Leroy Scott

“ And Clifford realized, if he were done away with, that his testimony would die with him--that Mary Regan would surely go to prison. . . .
He struggled wildly, with weakening power. The pistol butt found his head again. All seemed up . . . Then his dazed senses thought they discerned other footsteps descending into the vault. And that same instant his blurring vision was amazed to see Bradley spring forward, his pistol drawn.
"Put up your mitts!" savagely cried Bradley.
The three cracksmen fell away and their hands went up. The next moment Clifford saw Commissioner Thorne step into the vault. ”

“ Then he turned the key of the time-clock--and once more, in the offlce of the burglary protective agency, a buzzer announced that all was well at the First Mutual.
Clifford hardly breathed in his excitement. Thus far everything had been done, and was now being done, exactly as he had calculated. Hawkins, this moment, was already at swift work upon the vault below; and Big Ed Johnson, in his uniform prepared in advance, made a perfect and reassuring fac-simile of the regular watchman, as he stood there in the full light, stroking his big false mustache. ”

“ Anderson, the gentleman I have in mind could undoubtedly give you a lot of altogether new information about the First Mutual."
The banker again was staring, pop-eyed, at his visitor.
"You forget, Mr. Anderson," continued Clifford, "that as the powers of defense increase, the powers of destruction also develop, and sometimes the latter develop more rapidly. The superdreadnought seemed indestructible--until the submarine came along. You think you have a super-vault downstairs, but to this super-cracksman it is about as impregnable as a can of sardines." ”

“ Hawkins let no man quit who shared his secrets.
Clifford, keeping Hawkins under observation, swiftly counted the difficulties of his assignment. This was to be no case where the super-detective of fiction--Clifford smiled whenever he encountered that entertaining but improbable gentleman in print--could examine a cigar's ash, meditate an hour in laboratory or study, and then bring villain and narrative to a dramatic close. That finished quiet gentleman over there was the criminal equivalent of the highest-grade businessman. ”

“ Hawkins jerked off his hood; his lean mask of a face was now contorted in savage bewilderment.
"If any of you three make a move for your guns, it'll be a job for the coroner," said Clifford. "Hawkins, I guess you'll not turn that trick on Mary Regan. When this case comes to trial I'll take the stand and swear to what you've just told me about your plan to frame her."
"Who the devil are you?" choked out Hawkins.
"I'm not Big Ed; that's enough for you to know just now. he's upstairs, handcuffed and doped, beside the other watchman." ”

“ And Mary Regan--where was she, what was she doing? . . .
More minutes throbbed away. Without, two drunken marines appeared, having cruised far out of the ordinary track of revelry, and sang in the joyous abandon of disciplined fighters when on shore-leave. The policeman stopped them; there was a debate. The bank watchman went forward to the window and gazed at this interesting interruption of his night's routine. Presently the sailors were induced to move quietly on, and the watchman recrossed to the dark area behind the stairway. ”

“ Anderson," said Clifford. "Think of the increased confidence the public will have in you, when the public learns, as it will, that you were so watchful of the interests of the bank that you knew in advance all about the scheme against it and were prepared. Further, think of the general service you will be rendering in helping apprehend men who are a menace to all the public. And further, think of the valuable publicity--sensational, but at the same time dignified publicity."
Mr. Anderson gazed at Thorne's letter--gazed at Clifford--considered. ”

“ The most likely place to find an operator of Hawkins' caliber was at dinner in one of the best-known hotels, for Hawkins preferred, for business reasons, to mix inconspicuously among the well-to-do and respectables. Clifford looked into the dining-rooms of the Biltmore--Delmonico's-- the Ritz--the Astor--and again the Biltmore. This time he entered, secured a corner table, and out of the. tail of his eye watched a man who sat alone at a table with places arranged for three: a man of perhaps forty-five, in evening clothes, lean of face, cold of eyes, reserved in manner. ”

“ And the size of the jobs--he won't touch anything smaller than two or three hundred thousand dollars --and the clean style of the jobs, make it look like Hawkins."
Commissioner Thorne leaned forward, his face set.
"Clifford," he said sharply, "Bradley's put me in bad! I've got to get those safe-men or go under. I'm not sure of a man in the department. Somebody I can trust has got to help me. And that somebody has got to be you!" ”

“ Mary Regan going into business! There was no opportunity to follow this up, for at this moment Clifford saw Hawkins returning among the tables. Clifford rose and said good-night. Outside the dining-room he covertly glanced back, Mary Regan and the cold-faced master-cracksman, leaning toward each other, were talking in low voices.
Again the insistent questions asked themselves: Was Mary Regan involved in Hawkins' scheme? And if so, how?
III
What followed was an education, if Clifford needed one, in how a great modern safe-man goes about his chosen business. ”

“ Two weeks--three weeks passed; still nothing but legitimate business: people bringing in work to be copied, men coming in to dictate. Clifford might have lost patience had he not remembered the man with whom he was dealing. It was part of the successful Hawkins' system to make every detail seem natural, to rouse no suspicion in advance of action. ”

“ Men came in to give rush dictation or to take away completed work. Then the sex of the operators began to change; soon only men typists appeared at night. The next development was a night manager: an alert, prompt, efficient young man. Clifford secured a snapshot of him; but being a discharged officer, Clifford did not have personal access to the records at Headquarters. So he sent the photograph to Commissioner Thorne.
When Thorne's report on the photograph came to him, Clifford felt that at last he knew all the cards in Hawkins' hand and knew how Hawkins was going to play them ”

“ First, Bradley wants to be the head of the department; most of the force look to him as the coming man. This whole bank robbery epidemic is partly a frame-up on Bradley's part, to get you in so bad that you will have to resign in response to public clamor. ”

“ The business of the office developed beyond what could be handled during the usual work-day. The fourth week a night-shift was inaugurated to meet the exigency of much legal and brokerage work that admitted of no delay in execution. ”

“ Mary Regan did not deign to answer.
"She isn't," said Russell--"at least not much of a one. She's going to open an office; she'll just manage things, and have half a dozen experts who'll do the actual work. You see, she thinks something of the kind is best for her while the, case of Slant-Face is on." ”

“ He says he knows you. Can you recommend him? . . . Yes, yes--thank you very much."
The florid executive hung up, and pushed a pad across the great glass-topped desk to Clifford. "Sign your name on that, please." When Clifford had done so, his expert eyes compared the signature on the pad with a sample signature on Commissioner Thorne's letter.
"The Commissioner says I can trust you to the limit, and your identification checks up." Mr. Anderson's manner had changed to that bankerly benignity which is a forecast of pleasant weather to one desirous of making a loan. "And now, Mr. ”