The herald., 1922-09-07
Ridgeley Had
a Hunch
By CHARLES E. BAXTER

Copyright. 1922. Western Newspaper Union.
Stick 'em up Quick!"
Ridgeley, the cashier of the Opera
tive Trust company, looked out
through the grille of his cage into the
wicked muzzle OF an automatic.
Behind the automatic was the face
of a man who had been inQulring
about a check moment or two be-
fore
1t was the noon hour in the offices
of the trust company. and the place
was quite deserted. No better time
could have been chosen, and no bet
ter occasion, for the trust company
had $4,000 ready for shipment TO the
bank at Menopee, and the robber had
evidently been aware of this.
Carefully covering Ridgeley, the
man moved round the cage and
opened the door.
"You git back there :" he ordered,
motioning with his automatic toward
the big safe In the corner. "And II
you move finger or let out a squeal
you're gOnew
Covering Ridgeley with his right
hand, he swung open the till with his
left, scOoping up a few packages Of
ones and twos. Growing, he crossed
to the safe.
"Open 'er!" he ordered.
Ridgeley, shaking, Obeyed him.
"Now stand against that door," the
rObber ordered. And keep 'em upw
And, shifting the automatic into his
left hand, and keeping the muzzle
pressed against the cashiers waist
coat, he began to pull open the in
terror compartments of the safe with
his right.
1t was like a hideous nightmare to
Ridgeley. 1t was Saturday morning
and he had been about TO leave town
for the weekend. On a peg hung his
Overcoat. On the floor was lis trav-
cling bag. His hard hat, which had
been dented from some conclusion,
seemed to grin knowingly at him.
He waited In cold sweat while the
man, uttering growls of dissatisfac-
ton, went through the compartments.
But the safe was practically empty.
"Where is it?" demanded the rob
age snarl.
I'VE shipped 1t an hour ago."
Ridgeley answered.
damn you, you're lylng!" shrieked
the other.
Ridgeley shrugged his shoulders.
Through the grille he saw the blonde
head of Miss Baker, the presidents
secretary, as the girl came up the
steps. He saw her stop, saw her eyes
contract-then she was gone.
"You scumr ~ roared the rObber, los
ing all self-cOntrol. I'll croak you II
you don't"
Footsteps sounded outside. He hest
tated, turned, whirled out of the cage
as the porter came running toward
him. There was a report, a spit of
fire. Olesen fell, got up again, and
stood looking with scared gaze at
his left hand, which was running
blood.
The rObber turned and ran. Shouts,
the sounds of a confused struggle
reached Ridgeley's ears. There was
more shooting.
MY GOdI" said Ridgeley feebly.
And, suddenly nerving himself, he
stopped and opened his travelling bag
1t was crammed with packages of
DilraInx- hnnan show
ing them into the safe. 1t was not
until the last one had been restored
that he desisted from his frantic move
ments. Then he leaned back against
the door of the safe and wiped the
sweat from his forehead.
my God" he whimpered again.
Only ten minutes before, with the
twelve thousand dollars safely slowed
away in his travelling bag, he had been
contemplating flight.
He had laid all his plans with the
utmost skill, and IN few hours would
have been safe from pursuit. And he
had not dreamed how heavy a load
lay on his conscience.
NOW IL was us IL IL ltIIlDlt DuEucu
had been removed from him; he
breathed freely again.
The President, the secretary, and
two policemen came running in.
did he get it, Ridgeley?" the pres
ident shouted.
For answer Ridgeley swung open
the door Of the safe, showing the bills
in their place.
The president shouted In his de
light "GOod boy" he yelled "Ths
fellow got clean away, but well have
him in a few hours. We've got the
number Of his car. But-you opened
the safe for himT"
81 did," smiled Ridgeley, "but II
taken the packages out and put then
In that cupboard behind the CORE
spondence paper. IL had a sort Of
bunch something would happen"