CHAPTER V
London's Alien Criminals
If ever David Harbor had felt inclined to play the coward it was at theprecise moment, on this adventurous night when he came so abruptly, andso unexpectedly, face to face with one of the men who were engaged inrobbing his employers' store. Behind him, in the office, he had leftHenricksen and the ruffian known as the 'Admiral' busily engaged withtheir oxy-acetylene flame, eating a hole into the safe which they hopedand imagined was well filled with gold. Upstairs was the man Ovanovitch,clearing the cases of all their portable valuables, while here, on themain floor, was Spolikoff, a Russian--a man given naturally to deeds ofviolence--placed there to watch for the very police whom it was ourhero's object to summon. The very man from whom he wished to keepfarthest away was stealing towards him in the semi-darkness.
David drew in a deep breath. His hand clutched the revolver he hadmanaged to secure. With an effort he controlled his muscles.
'Run! Shout for help!' some one seemed to scream in his ear. 'Steady,'he told himself, summoning all his pluck. 'Steady, my boy; play thegame. No use bolting; he'll be just as surprised as I am.'
But, as it turned out, there was no question of surprise. While Davidwas prepared for anything--to shoot at the man, to knock him to theground with his fist, to rush over towards the door and bang uponit--Spolikoff sidled up to him, and spoke in a whisper that almostcloaked his foreign accent.
'That you, Admiral?' he asked. 'They've passed again, those policemen;but I didn't signal. There's no need; no one can see the glare now.You've pulled the curtain round so well.'
David nodded. He was wondering whether he could trust himself to answerthe fellow, for it was obvious that his own identity was not evensuspected. Then, emboldened by that fact, he answered the man in ahoarse whisper.
'I came along out here to make sure. It's fine, ain't it? Them policecouldn't suspect that we'd got a hot flame going against the safe. Lookhere, my boy, Henricksen wants you to go along up to Ovanovitch and givehim a hand. When you've cleared the jewels, get away up to the nextfloor. He says some new furs came in yesterday, and you could carry awayin your arms enough to keep you for a year. Get along quick.'
The Russian looked at him for a moment as if he suspected, though, as amatter of fact, he was merely puzzling to translate the meaning of thewords, for as yet he was not an excellent English scholar.
'Get along up and help Ovanovitch, yes,' he repeated. 'Then--I did notfollow--you said?'
'S-s-sh! The police!'
There came a sudden rattle at the letter-box, whereat both he and theRussian sank promptly to the ground, while David imagined that a faintlight over by the office lessened. Then there was silence again. A heavyfootfall was heard on the pavement, and after it, silence once more.Slowly he and the Russian rose to their feet.
'What was it?' asked the man. 'You said I was to help Ovanovitch.'
'Listen,' whispered David, speaking very plainly, 'help Ovanovitch withthe jewels.'
'Yes, yes; I have that'
'Then take him to the floor up above.'
'Floor up above. Yes, yes; I have that too.'
'Where you will find some valuable furs brought in only yesterday.'
'Only yesterday, furs; valuable furs. Yes; go on.'
'You can carry enough away on your arm to make you rich for a year. Gotit?'
Spolikoff nodded vigorously, and gave expression to some guttural wordsof approval.
'Now?' he asked. 'You watch here?'
'Yes,' said David, 'Go at once; no need to hurry back.'
His hand was shaking ever so little as he took the Russian by the sleeveand urged him towards the stairs; for the feeble light above the placehad suddenly shown him another figure. The man was descending thestairs, and was almost at the bottom. David could see that a bundle wassuspended over his back. It was Ovanovitch without doubt, descendingnow that his task was completed.
'Tell him; go up at once,' David managed to whisper, though his tonguealmost stuck to the roof of his mouth. 'I am going back to Henricksen.'
He slid off at once, slipped behind a huge showcase, and then staredback through the glass at the two Russians. And as he did so the tightfeeling about his chest and neck slowly lessened. He drew in the firstcomfortable breath he had taken for some minutes. A sigh almost escapedhim; for Spolikoff had been absolutely deceived. It was clear that hewas not in the smallest degree suspicious. He had taken our hero for theAdmiral, and was obeying instructions in a manner almost child-like. Hewent at once to Ovanovitch, and for a few seconds they whispered on thestairs. Then they turned their backs to the ground floor and went up twosteps at a time, as if eager to get to their destination.
