The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-01-28

when the roll is being unwound.
"All you have to do to close it is
to turn the knob to the right; just a
single turn, no mathematics"
Does she ever balk, get caught?"
mo. The mechanism is as fine as
a Swiss watch. No one knows about
the loss"
Good point. What would happen if
a little obstruction got in between
the safe door and the ledger"
Nothing like that has ever hap
pened. Still, the door could be
swung out again by single turn OF
the knob to the left. Again, no mathi
e<latics. If the door is shut and any
on% should turn the knob, bell
would ring over the head of my bed.
Nobody has opened that safe; it isn't
humanity possible without explo-
sives.'
Haggerty smiled. .Tve heard that
said before. 1 see you've got one of
those vacuum cleaners. Any suspic-
ions?"
Absolutely none"
'Uh-huh, Saturday I want you to
give all the help tickets to some
matinee"
Matinee?
"Ye-ah. l want a latch key and the
run of the whole house. NUNS the
word about me. I'm an old customs
inspector. if any one should ask.
Anybody ever come in while you're at
play?"
my son and wife, the butler. and
the maid, Mullins comes in with my
matted milk about IL o'clock"
Haggerty sent a keen klance about
the room and made mental diagram
which later he would place on paper.
He was about to start on another
line of questions when they were in
terrupted
The hall door opened and Haggerty
saw young man in evening dress.
The face was handsome, but the de-
tective, who know all about human
faces, discovered a salient. 1t was
the face of one who had lived soft,
Hello. sonny! Come in. This is Mr..
HaSgerty. An old customs inspector
who used to rifle your fathers bag
gage when he came to port. Was go
ing by and dropped in for visit
Got a telegram, dad. from Wash
ington. A third secretaryship. I'm to
sail the first of February"
''Finew
well, I'll be on my way" said
Haggerty rising.
The following evening Haggerty
stationed himself opposite the Balm
ptiuSc hume ana WdlCHeQ AL nail
after eight a man came out of the
aeraway. He began going hurriedly
north. Baggerty was about to go
along after him when the front door
opened end man of lighter build,
his hat over his eyes and his cellar
up. ran down the steps.
He instantly Rugged the wall and
began to run toward the other, talk
ing particular pains to keep out of
sight. Haggerty. vastly interested in
those proceedings, followed on the
other eide of the street.
From time to time the man who
was being pursued threw g1ances
over his shoulder. All at once he
started off at run. The pursuer imi-
tated this action, but with extreme
care.
The man ahead dashed cater-corner
and swooped into an unsupported
alley. His pursuer followed this time
boldly.
Haggerty Rugged the corner of the
alley. The younger man ran swiftly
into the gloom, and Haggerty at once
lost track of him. But he did not
lose track of the shadow in the fire
escape. Presently this shadow came
down and took concrete form,
walked easily out of the alley and
on uptown.
'Well, sayv unused Haggerty,
whats all this about? What's our
young diplomat chasing his fathers
hustler for?"
One week later-a stormy night
the detective went up to Forbes
studio and banged on the door for
admittance. The artist, half asleep,
grumbled as he let Haggerty in.
Getting to bed early these days,
huh? It's only ~. Throw on a log
of wood. and I'll tell you a story.
Presently the only light came from
the fireplace. 1t was a cheerful spot,
surrounded by pail of gloom. a
mysterious ghost1y gloom in which
the inanimate seemed to move and
twist as if endued with life; armor,
spears. shields, plaster and Chinese
masks flashed sinisterly from the
rug-lined walls. A constant stream
of small shadows swooped downward
aslant the windows; falling snow.
Haggerty stretched out his legs to-
ward the fender. His shoes, broad
and thick. still sparkled with drops
of melted snow.
twelve o'clock" he said. "and all
Is WE'LL"
"Say." began Haggerty, reaching
into his pocket and fetching out five
pieces of paper, one white and four
black. Look at this diagram of the
cambridge study"
Forbes ran his glance over it and