Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1922-04-07
Only a Real Man
Would Do It
By FRANK H. WILLIAMS.

4. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES S<~S~~~eS$~<esAss
q, 1921. by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate
AS Harry Bowers crawled slowly
through the tunnel toward the First
National Bank building the words of
warning addressed to him earlier that
evening by Clara Jennings rang In his
ears.
Clara was one of the boarders at
the place where Harry had been stay
ing since being detailed to the First
National case. Clara was n stenog-
rapher at the bank and she was Just
about as pretty girl as Harry had
ever seen In his travels. 1t had been
case of love at first sight with Har-
ry, but Clara held him off provokingy.
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 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 be dangerous job.
Perhaps, If you come through with 1t
all right" Just a faint smile of en-
couragement had wreathed her lips at
this. "But 1t 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 1t was with nothing more than
this rather dubious encouragement
that he had started into the hot, mar
row tunnel which no had so laborl-
ously excavated.
Now, as Harry once more recalled
Clara's words, his attention was sud
denly called to something else. A
noise, dull 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.
TITS the gang" said Harry to him
self. 81 was right In my guess-they
get into the vault by means of a tun-
mel under the bank. Now If can only
cut them Off
Harry reassured himself that the
heavy automatic pistol was stu 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 ahead of
him, while he mufIled the sound of his
work as much as possible and gave
ear now and then to the sounds ahead
Of him. The shovel which Harry
worked In the sitting darkness 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 wire running back
through the cave and ready for instant
action.
AS Harry dug the sounds on the
other side Of his work indicated un-
mlstakably that he was fast approach
ing the other tunnel.
Soon shaft of light pierced the
gloom. He had made point Of con-
tact with the other tunnel
Harry ceased work and applied his
eye to this hole The opening into
which he looked was quite well lighted
by electric light attached to the cell
ing. The room, as 1t might be called,
into which he looked was quite large.
In the center was table and 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
number of securities spread out. Evil
IDENTIFY these had been just taken from
the vault. The gang was apparently
at his mercy, if-he could pull of
their capture.
And as Harry speculated about the
means Of effectlng the capture of the
gang a question ran through his mind
as to the identity Of the four people
around the table. 1t was supposed by
those who were trying to 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 crowd2 Or
was some employee of the bank in the
numberi
Harry tried hard to recognize some
Of N I4.N 10
masked faces and the nondescript fig
ures dehed 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
concerted movement by all the four
figures around the table up toward the
front of the tunnel, where undoubt-
eddy there was cleverly made. en-
trance into the banks old-time vault.
Presently the room into which Harry
gnzed was empty. This was his OPP
portunity
Quickly Harry hewed at the earth in
front Of him. In moment or so 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 cleo
trlclty for the lights glowing in the
room. At first It was hard TO discover
these, but at length he found them
and severed them with a quick pinch
Of the cutting tweezers he had brought
with him.
The moment the place was plunged
into gloom there came the sound of