The Meeker herald., 1922-05-13

What DO you suppose i got that Job as
furnace nun for? You don't think
like the work, do you? Just ten min.
utes-that's all III need. The safes
over In one corner Of the bedroom, and
the combinations one could work In
my sleep-One of those Old-fashloned
affairs where you can hear the tum-
blers drop clear across the room.
Besides continued the man known
to his accomplIces as Lefty Joe" and
to the police us one Of the cleverest
second-story men In the business.
"this'll be the last job III tackle. !
promise you that. Well sink the stun
down ut Uncle Abie's and make get.
away before the bulls know the place
hns been cleaned out"
ut sounds all right" admitted the
girl to whom the burglar was speak.
Ing. ''but I've got bunch that there's
q slip-up somewhere. You'll be cure
full TO wear those rubber glovesf"
"Sure WILL" answered the other.
'Foro, or whatever he calls himself,
amt goin' to find any OF my finger
marks all over the place. No, nor any
footprints either. tell you, Jen, this
IL clnch. This time next week we'll
be Out in the sticks--somewhere where
they don't know us-lnndln' decent
job with no fear of bulls. Hurry up
with those socks, will you? Don't
bother to finish them. II amt the first
time that I've worn 'em full O. holes"
Shortly after ten o'clock anyone who
might have been watching the fence
which marked the end Of the Phipps
property, would have seen II shadow
balance Itself for moment, silhouet.
ted against the dirk gray sky, and
then drop, noIselessly, inside the
grounds.
Moving cautiously. so as to avoid
the buralar.alarm wires which he hud
previously charted, Lefty Joe crcpt
softly toward the house.
1t was the work of moment to
Jimmy open one OF the windows OH the
first floor. and In almost less time than
1t takes to tell 1t. Joe was In the bed
room, spinning the combination OF the
wall safe his sensitive ears listening
for the click of the tumblers as they
dropped into position. Less than half
an hour Inter he was back In his room,
pouring his loot Into Jennle's lap,
"We'll have to lay low for couple
of days or So" he Informed the girl.
"If the police find out that I've
| skipped, they'll suspect me right away,
and try to frame up something. They'll
have hnrd time proving 1t though. !
had my gloves on and my shoes of.
and not soul saw me. So we're safe,
girl. and lin through-nt least until ]
find another crib as easy as this one"
But even MS Joe was speaking, In
spector Joseph A. Faurot OF the New
York detective force. was on his way
to the Phipps home. One Of the serv.
ants. returning early. hnd noted the
opened window and had notified Mr.
PhIDps. The litter, after hasty ex-
animation of 1.-The rifed Aafe, had
phoned for the police. and the mere
statement TINT some $4,000 worth OF
Jewels were missing. had been enough
TO bring Faurot. the finger-prlnt ex-
pert, to the scene OF the crime.
"Whoever broke In here knew what
he was doing" stated the Inspector
the grounds. 1T wasn't much OF II
trick to open the sufe, and our friend
took good care to use rubber gloves.
No finger prints anywhere about the
house. Anything outsider
Nothing at nll. chief" replied one
Of the policemen who had accompa'
Med the Inspector. wires all right
and no footprints In sight"
"Hmmm." unused Faurot, his eyes
fixed meditntively on the hardwood
floor of the bedroom. Then he moved
his head suddenly TO one side, MS II
; trying to catch clearer glimpse OF
the light reflected from above. An In.
slant later he was on his knees. dust
Ing the floor with powder which he
Produced from his pocket-a combine
ton of mercury and chalk. A few
strokes OF a camels hnir brush. to
eliminate the surplus powder. and he
photographed the smudge with u
pocket camera which he Invariably car
rled with him.
This Is an experts job" he an
nounced as he arose. "Round up every
secOnd-story man In town. and give or
ders that no. ones to leave the city
without my permisslon-anyone with
record, l mean"
One by one, as they were brought
into headquarters, the suspected men
were put through u strange ordeal.
After removing their shoes and socks,
prints Of their toes were taken, pre-
cisely as their finger prints had pre-.
viously been recorded. 1t took the In
spectOr less than Ave seconds to order
the release of each man. until he eX.
amined the prints Of the sixteenth pris-
oner.
Bring him int" he ordered Then,
MS Lefty Joe faced him defantIy, Fau-
rot inquired mildly. "Where's the stun
you got from the Phipps place last
uIvht lOo1 nh If'u M ,tya tn rovtS Z az.