CHAPTER XXI
HOW IT WAS DONE
The attempt to rob the safe in the Beartown post office was accompaniedby more than one unique incident. Chief among these was the cowardiceexhibited by two of the three members who composed the little band oflawbreakers.
It has been shown that the full-grown man with a big mustache acted as alookout at the front, which is perhaps the safest post for a criminal insuch circumstances, since he has a good chance to get away on the firstapproach of danger. A second lookout was placed at the rear.After-developments showed that the trio was headed by Kit Woodford, theadult member, who had led a life of crime since boyhood and had served aterm in prison. He would have been more successful as a criminal exceptfor his rank cowardice which caused him to be despised and cast out byseveral gangs with which he sought to connect himself.
The other two burglars were Orestes Noxon and Graff Miller, neither ofwhom had reached his majority by more than two years. It was Miller whotook his station at the rear, where on the first sign of something amisshe sneaked off without giving the signal which would have warned Noxon intime to flee unharmed. In his way, he was as lacking in personal courageas Kit Woodford. The latter held his place until the racket caused byMike Murphy's tumble downstairs apprised him that things were not goingright. He ventured upon a single timid whistle, which no one else heard,and then slunk down the road, hugging the shadows and intent only onsaving his own bacon.
How was it that young Noxon was assigned the most perilous task of all,when in reality he was the youngest of the three? It was due to apeculiar skill which neither of the others possessed. He proved more thanonce that he could take position in front of an ordinary safe--not themost modern kind--and by a wonderfully deft manipulation of the knobwhich governed the combination tell by the fall of the tumblers just whenthe index struck the right numerals. He demonstrated this power manytimes when all others who made the trial failed. He asked simply to beleft undisturbed with his ear against the steel door as he turned theknob with infinite delicacy. He was proud of his ability in this respect,and when Kit Woodford gave him the post of peril he accepted it as acompliment and eagerly essayed the task.
Although there is no evidence on the point, it is quite sure that KitWoodford, whose chief business was to spy out the land, knew that severalwealthy citizens of Beartown made a practice of leaving large depositswith Mrs. Friestone overnight or for several nights and days. It is notto be supposed that Woodford would rob so insignificant a post office forthe small booty that belonged to the government. Quite likely he wasaware of the large sum left with her on the afternoon before.
But Mike Murphy's original style of descending the back stairs broughtthe schemes of the criminals to naught, and saved the safe fromspoliation. I have told how the three criminals scattered to as manydifferent points of the compass. They could not have come together againhad not previous provision been made for such emergencies. The leader,having shaken himself clear of the village, turned into the wood andpicked his way toward the river. He was to the north, however, while theother lookout, Miller, was to the south, and neither knew how far apartthey were.
There seemed little risk in signalling, and after Woodford had gone halfway to the river he paused among the shadows and listened. He had beenstartled by the report of the gun, but everything was now still. Placinghis thumb and forefinger between his lips, he emitted a sharp, tremulouswhistle, which was instantly answered by a similar call from some pointnot far off. A few minutes later he and Miller, after a few precautions,came together among the shadows.
"I knew you would be somewhere in the neighborhood," was the young man'sexplanation, "and I was listening for your signal."
"Well," growled the elder, "Noxon made a mess of it to-night."
"It looks that way."
"Do you know what happened? Did you see anything?"
"I saw him dash out from the rear of that store with someone chasing himwith a loaded gun."
"That must have been what we heard a little while ago. Looks as if theygot Nox."
"Shouldn't be surprised," remarked the other indifferently.
"He oughter managed things better. How was it you didn't warn him?"
"I did; I whistled twice the instant I saw his danger, and ran the riskof getting it in the neck myself," was the unblushing response of theyouth.
"I don't see that there's anything we can do for him. He got himself in ahole through his own foolishness and must pull himself out. My motto whena gang gets into trouble is that every one must look out for himself andthe devil take the hindmost."
"I say, Kit," said Miller, lowering his voice as if fearful of beingoverheard, "do you think they'll get Nox?"
