CHAPTER XXX.
THE ATTEMPTED ROBBERY.
Dick Ralston was in the real estate office when the telegram wasreceived. Indeed, he spent a good deal of his time there, so that itwas supposed by some that he had a share in the business.
"Look at that, Dick!" said the bookkeeper, passing the telegram to hisconfederate.
"Confusion! What sends him home so soon?" said Ralston. "Do you supposehe suspects anything?"
"No. How can he? Perhaps," said Mullins, nervously, "we had better giveup the whole thing. You see how I will be placed. I'm afraid I shall besuspected."
"Look here!" growled Ralston, "I don't want to hear any such weak,puerile talk. How do you propose to pay me the nine hundred andsixty-odd dollars you owe me? Do you expect to save it out of yoursalary?" he concluded, with a sneer.
"I wish we had never met," said the bookkeeper, in a troubled tone.
"Thank you; but it is too late for that. There is nothing to do but tocarry out our program. How much money is there on deposit in the bank?"
"About twenty-four hundred dollars."
"Then we had better draw out more than eighteen hundred. As well behanged for a sheep as for a lamb."
"You forget, Ralston, that such a wholesale draft will raise suspicionat the bank."
"You're awfully cautious."
"I don't want everything to miscarry through imprudence."
"Come, it is ten o'clock. Better send Felix to the bank."
"Better wait a little while. If we drew such a large amount just at thebeginning of banking hours, the bank officers might suspect something."
"Cautious again. Well, wait half an hour, if you must. Call Felix andgive him his instructions."
Felix Gordon came in at this moment, and was admitted to theconference.
"Felix," said the bookkeeper, "you remember the arrangement I made withyou yesterday?"
"Yes, Cousin David."
"It is to be carried out to-day. I shall give you a check for eighteenhundred dollars, and you will receive the money and come from the bankhere."
"Yes, Cousin David."
"You will carry the parcel in the left-hand pocket of your sack coat,and if it is taken you can appear to be unconscious of it."
"Yes."
"And--that is all you will have to do, except to say that a tall, thinman"--Ralston was short and sturdy--"jostled against you, and must havetaken it."
"All right! I see. And I am to have twenty-five dollars for----"
"Your trouble. Yes."
"Give it to me now."
"Wait till you come back. Don't be afraid. You will get it."
"All right."
When Felix was on his way to the bank, he did not know that he wasfollowed at a little distance by a small man with keen, black eyes,who, without appearing to do so, watched carefully every movement ofthe young office boy.
When Felix entered the bank, he also entered the bank, and stood behindFelix in the line at the paying teller's window.
He nodded secretly to the teller when that official read the checkpresented by Felix.
"Eighteen hundred dollars?" the latter repeated, aloud.
"Yes, sir," answered Felix, composedly.
"I shall have to go back to get it. We haven't as much here."
He went to another part of the bank and returned after a time withthree packages. One was labeled one thousand dollars, another fivehundred dollars and a third two hundred dollars. Then he counted outfrom the drawer beside him a hundred dollars in bills.
Felix, with a look of relief, took the three parcels and dropped themcarelessly in the side pocket of his sack coat, and put the bills inloose. Then he started on his way back to the office.
Mr. Sharpleigh, for it was he, as the reader has doubtless guessed,walked closely behind him. He was not quite sure as to the manner inwhich the money was to be taken, but guessed at once when he caughtsight of Dick Ralston at a little distance with his eyes intently fixedupon Felix.
The office boy sauntered along, with nothing apparently on his mind,and finally stopped in front of a window on Union Square, whichappeared to have considerable attraction for him.
Then it was that the detective saw Ralston come up, and, whileapparently watching the window also, thrust his hand into the pocket ofthe office boy and withdraw the package of money, which he at onceslipped into his own pocket.
Mr. Sharpleigh smiled a little to himself.
"Very neat!" he soliloquized, "but it won't go down, my cunningfriend."
