Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1916-03-23


As he spoke the light of the flash
lamp vas hlotted out. An instant latel
the girl heard a little clashing noise o.
curtain rings sliding along a pole, ant
this was thrice repeated. Then, follow
ing another brief pause. a switch
clicked, and, streaming from the hoot
of a portable electric desk lamp. a poo
of light flooded the heart of a vas
place of shadows.
Reviewing it swiftly, the girl found
herself in an apartment whose doors
and windows alike were cloaked with
heavy draperies hanging from floor tc
ceiling in long, shining folds. Immense
black bookcases lined the walls, Their
shelves crowded with volumes in rich
bindings; from their tops pallid, sculp
tured masks peered down inquisitively
leering and scowling at the intruders
A huge mantelpiece OF carved mar
BILE, supporting a great, dark mirror
occupied the best of one wall; beneath
it a wide, deep fireplace yawned, insult
ticiently shielded by a screen o.
wrought brass and crystal. In the mid
die of the room stood a library table
of mahogany; huge leather chairs and
couches encountered the remainder oi
its space. And n corner, that to the
right of the fireplace, was shut off by
a high Japanese screen of cinnabaI
and gold.
To this Lanyard moved confidently
carrying the lamp. Placing it on the
floor, he grasped one wing of the
screen with both hands, and at cost oil
considerable effort swung it aside, I'M
covering the face of a huge, old-style
safe, of which the body was buried in
the wall.
For several seconds-but not for
many-Lanyard studied this problem
intently, standing quite motionless
head lowered and thrust forward
hands resting on his hips. Then, turn
ing, he nodded an invitation to come
nearer.
my last job" he said, with a snil
ing co~untenance oddly lighted by the
lamp at his feet-"and my easiest,
fancy. Sorry, too, for I'd rather have
liked to show off a bit! But this old
fashioned tin bank gives no excuse fol
spectacular methods"
But" the girl objected, you've
brought no tools!"
ooh, but l have!" And fumbling ii
a pocket, Lanyard produced a pencil
Behold" he laughed, brandishing it
She knitted thoughtful brows. %
don't understand"
"All | need-except this"
Crossing to the desk, he found 6
sheet of note paper and, folding it, re
turned.
Now" he said, give me five min
utes." \
Kneeling, he gave the combination
knob a smart preliminary twirl, ther
rested a shoulder against the sheet o.
painted iron, his cheek to it's smooth
cold cheek, his ear close beside the
dial, and with the practiced fingers o.
a master locksmith and an authority
on stronghold construction, began Il
manipulate the knob.
Gently, ~tirelessly, to and fro he twist
ed, turned, raced and checked the com
bination, caressing it, humoring it
wheedling it, inexorably questioning
it in the dumb language his fingers
spoke so deftly. And in hts ear the
click and whir and thump of shifting
wards and tumblers murmured articu
late response in the terms of theil
cryptic code.
Now and again, releasing the knoll
and sitting back on his heels, he would
bend grave scrutiny to the dial, note
the position of the combination, ant
with his pencil jot memoranda ON the
folded sheet of paper. This happened
perhaps a dozen times, spaced by in
tervals of irregular duration.
But it had only been a premonitory
rumble in the inwards of a tall ole
clock, about to strike, in the reception
hall. And as it's sonorous chimes her
aided two deep-toned strokes Lanyard
laughed quietly, intimately, into the
girls startled eyes and sank back be
fore the safe.
And now his task was nearly fin
ished. Within another minute he sar
back with face aglow, uttered a hushet
exclamation of satisfaction, studied hit
memoranda for a space, then swiftly
and with assured movements threw
the knob and dial into the severa
varying positions of the combination
grasped the lever handle, turned il
smartly and swung the door wide
open.
Simple, eh?" no chuckled, with {
glance aside at the girls eager face
b~ewitchingly flushed and Swallowed BY
the lamps upthrown glow-"when one
knows the trick, Of course! And nov
-if one were not an honest man:
fortunes ours for the taking!"
A wave Of his hand indicated thu
rack Of ~pigeonholes with which tn,
cavity Of the safe was fitted-widt
spaces and deep, stored tight with al
extraordinary array Of leather jewe
cases, packet of stout paper bount
with tape and sealed, and boxes O
wood and %pasteboard Of every shape
and size.
"They were only her finest pieces
her personal Jewels, that Madam ON
Der took with her to England" he ex
planned; she's mad about them
never separated from them. Perhap,