Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1918-02-22
The Precious
Parcel
By WALTER JOSEPH DELANEY

spoke Hall Barton, secret service man.
ut represents the best roundup of the
department for ten years. See," and
the keen-eyed, pleasant-faced sleuth
Tipped over half a dozen bundles of
greenbacks and then rolled them up in
three MANILA paper coverings and
placed the package in front of the
pretty s~tenographer employed by the
Merchants bank of Woodville.
"What am I to do with it, please?"
she inquired.
Gust lock it up somewhere and I
will call for it in a day or two" Then
his voice dropped to a whisper and the
%janitor, putting the place in order,
failed to catch the import Of the sub
dued tones.
The detective smiled, and Nellie
smiled, too. She nodded her head in
telligently and arose and placed the
package in a drawer and locked it.
81 will have the cashier place it in
the safety vault in the morning." she
said, but her visitor did not seem in
the least anxious about a package
which, judging from the contents, rep
resented a large surface value.
1t was after banking hours, but Mel
lie had some pressing work that would
keep her late at her desk. Mr.. Gregory
Vale and his son, Clinton, had gone to
a bankers convention at the county
seal and would not return until later.
"Young Mr.. Vale told me that l was
to bring you a hot supper from the
hotel when I come on watch duty at
nine O'clock" the %janitor said.
"Mr. Vale is very thoughtfub" mur
INJURED the young lady.
"And he will call when the eleven
o'clock train comes in to see you home
safely, he told me-"
Nellie fiuttered and flushed. She
more than liked Clinton Vale. 1t was
a strange circumstance, her present
environment. Gregory Vale, after op-
Grating his old established bank on a
humdrum basis for a quarter of q CEN
fury, had decided to put in plate glass
and marble counters and electric lights.
OF course an up-to-date stenographer
and typist must follow. Nellie Lane
had been hired from the city and a
jewel of industry she proved. At the
very first Clinton Vale had fallen in
love with her. Now Clinton feared
and Nellie suspected that the precise
and cold-blooded father would replace
her with a successor to break up their
budding love romance.
Not &ha4 NJ yyoslo All ,A& roJ.a Mol
lie at her true worth, but she vas poor,
and his son could take his pick loot
a choice bevy of heiresses, and nliiCt.A,.
was the god of the old banker.
The janitor pulled down the shades
and left the bank. He was to return
in four hours. Nellie got out a great
pile of papers and began to work. She
was fully engrossed in her task, an
hour later, when she started, paled and
stared with a thrill at three men.
Don't scream or stir, or get hys-
Eterics, little one," spoke their leader
smoothly. "We're here to do a job
and all you've got tor do is to keep
quiet. She's your special care, Jim"
and TRANQUILITY n of his pals slouched
into a seat opposite Nellie, revolver in
hand.
"We have three safe hours" resumed
1.-THE leader. sect out the tools. OF
Course the stuff is In the vault. Rig up
the oxyacetylene torch and We'll burn
out the locks"
Nellie was helpless to defy or battle
the cracksmen, but she thought hard.
She knew that aside from the regular
funds, the bank carried all the cash
tax collections of the district, amount
ing to half a million dollars.
whats pleasing your" projected
the main burglar, as Nellie INDUCED
in a gleesome chirp of a laugh.
ST was thinking you'll waste your
time" replied Nellie coolly. "There
are two more doors to get through and
a double safe Toto
"Crack?" grinned the burglar.
EYES," nodded Nellie. Besides, you
will spoil the beautiful locks and you
look wicked enough to carry off a lot
of stuff belonging to clients and all
that. There's money enough lying
loose outside here to satisfy any rea-
sonable robber."
you're an original one I" chuckled
the admiring craftsman. II suppose
you'll show us where this aforesaid
money ISL"
ST WILL" assured Nellie, promptly,
eff you promise to go away and not
try to get into that vault"
"And how much loose change do you
let us gather up?" propounded the fell
low satiricaffy.
"Oh, about two hundred thousand
dollars. There's a key. Open that
drawer over yonder and be satisfied
with what you find"
The leader took one look at the pack
age the secret service man had left
with Nellie.
"Fellows, here's a royal fortune u
he shouted deliriously to his confreres.
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