smoclks 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 EoIley Of shots whizzed past US,
and another. While one crook was
hastily stufing the untold wealth Of
jewels into a buriap bag the others
had drawn revolvers and we're firing
up through the hole in the floor des-
perately.
Look outl" 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
and thrown It up through the hole in
the floor.
Il sailed up over our heads and land
ed near our little group. on the floor,
the fuse sputtering ominously.
heard an exclamation Of fear from
Elaine.
Kennedy had pushed his way past
Us and picked up the deadly internal
machine in his bare hands.
watched him, fascinated. As near
as he dared, he approached the hole in
the floor, still holding the thing of at
arms length. Would he never throw
it7
He was ooolly holding It, allowing
the fuse to burn down closer to the
explosion point
It was now within less than an inch
of sure death.
Suddenly he raised It and hurled the
deadly thing down through the hole.
We could hear the imprecations OF
the crooks as It struck the cellar floor
near them.
Leave the store-quickl" rang out
Rennedy's voice.
Down below the crooks we're beat
ing q hasty retreat through a secret
entrance which they had Effected
The bagl The bagl" we could
hear one Of them below
"The bomb-runl" cried another
: voice grufiy.
The explosion that followed liftet
US fairly on our feet
/ As the smoke from the explosion
: cleared away, Kennedy could be seen
the first to run forward.
: Meanwhile Martins detectives ha,
rushed down a flight OF back stair
that led into 3 coal cellar. With Goa
Hhovels and bars, anything they couli
9 lay hands on. they attacked the doc
g that opened forward from the coal eel
I lar into the front basement wher
Z the robbers had been.
2 A moment Kennedy and Bennett
paused on the brink Of the abys
; which the bomb had made, waiting 70
: the smoke to decrease. Then the.
began TO climb down cautiously owe
{ the plled-up wreekage.
The explosion had set the basemen
2 afre, but the IRE had not gained mucl