第55章

The servants will have retired hours ago.It's safe enough."He ran quickly up the steps and rang the bell.A door opened almost instantly, sending a faint glow into the hall from the lighted room;a hurried step crossed the hall--and the outer door was thrown back.

"Well, what is it?" demanded a voice brusquely.

It was quite dark, too dark for either to distinguish the other's features--and Jimmie Dale's hat was drawn far down over his eyes.

"I want to see Mr.Thomas H.Carling, cashier of the Hudson-Mercantile National Bank--it's very important," said Jimmie Dale earnestly.

"I am Mr.Carling," replied the other."What is it?"Jimmie Dale leaned forward.

"From headquarters--with a report," he said, in a low tone.

"Ah!" exclaimed the bank official sharply."Well, it's about time!

I've been waiting up for it--though I expected you would telephone rather than this.Come in!""Thank you," said Jimmie Dale courteously--and stepped into the hall.

The other closed the front door."The servants are in bed, of course," he explained, as he led the way toward the lighted room.

"This way, please."

Behind the other, across the hall, Jimmie Dale followed and close at Carling's heels entered the room, which was fitted up, quite evidently regardless of cost, as a combination library and study.

Carling, in a somewhat pompous fashion, walked straight ahead toward the carved-mahogany flat-topped desk, and, as he reached it, waved his hand.

"Take a chair," he said, over his shoulder--and then, turning in the act of dropping into his own chair, grasped suddenly at the edge of the desk instead, and, with a low, startled cry, stared across the room.

Jimmie Dale was leaning back against the door that was closed now behind him--and on Jimmie Dale's face was a black silk mask.

For an instant neither man spoke nor moved; then Carling, spare-built, dapper in evening clothes, edged back from the desk and laughed a little uncertainly.

"Quite neat! I compliment you! From headquarters with a report, Ithink you said?"

"Which I neglected to add," said Jimmie Dale, "was to be made in private."Carling, as though to put as much distance between them as possible, continued to edge back across the room--but his small black eyes, black now to the pupils themselves, never left Jimmie Dale's face.

"In private, eh?"--he seemed to be sparring for time, as he smiled.

"In private! You've a strange method of securing privacy, haven't you? A bit melodramatic, isn't it? Perhaps you'll be good enough to tell me who you are?"Jimmie Dale smiled indulgently.

"My mask is only for effect," he said."My name is--Smith.""Yes," said Carling."I am very stupid.Thank you.I--" he had reached the other side of the room now--and with a quick, sudden movement jerked his hand to the dial of the safe that stood against the wall.

But Jimmie Dale was quicker--without shifting his position, his automatic, whipped from his pocket, held a disconcerting bead on Carling's forehead.

"Please don't do that," said Jimmie Dale softly."It's rather a good make, that safe.I dare say it would take me half an hour to open it.I was rather curious to know whether it was locked or not."Carling's hand dropped to his side.

"So!" he sneered."That's it, is it! The ordinary variety of sneak thief!" His voice was rising gradually."Well, sir, let me tell you that--""Mr.Carling," said Jimmie Dale, in a low, even tone, unless you moderate your voice some one in the house might hear you--I am quite well aware of that.But if that happens, if any one enters this room, if you make a move to touch a button, or in any other way attempt to attract attention, I'll drop you where you stand!" His hand, behind his back, extracted the key from the door lock, held it up for the other to see, then dropped it into his pocket--and his voice, cold before, rang peremptorily now."Come back to the desk and sit down in that chair!" he ordered.

For a moment Carling hesitated; then, with a half-muttered oath, obeyed.

Jimmie Dale moved over, and stood in front of Carling on the other side of the desk--and stared silently at the immaculate, fashionably groomed figure before him.

Under the prolonged gaze, Carling's composure, in a measure at least, seemed to forsake him.He began to drum nervously with his fingers on the desk, and shift uneasily in his chair.

And then, from first one pocket and then the other, Jimmie Dale took the two packages of banknotes, and, still with out a word, pushed them across the desk until they lay under the other's eyes.

Carling's fingers stopped their drumming, slid to the desk edge, tightened there, and a whiteness crept into his face.Then, with an effort, he jerked himself erect in his chair.

"What's this?" he demanded hoarsely.

"About ten thousand dollars, I should say," said Jimmie Dale slowly.

"I haven't counted it.Your bank was robbed this evening at closing time, I understand?""Yes!" Carling's voice was excited now, the colour back in his face."But you--how--do you mean that you are returning the money to the bank?""Exactly," said Jimmie Dale.

Carling was once more the pompous bank official.He leaned back and surveyed Jimmie Dale critically with his little black eyes.

"Ah, quite so!" he observed."That accounts for the mask.But I am still a little in the dark.Under the circumstances, it is quite impossible that you should have stolen the money yourself, and--""I didn't," said Jimmie Dale."I found it hidden in the home of one of your employees.""You found it--WHERE?"

"In Moyne's home--up in Harlem."

"Moyne, eh?" Carling was alert, quick now, jerking out his words.