CHAPTER XX.
IN THE BANK.
Naturally, all this shooting and shouting in the early hours of themorning was sufficient to arouse the villagers. In house after houselights began to gleam, and ere long half-dressed men were running towardthe square, where, still lustily bellowing, Jonas Sylvester was seekingwith trembling hands to reload his revolver. Hyde, the livery stablekeeper, Stickney, the grocer, Lawyer Francis and others surrounded theofficer and demanded to know the meaning of it all. Others kept comingfrom various directions as Jonas told what he had discovered at the rearof the bank and how nearly he had paid for that discovery with his life.
“Robbers,” cried the livery man—“robbers in the bank? Why didn’t youcapture them?”
“Yes,” demanded the grocer in a high, quavering falsetto, “why didn’t yenab ’em? What are you doing here? What do we hire ye for?”
“I tell ye they shot at me,” replied Jonas. “They banged right at me,and I couldn’t see a soul. They had the advantage. Think of my size.S’pose I was going to stand still and let them pepper me full ofbullets?”
“Fellow citizens,” said the lawyer, who of them all seemed to retain themost presence of mind, “if there are robbers in the bank they may escapewhile we stand here wasting time in talk. Lead the way, Sylvester; we’rewith you.”
Thus encouraged, the night-watch took the lead, accompanied by theexcited crowd. A few of the more timid ones either held back or hastilyreturned to their homes to procure weapons. Some expressed doubts,declaring their belief that Oakdale’s nocturnal guardian must bemistaken.
But a single glance through the front window of the bank convincedLawyer Francis that something was wrong there beyond dispute. With aword he called attention to the fact that the light which burned bynight in front of the vault had been extinguished.
“Show us that winder,” commanded Hyde, pushing Sylvester forward.
“Yes, show us the winder,” tremulously urged Stickney, falling backuntil nearly all of the crowd were ahead of him.
“Git ready for a bloody encounter,” warned the night-watch. “They’redesperate men, and they’ll fight to the last gasp.”
“We’ll find there are no robbers in the bank now,” said the lawyer; “andall this uproar has sent them scampering long before this.”
As they were hurrying round to the rear of the building a voice roaredat them through the darkness.
“Avast there, you lubbers!” it shouted. “You’re too late for action. Thescoundrels hoisted anchor and made sail long ago. By this time they’rerunning before the wind under full canvas.”
The old sailor came hobbling swiftly toward them, bearing his gun, hiscane forgotten for the time being.
“Did you see them, Quinn?” asked Lawyer Francis.
“I did that,” was the prompt answer. “I put my lamps on them just asthey got under full headway, and I’ll swear I hurried them some with adouble charge of buckshot.”
“You fired at them?”
“Both barrels at once, and it’s a mercy if I ain’t got a busted shoulderto pay for it. The old gun near kicked my head off, confound it!”
“How many of them were there? How many did you see?”
“It’s dungeon dark a’most, but I’m certain sure I saw two, at least.”
“Mebbe some of you thought I was lying or a fool,” cried OfficerSylvester triumphantly. “Now I guess you’ll change your tune. Here’s thewinder. Just look at it.”
The electric torch was again turned on the cut and bended bars, and thegroup of men pressed forward, staring and exclaiming.
“Which way did the robbers flee, Quinn?” questioned Lawyer Francis,grasping the old sea captain’s arm.
“Back that way toward Middle Street,” was the answer.
“They must not escape,” said the lawyer. “They haven’t obtained much ofa start. Let every man arm himself and take up the search. DeputySheriff Pickle and Constable Hubbard must be notified at once. They mustorganize posses and scour the country. Will you see to it that this isdone, Sylvester?”
“Yes, your honor,” assured the night-watch.
At this moment a citizen joined the group and announced that LuciusTimmick, the bank cashier, had arrived and was about to unlock the bankdoor. This information led Lawyer Francis to hasten back to the front ofthe building, where, pushing his way through the rapidly increasingcrowd, he reached Timmick as the latter finally found his key andinserted it in the lock.
Doubtless fearful of entering, the cashier hesitated a bit even afterthe key had thrown the bolt.
“I’ll accompany you, Mr. Timmick,” said the lawyer. “I think you needhave no fear of encountering any of the rascals within. They have allfled.”
“Thank you, Mr. Francis,” said Timmick, his voice husky and not quiteunder control. “Doubtless you are right, but I think it best that Ishould have a few reputable citizens with me when I investigate.”
“I’m here, Timmick; I’m with you,” encouraged Stickney, the grocer,boldly jabbing his way through the crowd with his sharp elbows. “You’llfind me ready to back you up if you need assistance.” His courage hadrevived amazingly with the assurance that the robbers had fled.
Rufus Sprague, the jeweler, and Lemuel Hayden, a leading business man,both of whom were directors of the bank, were on hand, and with thosefour citizens at his back the cashier opened the door. Others who wereinclined to crowd in were commanded to stand back, but one there waswho, crouching low, slipped in unobserved and congratulated himself overhis cleverness as he heard the door relocked. This was Sleuth Piper.
Timmick’s hand found the button and turned on the electric lights. Thenhe opened the door in the grating-guarded partition, beyond which waslocated the bank vault.
An odor like that of a burnt explosive pervaded the atmosphere of theplace, and increased, if possible, the tingling excitement of the menwho pressed after the cashier, eager to learn just what had happened.What they now beheld caused them to gasp with dismay.
A number of full sacks of grain had been placed on the floor in front ofthe bank vault. This grain had doubtless been brought in the sacks fromthe old feed mill, a quarter of a mile away; and the full sacks had beenskilfully arranged in such a position that the outer door of the vault,blown from its hinges, had fallen upon them. A leather grip stood openupon the floor, and scattered about on all sides could be seen a fullset of up-to-date burglar’s tools.
“Look,” cried Timmick, aghast, pointing with a trembling finger—“look atthat, gentlemen! Oh, the scoundrels!”
Outside, the crowd, with noses pressed against the cold plate glass ofthe big front window, could see everything, and the sound of theiragitated voices reached the ears of those within.
“The bank’s been robbed!” cried Stickney. “The critters must have doneit in a hurry.”
“I don’t think it has been robbed,” said Lawyer Francis. “The inner doorof the vault remains in place. The burglars were detected at their workbefore they could complete the job.”
“Let us hope,” said Lemuel Hayden grimly, “that you are right, sir.”
“Open that inside door, Timmick—open it!” spluttered Rufus Sprague.“Let’s find out if they got anything.”
But the cashier shook his head. “I think, gentlemen,” he said, “we hadbetter wait until the president arrives. When I open that door I wish todo so in the presence of Mr. Eliot. At any rate, I think it would not beadvisable to go ahead beneath the watching eyes of that crowd outsidethe window. Mr. Stickney, will you draw the shade?”
“Yep, I will,” said Stickney, rejoicing with a feeling of highimportance over the fact that he was one of those who had obtainedadmission to the bank. “Whether the robbers got anything or not, it willbe just as well to proceed with our investigation in private.”
Hurrying to the window, he drew the shade, greatly to the disappointmentof the gathered watchers, some of whom expressed their feelin
gs withconsiderable emphasis.
There was one person, however, who was not thus deprived of furtherknowledge of what was taking place within the bank. In the shadows ofthe patrons’ side of the cashier window, Sleuth Piper congratulatedhimself again.