'Got 'em,' David could have shouted, though he restrained himself,hugging his arms instead. 'Got 'em, I do believe. Now for the rest ofthe business.' His brain had been working hard in the last few minutes,and already he had mapped out a course of procedure. After all, that wasexactly like the young fellow; his friends knew him to be exceedinglypractical. Edward Harbor, his father, had endeavoured to train his boyto conduct matters of any moment with sense and discretion.
'Decide first of all what you're going to do,' he had often said. 'Don'tstart without a plan, all haphazard, and find when you are half waythrough that matters aren't promising. Stand away a bit, as it were,and have a clear view; then make your plans, and set to at thebusiness.' Practical? Of course it was. Common sense management? Who candoubt it? A little advanced for one of David's age? Certainly, if youwish so to describe it. But that is worth remedying. Others can betrained as our hero had been, and the training has its undoubtedadvantages; for a practical young fellow is of infinitely greater valuein these strenuous days than a lad always wool-gathering, who lacksenergy and initiative, who begins a task only to fail, who succeeds onlywhere a course of procedure has been already laid down, and whenprevious practice has made perfect. It is the uncertainties we want totrain our lads to face, as well as the hum-drum certainties of thislife.
'Got 'em,' David ejaculated again, in a deep whisper. 'Now to close theholes and divide the conspirators. First downstairs--that is the mainburrow I have to see to.'
He had lost all his trepidation now. True, he was more than a littleexcited; but his hand no longer shook. He had seen already thepossibilities of making a gigantic success of what had at first appearedto be an enormously difficult task. Straightway he stole across to thestairway leading to the basement, and tripped down three steps at atime. Then he ran across to the cupboard through which the four men hadgained access to the store. Out came his electric torch, and a beam wasflashed into the interior.
'As I thought: these fellows must have hired a house or a room in oneof the buildings lying up against this place, and have knocked a holeclean through the wall. Then they cut through the back of the cupboard.No; no they didn't; they bored holes through the wood in a big circle,and so managed to remove a piece without making a sound. If they hademployed a saw I should have heard them. Now, I shut the cupboard, andlock the door.'
It was not a flimsy affair, this cupboard, but a strongly built piece offurniture, firmly attached to the wall, and having doors which slidalong in grooves. David gently moved the doors into place, found a keyin the lock, and shot the bolt to. Then he tried to open the cupboard.It was closed and defied his efforts.
'Number one loop hole gone,' he said. 'Now for the warning and numbertwo.'
He had planned out the whole course of movement, and came hopping up thestairs again, three at a time. A quick glance told him that theoxy-acetylene flame was still in use. A dull glow on the ceiling toldits tale without shadow of error, while as he listened a gentle buzzcame to his ear. From the upper floor there was not so much as a sound.At once he crossed to the door, and pulled the flap of the letter-boxopen. Click! Down went the glare over by the manager's office. Lyingprone on the floor, and staring in that direction, David saw a man'shead protruding from the opening. Then the fellow stepped out and stoodlistening. A whi
sper came to his ear, and at once the Admiral--for he itwas without doubt--slid back into the manager's office to help in thetask of forcing the safe. The reflection on the ceiling told its taleagain promptly.
'Out with the life preserver, and then upstairs,' said David. 'No timeto wait; those fellows will have found their furs by now.'
Very craftily he pushed the end of the life preserver through the flap,and left it wedged in position. Then he ran across the floor to thestairs and raced up them. Passing the first floor, he was soon at theentrance to the second. And as he reached it his eyes fell on the twofigures of the Russians. They were staggering along the centre passagebetween the glass show cases, their arms piled with furs. They werethirty paces away, perhaps, whispering as they came.
Dare he do it? Dare he pull the door of this portion of the store to intheir faces?
David closed his teeth with a firm click; his chin assumed that verybulldog squareness for which he was notorious. He stepped coolly intothe opening, gripped the iron fire door, with which the entrance toevery one of the departments of the store was furnished, and brought itto with a bang. The hand-operated latch went to its socket with ascrunch. The door was fast. Number two loop hole was closed. Theburglars were inevitably separated.
