The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1917-01-16

lowered. but what they took down b. W
with him he could not make out. Fir lily
| ne heard one Of the men-AIonk, prob bly,
say, Better watch out in the nall.
| Inez."
He glanced up at a sound above him.
ana the girl was looking down at him
with malicious smile. She disappeared.
and he heard the office door close. Then
there was silence.
Grant waited a moment, then heaved
himself UP. He leaned across the desk
and managed with a wriggle and roll 10
get past 1t to the floor beyond Then.
/ doing the ghost wiggle'' with his bound
feet. he made his way slowly and noise
lessly TO the telephone
There was no way to get the gag out OF
ms mouth, SO first he turned his back and
lifted down the receiver. then began Jig
Cling the hook with his chin in the dots
and dashes OF tho Morse code. hoping
against hope that the telephone girl would
be bright enough to understand ''Nun-
her, please?" said the receiver. Yes.
NUMBER"
He had about given up hope when he
heard mans voice murmuring through
the receiver: "Au right. go ahead What's
the trouble?"
send police" he telegraphed. Bur
glars tapping vault through room above
bank"
"Ar right" said the voice swiftly. and
Nj AIT NAtlltQ anu replaced the receiver.
Then IN two hops he reached his desk,
turned and snatched a pair OF shears be-
hind him and wriggIed back behind the
1 e~hh Just as the door opened and the girl
came IN Suspiciously.
With 2 grim little smile Grant heard her
go out again Then ne rose to his knees
and fixed the handle of the shears between
his heels In few moments he had man
/ aged to rasp through the cords on his
wrists against ono OF the blades
Inc reporter leaped to his feet with a
suppressed groan and snatched the gag
from his lips He staggered to the edge
OF the hole and looked down. to see Monk
and his companion working on the door Of
the vault with an acetylene torch, the
hose for which led down through the hole
from couple of tanks beside him. He
was utterly puzzled to understand how
they could do such work seemingly in
plain view of the street
However, the girl was his first problem.
he stole to the door and pulled 1t softly
open, to see her listening to a noise below
with her back turned. He had gripped her
before she was aware of his presence.
Again she fought like a wildcat. but
this time the pounding steps on the stairs
proved to be those Of friends and not enc
mics, for Cadogan himself appeared. head
ing a squad of detectives, and they took
prompt charge Of the girl
Grant hurried back through the door
with Cadogan, but already the two bur-
glars alarmed by the noise, were emery
ing through the trap.
Wordlessly Monk drew revolver, pass
ing the blow torch to his companion and
backing toward the window. The detec-
tives did not want to shoot and dared not
approach the torch. which the man turned
on full, until Grant made a sudden dash
and turned OF the gas. The man leaped
for the window with a curse. to fall.
bounce from an awning below and land in
the arms Of the police. But Monk was
gone!
Without stopping to think, Grant rushed
to the window and saw the safecracSer
moving swiftly around the corner of the
building on a narrow ledge that skirted
along the ledge. but found at the corner
that Monk. despite his years. had climbed
q fire escape, crossed the narrow street
on some telephone wires and was already
sliding down a drain pipe with an excel
lent chance OF escaping through the oppo-
site building.
Beside Grant were the ropes OF a long
snd very strong fiagpole that projected
from the building at an angle above him.
Hastily he united them, caught them in
a firm grip and swung out across the
street Ike trout at the end Of q rod and
line. He picked Monk Off the wall like
fly and slid with him, kicking and strug-
sing. into the arms of the waiting police.
you see" explained the somewhat Sheep
ish Cadogan later, they had a screen
painted like the door of the vault stuck
up IL front of 1t. and they worked behind
that, torch and all. To a patrolman out
Sn the sidewalk everything looked o. k