The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1933-06-01
81 OcTAvUs ROY COHEN

alley through which you can pass
into Oak street. Day before yester-
day the bank was free Of custom
ers at two o'clock. We drew the
curtains and shut the front doors"
"Were they locked"
"No. They never are. We have
safety vaults In the basement and
they are open until five O'Clock.
There has to be some way for
clients to get into the building. We
merely shut the doors and draw the
curtains to keep our banking clients
out" aF-.
Fiske turned away, but Harvey
examined the door. He saw that Ii
was equipped on the inside with a
heavy spring lock. He turned and
followed the banker. @@..- f.
Back In Fiske's office, the bank
er resumed his story. Harvey lolled
in a chair, apparently asleep. But
occasionally his eyes uncurtained
for a moment and he regarded the
banker gravely before closing them
again.
"May first was a perfect day."
said Fiske. "Warm and sunshiny
and almost like summer. AS said,
we shut the door and drew the cur
tains at two o'clock sharp, so that
the interior of the bank was effec-
tually concealed from anyone on
the street. At the same time every
body went out to lunch except Miss
Seward and myself. Miss Seward
Is my secretary. She was the one
who brought you in here"
"Ohp said Harvey. And then
"Nice young lady,"
There was no hint of humor In
his heavy face, but Fiske chuckled
delightedly.
"Efficient-and sour" he ex-
planned. ''But mighty loyal"
81 knew she must be something"
"She was behind her desk and
had just gone out to speak with
her. At about ten minutes after
two o'clock the front door opened.
I didn't think anything of it Ia box
holder, most likely. The man"
Remember what he looked like?"
"Only vaguely. He was slim and
quietly dressed. He didn't look
like a crook"
"Crooks never do"
sHe walked straight up to the
cage where / was talking to Miss
Seward. First thing ] knew about
anything being wrong was when
Miss Seward uttered q little shrek.
I turned around and saw the man
was pointing q gun at us.
@The robber was polite, but very
positive. He told us to back into
the vault which we have on this
floor. Then he saw me looking to-
ward the electric buttons which we
have all over the place-they are
police signals-and he warned me
that If I made move to touch one,
he'd kill me. believed him."
"Wise man." murmured Jim.
aHe herded us into the safe and
followed us. / noticed then for the
first time that he carried little
black satchel. He stuffed 1t with
all the currency we had In the safe
about one hundred thousand dol
lars-and then started back into
the bank. OF course, I knew he in
tended locking Miss Seward and
myself I'm.
"This happened quickly-but 1t
didn't seem quick to us. Miss Sc
ward was crying, but he had
warned her not to scream, and she
didn't. The robber moved into the
main part of the bank. And then"
He paused and Harvey prompt
ed. "Then-what?"
"Harmon Burke came back from
lunch. He's the cashier and teller.
He came in the back way"
"What happened when he came
in?"
"Plenty," said Fiske grimly.
First thing / knew of Burke's re-
turn was when he and the robber
started shooting at each other"
Harvey made a chuckling noise
with his lips.
"This Burke must be real fight
in piece of furniture"
"He is. Though never suspect
ed it before"
SIS he here?"
"Yes. They had him at the hos
pital until yesterday evening. He
was hit in the fleshy part Of the leg.
He came back this morning."
Fiske touched the buzzer on his
desk and Miss Seward answered
the summons.
"Ask Mr.. Burke if he'd mind step
ping in here"
A few seconds later the door
opened and a figure entered. Har-
mon Burke, having seen Harvey en-
ter the bank, exhibited no surprise
at the grotesque appearance of the
Gargantuan detective.
But Harvey blinked several times.
So this was the man who leaped
infn h0ff1o NTH