'And now for the last move.'
Conscious that the noise he had made might well have reached Henricksen,and yet hopeful that it had not done so, David descended the stairsfaster than ever before in his life. He reached the ground floor just asa sound came from the letter-box. He fancied he heard voices outside. Hewas sure that the oxy-acetylene flame was working, and at that secondwatched as its reflection seemed to be wiped away from the ceiling abovethe manager's office. Then he did a smart thing. He opened the outsidedoors of the lift with a bang, leaped in, and ran the elevator up tillit was half way through the gap leading to the first floor. He broughtit to a rest there with a sudden jerk, and throwing himself flat on itsfloor, levelled his weapon at the door of the manager's office. And bythen there was a commotion in that direction. Two figures comehelter-skelter from the opening, their hands held before them, theirsmoked glasses already torn from their faces. At the same instant therecame the sound of a key in a lock, and then the main entrance of thestore was burst open.
'Stop there, Henricksen and the Admiral!' David shouted. 'Stop where youare or I fire. Constable, hold the door, I have closed the otherplaces.'
Ping! Bang! From some point up above our hero, there came a revolvershot, and he heard the missile thud against the roof of the elevator andtinkle on to the floor near him. Ping! A second came, and then he feltthe elevator moving. It was ascending. Some one had put it intooperation from above. At once he guessed what had happened. The twoRussians, shut into the fur department, had heard the lift working. Theyhad torn the doors open, and reaching through had gripped the rope bymeans of which it was operated. David at one sprang to his feet andgripped the handle which operated the rope. Instantly he brought themachine to a stop, and turning the handle again, brought the elevatorback to its former position, a shot coming from above as he did so.Then he cast his eyes into the store, and at once took in the position,which had altered in the space of a few seconds. There were twoconstables at the door, Hemming and another, the latter of whom was atthat moment lustily blowing his whistle. At the entrance to the stairsleading to the basement stood the Admiral, a revolver in his hands,while the other rascal was nowhere visible; but a minute later he cameracing up the stairs, and burst into the department.
'Give me the shooter,' he cried, breathlessly. 'They've shut thecupboard below and boxed us in. Give it me. I'm not afraid to use it.'
He seized the weapon from his comrade's hand, and in an instant therewas a flash. The constable blowing his whistle staggered into thedoorway. David at once leaned forward, levelled his own weapon, andpulled on the trigger. And in the space of a second he had ejected threebullets in the direction of Henricksen; for his was an automatic pistol,the class of weapon that wants careful controlling, and which will fireseven shots in less number of seconds, automatically moving a freshcartridge into position after each shot. Certainly the bullets astoundedDavid, and Henricksen also. He swung round, and then our hero knew whatit was to be under fire. Something hissed past his cheek. The hair onhis head stirred restlessly. A red-hot brand appeared to have been of asudden thrust right through his body. But he was game to the last. Heleaned over a little, fixed his revolver sights as well as he was able,and pressed his trigger again.
An instant later Henricksen went staggering up against one of the glassshow cases. He upset the whole affair, and came crashing to the floorwith glass smashing and splintering all about him; then his comradedarted forward, and stooped to pick up the weapon which he had dropped.
'Stand away from that place,' David commanded hoarsely. 'I'll drop you,Admiral, as sure as you move a step. Now, hands up above your head.'
'Admiral, Admiral, what's that?' came from the doorway. 'Where are you,David Harbor?'
'In the lift, half way up,' our hero called out, wondering vaguely atthe weakness of his own voice. 'Half way up, Hemming. The man who firedat you, and whom I have just sent down is Henricksen, one of theemployees here. The fellow with his arms up is known as the Admiral.'
'Phew.' There came a shrill whistle from Hemming. 'The Admiral did yousay? Wanted in a dozen capitals. Swindler, forger, burglar, everything.'
'And two Russians upstairs, whom I have trapped in the fur department.Now, Hemming, got those handcuffs?'
Feeling curiously shaky David touched the handle of the lift again, andbrought it down to the floor level, unmindful of the shots which stillcame from above. And all the while he held his weapon directed at theman standing so close to Henricksen.
'Now, Hemming,' he called out. 'Shut the door, or he might try to bolt.Slip the handcuffs on him; but first of all, switch on the lights justinside the door.'