Felix gave a little side glance, seeing what was going on, butimmediately stared again in at the window.
Sharpleigh beckoned to a tall man, dressed as a civilian, but really anofficer in plain clothes.
"Go after him!" he said, in a low voice, indicating Ralston.
Then he followed Felix, who in about five minutes began to show signsof agitation.
He thrust his hand wildly into his pocket, and looked panic-stricken.
"What is the matter, my boy?" asked Sharpleigh, blandly.
"Oh, sir, I have been robbed," faltered Felix.
"Robbed--of what?"
"I had eighteen hundred dollars in bank bills in my pocket, in fourparcels, and--and they must have been taken while I was looking in atthis window."
"You seem to have been very careless?" said Sharpleigh. "Why were younot more careful when you knew you had so much money in your care?"
"I--I ought to have been, I know it, sir, but I wasn't thinking."
"Where are you employed?"
"At Mr. Fairchild's office, on Fourteenth Street."
"The real estate agent?"
"Yes, sir."
"I know the place."
"My cousin is the bookkeeper. He will be so angry with me."
"I think he will have reason. I saw a man following you rather closely,I presume he took the money."
"Oh, won't you come back to the office with me and tell my cousin that?I am afraid he will discharge me."
"Yes, I will go with you."
So it happened that Felix and Mr. Sharpleigh went together into theoffice where Mullins was eagerly waiting for the return of hisemissary.
"What's the matter, Felix?" he said, as the boy entered. "Have youbrought the money?"
"Oh, Cousin David, I am so sorry."
"So sorry? For what?"
"I--I have lost the money. A pickpocket took it while I was looking inat a window. This gentleman was near and he saw a suspicious-lookingman next to me."
"This is a strange story, Felix. We must notify the police at once. Didyou see anyone likely to commit the theft, sir?"
This was, of course, addressed to Mr. Sharpleigh.
"Yes."
"You will be willing to testify to this at the police office? You see,this boy is my cousin. Mr. Fairchild is away, and I shall be blamed forthis terrible loss. Why, there were eighteen hundred dollars in theparcel!"
"There were three parcels, and a roll of bills, Cousin David."
Mr. Mullins looked surprised.
"Then it was not all put in one parcel?" he said.
"No."
"That is strange. I--I don't know what to do. Mr. Fairchild hastelegraphed that he will be at home sometime during the day. Probably Ihad better wait till he comes before notifying the police."
This he said in a questioning sort of way, as if asking Sharpleigh'sadvice.
"That will give the thief a chance to escape," suggested the detective.
"True. Perhaps you will be kind enough to leave word at the nearestpolice office. I only wish Mr. Fairchild were here."
"All right, sir," said the detective, "I will comply with yourrequest."
He left the office, but it is needless to say that he didn't go faraway.
"This is a very interesting comedy," he murmured, rubbing his hands, "avery interesting comedy, and apparently played for my benefit."
"Now, Felix," said the bookkeeper, "tell me how it all came out. Didthe paying teller look suspic
ious when you presented the check?"
"No. He said he hadn't as much money in the drawer, and went to thesafe in the back part of the bank. He returned with three parcels ofbills in brown paper, and a hundred dollars loose."
"And then you put it in your pocket?"
"Yes, Cousin David; I did exactly as you told me. I put them in mypocket and walked back in a leisurely way."
"Did you see anything of Ralston?"
"Yes, I saw him out of the corner of my eye, while I was looking in ata window on Union Square."
"He took the money?"
"Yes. Now, Cousin David, give me the twenty-five dollars."
At that instant the door was opened suddenly, and Dick Ralston dashedinto the office, looking very much excited.
"Mullins," he said, "we've been sold--sold--regularly sold. Look atthis!" and he showed one of the brown packages partly torn open.
"Well," said the bookkeeper, "what's the matter?"
"Matter? Matter enough. Here's a package marked one thousand dollars,and it contains only slips of green paper in place of bills. You cansee for yourself."