Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1926-03-12
l'EJG.
UllNIAE<NNG OF
FIR. LYNCH
By C. c. NEwKlRK
"a by short story pub, Coz

-%HERE are men who cannot out
live their childish fears of dark
ness-men who cannot step into
black, deserted chamber, or
mount a gloomy stairway to empty
corridors, after nightfall without a
nameless, creepy terror in their hearts
Cyrus Holden, banker, was such man.
In the prime of his bachelor life the
coming Of each night brought with 1t
the foolish fears that rightly belonged
to his childhood. His weakness was
secret which no living person shared.
The banker entertained often and Law
lshly in his magnificent home where
none lived save himself and his serv-;
ants. On such occasions, when merri-,
ment ran high, the hosts laughter was
as loud and his wit as sharp as any
there. After the guests had departed
and the servants had stolen to bed
after the laughter of the half-spent
night was hushed, Cyrus Holden would
steal trembllngly to his sleeping-room
to toss, sometimes, until the dawn, his
eyes wide open, his hearing acute and
every nerve tense, suffering the tor
ments which his wild imagination con-
Jured up.
II he slept 1t was to dream Of man
whose face was half masked In black,
stealing toward him with glittering
blade held ready to strike. AS the
murderer drove the knife into his heart
the banker would awake to hear the
echo of his own agonlzlng shrek. His
forehead would be beaded with mois-
ture and his body quiverlng in fear.
Later, when Cyrus Holden closed his
library and bedroom even to the eyes
Of his own servants, there were whls-
pered speculatlOns as to his sanity, In
which the butler, the coachman and the
maid offered their Views. Outside the
great house, no one knew or cared.
From the time he had begun to double
lock and bolt these two rooms from all
eyes save his own there appeared to
have been lifted from Cyrus Holden
some great care. The lines which sleep
less nights had etched upon his face
disappeared and the flush Of health
and vlgor came there Instead. When
he left the house for the day he saw to
II that his sleeping room and library
were as safe from invasion az the
vaults Of his bank. As for the window,
It was always barred and the blinds
closely drawn.
Only two men living today know the
mystery Of the locked chambers. One
ls Mr.. Cyrus Holden, banker; the other
Ia Mr.. Jim Lynch, professional burglar
and craftsman.
Curiosity did not prompt Mr.. Lynch
to pry into the bankers secret. The
housebreaker's motive was merely a
business proposition" on which he
hoped to realize Handsomely for his
time, trouble and risk. II Cyrus Hol-
den had known that the stranger who
went through his house In the guise of
an insurance inspector was a desper-
ate criminal sought after by the police
Of dozen cities, he might have expe-
rienced a return Of the old fear.
Mr.. Lynch made his entrance, unan-
nounced, through rear window, short
ly after midnight. The burglar stood
for time In the corridor to listen. His
immovable figure was concordant with
the silence and darkness that reigned
throughout the great house. Suddenly
a bright eye looked about with inqulsi-
tive activity. Behind II two human
orbs burned through the holes in a
black half-mask and Arm forefnger
felt Its way about pistol trigger. Then
the light stole noiselessly forward the
length of the corridor and, as an aid
In case Of hasty exit, Mr.. Lynch I'M
bolted the front door before he turned
to creep up the broad stairway.
On the upper landing to the right
was the bankers library and, opening
from II to the rear, his bedroom. The
burglar first examined the barred win
dow and then bent to study the fasten-
lngs Of the library door. To go through
the window 1t would be necessary to
saw the bars; II through the door
there would be two combination locks
to work" and perhaps bolt or more
on the inside. Mr.. Lynch reflected a
moment and then, moving to the rear,
began to pick the door lock of the room
beyond the bankers sleeping chamber.
II offered slight resistance to a man
who had burrowed his way through
iron and steel.
As the craftsman pushed open the
door and stepped over the threshold,
the beam Of the bull's-eye was play
ing on the interior of the room and
the revolver was in shooting position.
Mr.. Lynch operated on the theory that
every locked room he entered was oc-
cupied until he had proven the con-
trary He had never met an emer-
gency for which he was not prepared.
The room, however, was untenanted,
and to his satisfaction the burglar OBJ
served a door leading into the bankers
apartment, which was not Sc
cured by double locks and bolts. as he
had found the library door.
Mr.. Lynch placed his ear TO the key
hole and listened for the breathing Of
the sleeper, but he heard nothing. Then
he began with the utmost caution on
the lock. He made less noise than the
gnawing Of rat. The faint cllnk Of
the skeleton keys could scarcely have
been heard beyond three feet--they
would not have awakened the most
restless sleeper.
When the door was ready to be
opened the burglar closed the slide Of
his lantern and was swallowed up In
a.. I.I al he.