Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-06-06

, The two men stood motionless, in
tent, staring at the window.
The flashes ceased.
The F'renchman reached out and
laid his hand on Runnelrs arm.
NO need for repeat" he said
quickly. You got it. didn't you ?'
My word" exclaimed Runnells
Two guards-butler's pantry-all
clear. Strike me pink"
And now it was as though two
shadows moved, fitting swiftly
across the lawn, and along the edge
of the building and around to the
rear. And here they crouched be-
fore a doorway, and the Frenchman
whispered:
Don't be delicate about 1t, Run
.nells. This isn't any inside Job.
Nick it up badly enough SOS a
blind man could see where we got
in"
That's what I'm doing" said
Runnells mechanically. His mind
seemed obsessed with other things.
Two guards" he muttered. And
again Strike me pink"
And after a moment, with both
door and frame eloquent of the
rough surgery that had been
practiced upon them, the door
opened.
The two men entered, and closed
the door silently behind them. An
electric torch stabbed suddenly
through the blackness and played
for moment inquisitively over its
surroundings.
The torch disclosed a narrow
/, serving pantry. and, on the floor a t
one side, a great metal box or chest
obviously the object of their
visit. But Runnells for the moment
was apparently not interested in the
chest.
Look at that" he breathed
hoarsely-and pointed to the farther
end of the pantry where a swinging
door was ajar. and through which
an upturned foot protruded.
The F'renchman set his bags down
beside the metal chest, moved
swiftly forward, pushed the swing
ms door open, and stepped silently
through into what was obviously
the dining room. And Runnells, be-
slde MN, whispered hoarsely again.
but this time with a sort of amazed
admiration in his voice.
"Gawd!" said Runnels. NEAT. 7
call that! Neat! WHAT"
Two men lay upon the floor
gagged. bound and apparently UNI
conscious. One, from his livery, was
servant in the house; the other
was in civilian clothes.
Faul Cremarre pointed to the lat
ter.
The man that came out from
London with the box from the
bank. he observed complacentlv.
He pushed Runnells back through
the swinging door into the pantry.
wen. my Runnells, you were
grumollng over a few minutes de-
laE' let US see if we can be equally
as expeditions and efficient with
INFINITELY less to do" He reached
me chest and examined it. Pad
locks Ell? Let me see if l can per-
suaoe them" He bent over the
chest, and from his pocket came q
little kit of tools.
tunnels stood silently by. There
was no sound now save the breath
ing or the two men, and. as the
minutes passed, an casional faint
Inetaillc rasp and click from Paul
Cremarre at work.
ana then the Frenchman flung
pack the lid. and Strengthened up.
quick now. Runnells-to work."
ne said briskly. "Pere Mouche ia
waiting for his ragout."
Inc men worked swiftly now.
"itnout words, transferring the Earl
OF Cloverley's priceless service Of
goid plate to the four travelling bags.
Inc Frenchman, the quicker of the
Two completed his task first, and
iocked mis- two bags. And then sud
denly he touched Runnells on the
shoulder. e
Listen" he whispered. What's
that?"
Family. scarcely audible, there
came a curiously padded, swishing
sound-like slippered feet. 1t came
from the direction. not of the swing
door where the two guards lay, but
from beyond the door through which
Runnells and the Frenchman had
entered the pantry.
It's some one coming. all right"
Runnells whispered back.
But only one" said the French
man instantly. Quick, Finish your
job-but don't make a sound"
He moved back along the pantry
with the noiseless tread of cat,
and took up his position against the
wall at the edge of the closed door.
From his pocket he drew a revolver.
1t was quite black. quite silent
now-save for the approaching foot
steps.
Perhaps a moment passed.
And then the door opened. and a
light went on. A gray-whiskered
little man in a dressing gown, with
bare feet thrust into slippers, stood
on the threshold. He cast startled
eyes on the crouching figure in the
center of the pantry, the tell-tale
travelling bags, the gaping treasure
chest. and wrenched a revolver from
the pocket of his dressing gown.
But the Frenchman, reaching out,
struck from the edge of the door
way. The revolver sailed ceiling
ward from the others hand, and
exploded in midair. And CONFIDENT
ly the Frenchman struck again
with the butt of his own weapon