It was all done in a few moments. Constable Hemming was a sharp officer,and was not above taking advice or instructions from any one. He floodedthe store with light with one movement of his finger. Then there camethe metallic ring of steel. Something bright flashed under the electriclamps, while the officer strode across the floor, banging the doorbehind him. Click. One of the bracelets went over the wrist of thedisconsolate Admiral.
'Come you along here,' commanded Hemming, dragging the man across to aradiator, bolted to the floor. 'Put that other hand there. Now, move ifyou can. You'll have to take the house with you.'
He passed the end of his chain through an interval in the radiator, andclicked the bracelet over the man's other wrist, leaving the Admiralfirmly chained to the place.
'What now?' he demanded. 'Guess you've made a haul here. The Admiral!Gosh! The most wanted of 'em all! This is a doing!'
'Get to the door and open it. First, though, pick up that shooter,' saidDavid. 'Don't forget that we have those Russian fellows upstairs.'
'Russians! Who? Where?' demanded Hemming, his face expressing unboundedsurprise.
'Spolikoff and Ovanovitch, two men of about thirty years of age, darkcomplexioned, wearing black moustaches,' answered David, staggering outof the lift. 'They've done nothing but fire down on me. The top of thelift is like a sieve.'
He tripped as he stepped, and went staggering up against one of the showcases, to which his fingers clung. Meanwhile Hemming stood backexclaiming.
'Spolikoff! Ovanovitch! Russians. Men of about thirty. Dark. Darkmoustaches--Mister Harbor, you've hit up against a fine crowd. Thewonder is that they haven't made mincemeat of you. Spolikoff andOvanovitch! Notorious anarchists; burglars who have been cracking cribsup and down this country.'
He wiped his forehead with a brilliantly red handkerchief which hewithdrew from the inside of his helmet, and puffed cheeks and lips out.It was a staggerer to Constable Hemming, this capture which he and Davidwere making. Then he walked across to the door as if he were in a dream,and opened it just as three constables arrived on the scene.
'We h
eard the whistle and came along,' explained one. 'Crispen lay onthe mat. He's hit in the head; a bad scalp wound I should say. We'veapplied a first dressing. He's sitting with his back against the wall,feeling chippy. What's all this?'
'What's all this!' Constable Hemming could hardly contain himself.'What's all this!' he gasped again. 'Why, just a fine capture! You knowthere's been a young fellow watching. Bless me, he's cornered theAdmiral. I've got the bracelets on that gentleman and have chained himfast to the radiator. There's one of the fellows down, while upstairs,barred in, are two Russians, the two Russians we have been after thismany a day--Spolikoff and Ovanovitch.'
There was no doubt that the news impressed his comrades, who camecrowding into the store after Hemming.
'They'll shoot at sight,' said one of the constables, as they discussedthe matter. 'How are we to nab them?'
'Let's ask Harbor. Harbor,' shouted Hemming, coming across the store,while a further reinforcement of half a dozen police officers poured inat the door. 'Where is he?'
They discovered David grovelling on his knees, looking particularlywhite about the gills.
'Felt a little upset,' he explained lamely. 'What's happened? Have youtaken the Russians?'
There was little doubt but that he had actually lost consciousness whilethe officers were discussing matters, and now was puzzled to know whatthey had been doing. Hemming helped him to his feet and looked sharplyat his lodger. He wondered what had caused David to fall to the floor,and never guessed the reason.
'Too much excitement, perhaps,' he thought 'Anyway, we'll give him adraft. Here, Sergeant, some sal volatile for this youngster.'
They mixed the stuff before his face, and David drained the glass at agulp.
'Now,' he gasped. 'Those Russians?'
'They're upstairs right enough,' said the sergeant. 'I heard 'em amoment ago. How are they placed? Give us an idea as to how we can get atthem? Suppose they're armed?'
The young fellow, looking so exceedingly pale still, took the officerby the sleeve and led him into the lift. Then he switched on the lightand invited him to inspect the roof.
'Goodness! There are a dozen holes, bullet holes. And--blood on thefloor. Whose? Yours?'
He swung round on David instantly, and like Hemming treated him to avery critical stare.