"Haven't a doubt of it."
"I say, do you think there's any danger of his squealing, that is, if hehasn't been killed?"
"Naw," was the disgusted reply. "Nox is game--true blue; you can bet onhim till the cows come home."
Which was more than Nox could say about his two pals.
Kit Woodford may have spoken with confidence, but he was not as free frommisgivings as he would have it appear. He could not feel sure of theirmissing companion. If the report which they had heard did not mean thathe had been slain, his capture looked certain, and there was no sayingwhat he might do to secure leniency. Kit knew what _he_ would do in asimilar situation.
"Well, come on," he growled. "We're in tough luck to-night."
And the two pushed their way among the trees in the direction of theriver.
Meantime, matters remained interesting at the home of Widow Friestone.The words of young Jim Buxton told a graphic story which made even Noralaugh and forget for the time the frightful excitement they had passedthrough. When the merriment had partly subsided, Mike drew one of hisremaining two quarters from his pocket and handed it to Nora.
"Will ye do me the kindness to presint that to Jim when he comes to thestore in the morning to set the table on the front porch?"
"What's that for?" asked the puzzled girl.
"For the gayety he imparted to this gloomy avening. I don't know as yeneed say that to him, for he wouldn't understand what ye meant untilafter three or four years of hard thought. But he's airned it, and ye'llnot forgit."
She laid the coin aside and assured the donor that his wishes should becarried out.
Chester spoke:
"It seems to me we are throwing away time. It is past midnight and herewe sit talking, and doing nothing because there seems nothing to do. Whatdo you think, Alvin?"
"You are right. This business doesn't seem to have stirred up the town. Idon't suppose anyone knows what has happened except Mr. Buxton and hisfamily, and I don't think he will tell the particulars himself."
"That can be lift to Jim," said Mike, "onless his dad imprisses upon himthat it won't be healthy for him to talk too freely wid his mouthregarding the sarcus he obsarved this avening."
"The lookout in front ran off at the first sign of danger, and if therewas a second one he ran too. It will be a long time before any member ofthat party pays Beartown a second visit."
Alvin now made known the fear in his mind--a fear that was shared byChester. The _Deerfoot_ was lying against the bank in Back River exposedto any injury which these criminals might choose to inflict by way ofrevenge. He proposed that the mother and daughter, after refastening thewindow and locking up, should retire to their beds, while the boysreturned to the launch to make sure no harm befell it.
This course was only the commonest prudence, but the hostess and herdaughter were clearly so nervous over being left alone for the remainderof the night that Alvin regretted his proposal. Nora especially did nottry to hide her distress.
"Never mind," Alvin made haste to say, "we will wait till morning. Youhave been so kind that we cannot willingly cause you a moment's pain."
"May I make a suggistion?" asked Mike, speaking so seriously that allknew he was about to say something worth while.
"I know he's going to tell us
the right thing," said Nora.
"How could I do itherwise wid yer bright eyes cheering me?" he asked,with his expansive grin. "The same is this: Do ye two spalpeens go downto the launch and stay there till morning while I remain behind wid themisthress and sweet Nora, and keep off the burglars wid that same gunthat sarved me so well."
Only Alvin and Chester knew the chivalry of this proposal. Mike regrettedkeenly the separation from them, even though it promised to be for only afew hours.
"That is asking too much," said the widow, though her countenancebrightened with pleasure.
"How can the same be asking too much whin ye haven't asked it?"
Nora clapped her hands.
"I can't hilp it if she looks upon mesilf as worth the two of ye," saidMike, with an assumption of dignity that deceived no one.
"It is good on your part, Mike," said Alvin. "I feel as if we ought togive attention to the boat, and you may as well stay here. We'll wait foryou in the morning."
"Don't feel obleeged to do the same. Something may turn up that may causeye to hurry off. If it be so, don't tarry a minute for me."
"Possibly you may prove right, but we shall hate to leave you behind."
"Ye may do so foriver, so long as I have such quarters as these."
With this understanding, the friends parted, no one dreaming of what wasto befall them before all met again.