Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1922-02-23
Only a Real Man
Would Do 1t
By FRANK II. WILLIAMS.

evening W Slatu Sci'ho' '""s ~ i''
ears.
Clara was one of the boarders ut
the place where Harry had been stay
ing since being detailed to the First
National case Clara was stenog
rapher ut the bank and she was Just
about as pretty u girl as Harry had
ever seen In his travels II had been
case of love at first sight with Har-
rs, but Clara held him off proyokingly.
This evening just before Harry started
on his perilous task. he had again
attempted sentlmentality with Clara.
I'm going into a dangerous job to-
night, Clara said Harry. II wish
you could say something encouraging
to me"
Clara had laughed u little at this.
Then she had become quite solemn.
II wish you all the luck In the
world" she said. I've got bunch
that you're going to try and stop the
thieves who've been taking securities
from the First National vaults. Being
the presidents stenographer I've nat
urally got on to what you're doing.
And know 1t will he dangerous job.
Perhaps, IL you come through with it
oil right" Just faint smile of en-
enlargement had wreathed her lips at
this. But IL will take real man to
win out against this gang They'll kill
without mercy. You'd best be care
ful-mighty careful"
With that Clara had slipped away.
And it was with nothing more than
this rather dubious encouragement
that he had started into the hot. mar
row tunnel which he had 50 labori-
ously excavated.
Now, as Harry once more recalled
Cara's words, his attention was sud
denly called to something else. A
noise. duh but steady, came to his
ears Harry hurried his crawling. The
noise became louder. There could be
no installing 1t nOw-the noise was
directly ahead of him.
IT'S the gang!' said Harry to him
self 81 was right in my guess-they
btl iiilp tht Nuull ny iiituhS VI iuh-
mel uncer the bank, Now If I can only
cut them off p
Harry reassured himself that the
heavy automatic pistol was still In
his belt Then arriving at the end of
the excavation he had so far made,
he applied himself to the task of
quickly digging at the earth ahe.,d of
him. while he untitled the sounNf his
work MS much rs possible and gave
ear now and then TO the sounds ahead
of lin. The shovel which Harry
worked in the sitting ~1rkness he had
left in the tunnel upon his last trip,
and near the point where he had left
the shovel was an electric spotlight
connected with Il wire running back
through the cave and ready for instant
action,
A. Harry dug tie sounds on the
other side of his work Indicated un-
mistakahly thut he was fast approach
ing the other tunnel
Soon shaft Of light pierced the
gloom. He had Slade point of con
tact with the other tunnel.
Harry ceased work aud applied his
eye to this hole The opening into
which he looked was quite well lighted
by electric light attached 20 the cell
Ing. The room. as 1t might lie called,
into which he looked was quite large.
In the center was a table aud around
the table were grouped four figures.
The sound of the conversation going
on among these came to Harry in only
mufIled tones. But under the light
above the little table he could see a
number Of securities spread out Evil
IDENTITY these had been Just taken from
the vault. The gang was apparently
at his mercy, lf-hc could pull OFF
their capture,
And as Harry Speculated about the
means of effecting the capture OF the
gang question ran through his mind
as TO the identity OF the four people
around the table. II was supposed by
those who were trying 10 stop The rob
berries and apprehend the thieves that
someone In the bank was closely CON
nected with the gang. Was there an
official of the bank In this crowd? Or
was some employee Of the bank the
number1
Harry tried hard to recognize some
one of the figures. hut the black
masked faces and the uundescrlpt fig
ures deted identification
While Harry looked there came some
sort Of an alteration or discussion.
The talk became more heated and
higher In tone Then there came n
concerted movement by all the four
figures around the table up toward the
front of the tunnel. where uudouht-
edy there was cleverly made en-
trance into the banks old-tlmc vault.
Presently the room into which Harry
gazed was empty This was his op-
portunity
Quickly Harry hewed al the earth in
front Of him. In a moment or 50 he
had hole big enough for him to crawl
through. In another minute he was
inside the room.
Harry hauled the spotlight into the
room with him Then he cast around
for the wires which furnished the elec
tricity for the lights glowing tn the
room At first 1t was hard 10 discover
a.