'A mere nothing,' said our hero, somewhat feebly, smiling all the same.
'Set men to watch all round the place.'
'Done already,' came the prompt answer. 'I placed the men as soon as weheard there was an alarm.'
'Put two at the entrance to the basement staircase, and send two moredown to the large cupboard with its back to the wall--here's the key.Let them go through the hole these burglars entered by, at the back ofthe cupboard, and learn what happened there, whose premises they are,and all that.'
'He's like an officer,' cried the sergeant. 'Hole in the wall! You don'tmean to say these fellows broke through from outside premises, andcloaked the entrance by means of a cupboard? That looks like an insideaccomplice.'
'He's there,' said David promptly, jerking his finger at the form lyingamid the debris of broken glass and the contents of the overturned case.'Henricksen we knew him as; from the jewellery department. Sergeant,there's a steel flap on the outside of the fire doors I closed on thoseRussians. Second floor, don't forget. A man might see them through it.Then we might rush them through the door or get at them by the lift.'
It took but a few minutes to prepare their plans. The sergeant relievedDavid of his revolver, and himself went to the door upstairs, reportingthat the Russians were to be seen at the far end of the store. ThenHemming joined him, while a constable was sent off to the neareststation to procure more arms. By the time he was back again there werefifty constables on the scene, the outside of the house as well as theinside being guarded. As for our hero, that he was wounded byHenricksen's shot he knew, and no doubt the shock and loss of blood hadcaused him to lose consciousness. But he had got over that now. Thedraught he had received had revived him wonderfully, and that and thedesire to see the matter to its very end kept him bright and smiling. Hetook a revolver from one of the officers, and at a signal from thesergeant above, set the lift in motion. With him there was an inspectorand four officers, all armed with revolvers.
'The sergeant and Hemming have orders to fire if the men do not halt attheir order,' said the former. 'You can take us clear up, please. We'regoing to rush them.'
He had hardly spoken, the elevator had not reached the level of thefirst floor when there was a loud call from above. Dull reports wereheard, and then two sharp explosions. David jerked the handle over andsent the lift shooting up. With another jerk he brought it to a standstill at the second floor, and threw the doors open. Instantly all theoccupants burst out. But, fortunately for them, there was no need forfire-arms. The sergeant had managed the situation with wonderful skill.He had seen the two Russians running towards him, and waiting till theywere near enough, had ordered them to stop. Shots at once answered him,the bullets crashing against the door. And then he had sent two inreturn. Only two, but with the desired effect. Spolikoff dropped hisweapon and nursed his right arm. Ovanovitch plunged forward heavily andfell on his face. In two minutes they were securely in the hands of thepolice.
When Hemming and the inspector, together with the manager of the store,hastily summoned to the scene by the police, went in search of David,they found him huddled in a corner of the room, as white as a sheet,bleeding slowly from the mouth.
'Chest wound,' said the inspector, gripping the situation with anexperienced eye. 'We have a surgeon below; I'll send for him.'
When our hero came to his senses he was lying in a beautifullycomfortable bed, with bright rays from a warm fire playing on him. Anurse stood near at hand, and beside her, discussing some matter veryseriously, was some man whose features seemed to be familiar. Davidpuzzled wonderfully. He began to fret about the matter; then, fatiguedby even such a little thing, he went off into a blissful slumber.
'The best of everything, please, nurse,' said the manager of the store,before he departed. 'Order anything you want. I will be responsible forall expenses. And please do send constant information to the porter atthe lodge. I am arranging with him to 'phone to me constantly.'
'Wouldn't lose that lad for a whole heap,' he told Hemming, when thelatter was ensconced in his office with the manager of the store. 'Hedid magnificently; splendid pluck and resource he showed; seemed to haveworked his plans out like a general. I feel horrible about the matter;as if by offering such a bright young fellow such a job I wasaccountable for his wound. Certainly, I'll send you a wire every threehours, saying how he is progressing.'
Yes, David had made a stir in the London world. Mr. Ebenezer's none toohandsome face went scarlet when he read the accounts, and saw thephotograph of our hero in the papers. He blew his huge nose violently,then he sat down and stared moodily into the fire. David Harbor hadalready become an excessively big thorn in this gentleman's side.