Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1925-09-17
BY Cyril. McNEILE
SAPPER
Copyright By GEORGE H. DORM co.
pN u Service

black gang, who are infinitely more
nuisance to me than the police have
been or ever will be, will get bitten
badly"
Mr.. Latter was breathing heavily.
But what do you want me to do.
count?"
Nothing at all, except what you
were going to do normally" answered
the other.
"Hulloi What's up2"
From little electric bell at his
elbow came four shrill rings, repeated
again and again.
The count rose, ard with system
attic thoroughness swept every piece
OF paper off the desk into his pocket.
Then he shut down the top and locked
it, while the bell, little muffled, still
rang inside.
What's the fool doing?" he cried
angrily, stepping over to the big safe
let into the wall, while Latter, his
face white and terrified, followed at
his side. And then abruptly the bell
stopped
Very deliberately the count pressed
two concealed knobs, so sunk into the
wall as to be invisible to stranger,
and the door of the safe swung Open
And only then was it obvious that
the safe was not safe, but second
exit leading to flight of stairs. For
moment or two he stood motionless,
listening .ntently, while Latter fidget-
ed at his side. One hand was on
master switch which controlled all the
lights, the other on a knob inside the
second passage which, when turned,
would close the great steel door noise
leSbly behind them.
He was frowning angrily, but grad
ually the frown was replaced by
look of puzzled surprise. Four rings
from the shop below was the recog-
nized signal for urgent danger, and
everybody's plan of action was cut
and dried for such an emergency.
In the other rooms every book and
paper In the slightest degree incrim-
mating were hurled peIl-mell into Sc
cret recesses in the floor which had
been specially constructed under
every table. In their place appeared
books carefully and very skilfulIy
faxed, purporting to record the bust
ness transactions of Mr.. William At
kinson.
In the big room at the end the pro-
cedure was even simpler. The count
merely passed through the safe door
and vanished through his private bolt
hole, leaving everything In darkness.
And should inconvenient visitors ask
inconvenient questions-weIl, It was
Mr.. Atkinson's private office, and a
very nice office too, though at the mo-
ment he was away.
Thus the procedure-simpIe and
sound; but on this occasion something
seemed to have gone wrong. Instead
Of the Industrious silence of clerks
working overtime on affairs of finan-
clal import, perfect babel of voices
became audible in the passage. And
then there came an agitated knocking
on the door.
''Who is it?" cried the count sharp
ly. 1t may be mentioned that even
the most influential members of his
staff knew better than to come into
the room without previously obtaining
permission.
tits me, sir-Cohen," came an agi-
tated voice from outside.
For a moment the count paused !.
then with a turn Of the knob he closed
the safe door silently. With an i'm.
perious hand he waved Latter to a
chair, and resumed his former posi-
ton at the desk.
"Come in," he snapped.
1t was a strange and unwholesome
object that obeyed the order, and the
count sat back in his chair.
"What the devil have you been do
ingT"
A pair Of rich blue-bIack eyes, and
nose from which traces of blood
still trickled had not improved the
general appearance Of the assistant
downstairs. In one hand he carried
pair of hobnail boots, in the other a
piece of paper, and he brandished
them alternately while a flood of IN
coherent frenzy burst from his lips.
For a minute or two the count lis
tened, until his first look of surprise
gave way to one of black anger.
"Am to understand, you wretched
little worm" he snarled, 'that you
gave the urgency danger signal, not
once but half dozen times, merely
because man hit you over the nose?"
"But he knocked me silly, sir"
quavered the other. "And when / came
to, and saw the boots lying beside me
and the till opened, kind of lost nv
head. / didn't know what had hap
pened. strand I thought I'd better
ring the bell-in case Of trouble"
He retreated step or two toward
the door, terrified out of his wits by
the look of diabolical fury in the
hunchback's eyes. Three or four
clerks, who mad been surreptitiously
peeping through the open door, melted
rapidly away, while from his chair
Mr.. Latter watched the scene fasci-
mated. He was reminded of a bird
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