go on! don't be a fool; that was nothing."
"i don't know; it was like a great sigh at my ear. but this is awful! couldn't we have one spark of light?"
"and have the police upon us the next minute? look up at that window. you can see it, can't you?"
"yes, yes, but very faintly," fellows whispered.
"but you can see it. so could those outside, if we had one glimmer of light in here. no, no, you'll have to stand the dark or quit. but you shan't quit till you've told me what you saw in the room where the safe is."
"the safe door opening." his voice trembled so that the other shook him to steady his nerves. "not opened, mind you, but opening. it was like magic, and i stared so that she forgot her fears and forgot her questions. turning from me with a startled cry, she looked behind her, and saw what i saw, and tried to push me out. 'i'll come, i'll come,' she whispered. 'leave me a minute and i'll come.'
"but i wasn't going to do that. 'the safe door is opened,' i cried. 'did you do it?' she didn't know what to say. i have never seen a woman in such a state; then she whispered in awful agitation, 'yes; i've been given the combination by mr. stoughton. i'm duly following his orders. but my father! what about my father? you frightened me so i forgot that—' i waited, staring at her, but she didn't finish. she just asked, 'my father? what has happened to him?' 'nothing serious,' i managed to say. i wished the old father was in ballyhack. but he'd served his turn; i must say that he'd served his turn. 'a telephone message,' i went on. 'he had had a nervous spell and wanted you. i said that you could go home at noon.' she stood looking at me doubtfully; then her eyes stole back to the safe. 'you will have to leave me here for a few minutes,' she said. 'i have mr. stoughton's business to attend to. he will not be pleased at my having given away his secret. he did not wish it known who controlled his affairs in his absence, but now that you do know, you will be doing the right thing to let me go on in the way he has planned for me. his orders must be carried out.'
"she is very determined, and understands herself only too well, but i am manager, and i paid her back in her own coin. 'that's all very well,' said i, 'but what proof have i that you are telling me the truth? you have opened the safe—you say you have the combination—but people sometimes surprise a combination and open a safe from other interests than those of their employer. you seem a good girl, but you are a girl, and there are men here much more likely to be in mr. stoughton's confidence than yourself. with that open safe before us i cannot leave you here alone. what you take from it i must see, and if possible be present at your negotiations. that i consider a manager's duty under the circumstances.' 'mr. fellows,' she asked, 'can you read this morning's telegram?' 'no,' i felt bound to reply. 'then that acquits you. i can.' and again she tried to urge me to go out. but i would not be urged. i was staring across the room at the open safe and in fancy clutching its contents. in fact, i made one step toward them. but she drew herself up with such an air that i paused. she's a big girl, you know, and not to be fooled with when she's angry. 'come a step farther and i will scream for the watchman,' she whispered. all our talk had been low, for there were listening ears everywhere—we couldn't risk that, and i stepped back. immediately she saw her advantage, and added, 'if you do not think better of it and leave the room, i'll scream.' for answer to this i said that i——"click-click would have gone on, for i believe she could work that typewriter with her eyes shut. but her attention was caught, and she stopped. i tell you i've been humiliated for the last time. i'm in for anything that will make that girl step down and out. what was that!"
muttered curses from his companion brought him back to his story. with a gulp he went on:
"you may bet your bottom dollar that i watched her after that, and sure enough, in less than half an hour she had gone into the room where the safe is. instantly i prepared my coup d'êtat. i waited just long enough to hear her voice in that one song she sings, then i jumped from my seat and rushed to the door, shouting, 'miss lee! miss lee! your father! your father!' making hullabaloo enough to raise the dead and scare her out of her wits; for she dotes on that old man and would sell her soul for his sake, i do believe.
"great heavens, it worked! as i live, it worked. i heard her voice fail on that high upper note of hers, and then the sound of her feet staggering, slipping over the floor, and in another moment the fumbling of her hand on the knob and the slow opening of the door which she seemed to have no power to manage. helping her, i pulled it open, and there beyond her and her white, shocked face, i saw—i saw——"
