Evening star., 1927-11-15

across the lawn. and along the edge
of the building and around to the
rear. And here they crouched be-
fore 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 blind
man could see where we got In"
That's what I'm doing" said Run
nells mechanically. His mind seemed
obsessed with other things. 1.-TWO
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 a moment inquisitively over its
surroundings.
"'Tain't changed a bit, as I said
when / saw the plan." commented
Runnells.
They went on quickly. But where
before there had been a steady play
of the electric torch 1t winked now
through the darkness only at inter-
walls. A door opened here and there
noiselessly; the footsteps of the men
were cautious. wary, almost without
sound. And then, as they halted
| finally, and the torch shot out it's ray
again, Runnells drew In his breath
| with a low. catchy. whistling sound.
The torch disclosed a narrow serv-
ing pantry, and, on the floor at one
side, a great metal box or chest-ob-
viously the object of their visit. But
Runnells for the moment was ap-
parently not interested in the chest.
Look at that" he breathed
hoarsely-and pointed to the farther
end of the pantry, where a swing
door was ajar. and through which an
upturned foot protruded.
beside the metal chest, moved swift
| ly forward, pushed the swinging
door open. and stepped silently
through into what was obviously the
dining room. And Runnells. beside
him, whispered hoarsely again, but
| this time with a sort of amazed ad-
miration in his voice.
"Gawd!" said Runnells. Neat.
calls that! Neat! What?"
Two men lay upon the floor,
gagged, bound and apparently un-
conscious. One, from his livery, was
a servant in the house; the other was
in civilian clothes.
Paul Cremarre pointed to the
| latter.
| 1.-The man that came out from
| London with the box from the bank,
he observed complacently. He pushed
| door into the pantry. well, my
| Runnells, you were grumbling over
few minutes delay, let us see II
we can be equally as expeditions and
efficient with infinitely less to do
He reached the chest and examined
it. "Padlocks, eh? Let me see IL
can persuade them?" He bent over
the chest, and from his pocket came
a little kit of tools.
Runnells stood silently by. There
was no sound now save the breathing
of the two men, and, as the minutes
passed, an occasional faint, metallic
rasp and click from Paul CrensArre
at work.
/ And then the Frenchman flung
back the lid, and Strengthened up.
Quick now, Runnells-to work.
he said briskly. "Pere~ Mouche IL
waiting for his ragout!"
my eye!" said Runnells with en-.
thusiasm, as the electric torch boret
into the interior of the box. Pipe
it! I've served with the swells,
have, and Lord Seeton was one OF thu
biggest of 'em. but / never saw thu
; likes of this before. Gold plate t
,, eat off Of! My eye!"
! They are very beautiful" said tn
Frenchman judiciously; "but
would be a sacrilege against art t
appraise them in haste and in a poo
light. Work quickly, Runnells! AM
J do not fill any one of the bags to-
full. You will find 1t heavy. TIL
I four will hold it all comfortably"
: "Gawd!" said Runnells eagerly. a
. he bent to his task.
E The men worked swiftly now
without words transferring the Ear
of Cloverley's priceless service O
. gold plate to the four travelling bag,
). The Frenchman, the quicker of tn
n two, completed his task first, an
r locked his two bags. And then sud
n denly he touched Runnells on tn
g shoulder.
r Listen" he whispered. What
that?"
Family, scarcely audible, ther
! came a curiously padded, swishin
sound-like slippered feet. 1t cam
y from the direction. not of the swim