The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1925-08-19
BY CYRIL McNEILE
APPER
Copyright BY GEORGE II. DORAu co
, ID. N. u. Service
S A p p E r

you sooner You have gone to the
police"
"But-but," stammered Latter "tbe
ponce were no good to Zaboleff last
night"
And 1t Is quite possible" returned
the other calmly, "that they will he
equally futile in your case. Canddly
MIR. Latter, am completely Indifferent
on the subject of your future. You
nave served our purpose, and all that
matters is that you happen to be the
bone over which the dogs are going
to fight. Until last night the dogs
hadn't THEORETICALLY; and in the
rencontre last night, the police dog.
unless I'm greatly mistaken, was
caught by surprise. McIver doesn't
let that happen twice. In your case
he'll be ready. With luck this cursed
black gang, who are infinitely more
a 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,
countY"
Nothing at all, except what YOU
were going to do normally" answered
the other.
"Hullo! What's up?"
From a little electric bell at his
elbow came four shrill rings, repeated
again and again.
The count rose, and with system
attic thoroughness swept every piece
or paper off the desk into his pocket.
Then he shut down the top and locked
1t, while the bell, little muffled, still
rang inside. r.
whats 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 a stranger,
and the door of the safe swung open.
And only then was it obvious that
tie safe was not a safe, but a second
exit leading to a flight of stairs For
a moment or two he stood mOtionless, |
listening intently, while Latter fidget- |
ed at his side. One hand was on a
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 |
lessly 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 pell-mell into Sc
cret recesses in the floor which had
been specially constructed under
every table. In their place appeared
books carefully and very skilfully
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
nconvenient questions-well, it was
Mr. Atkinson's private office, and a
,ery nice office too, though at the mo-
nent he was away. II
Thus the procedure-simple and
ound; but on this occasion something 1
seemed to have gone wrong. Instead ,
# the industrious silence of clerks {
working overtime on affairs of finan- |
ial import, a perfect babel of voices [
ecame audible in the passage. And t
hen there came an agitated knocking {
n the door. /
"Who is it?' cried the count sharp {
y. 1t may be mentioned that even Q
he most influential members of his
taft knew better than TO come into a
be room without previously obtaining il
emission. l.
ITS me- sir-Cohen." came an agi- h
ated voice from outside c
For a moment the count paused: II
len with a turn Of the knob he closed b
10 safe door silently. With an i'm o
erious hand he waved Latter to a
hair. and resumed his former posi- W
on at the desk. p
"Come in" he snapped. III
II was a strange and unwholesome &C
,iect that obeyed the order, and the II
,unt sat back in his chair. az
nWbat the devil have you been do pl
gY' :,
A pair Of rich blue-black eyes, ana III
nose from which traces OF Dlood =
Ill trickled had not improved the II
,neral appearance of the assistant H