The night was quite dark, but not what is called pitchy dark. As the eyes became accustomed to the obscurity, they were able to see a considerable distance. So it was with Carl. From his place of concealment2 he occasionally raised his head and looked across the way to the factory. An hour passed, and he grew tired. It didn’t look as if the attempt were to be made that night. Eleven o’clock pealed3 out from the spire4 of the Baptist Church, a quarter of a mile away. Carl counted the strokes, and when the last died into silence, he said to himself:
“I will stay here about ten minutes longer. Then, if no one comes, I will give it up for tonight.”
The time was nearly up when his quick ear caught a low murmur5 of voices. Instantly he was on the alert. Waiting till the sound came nearer, he ventured to raise his head for an instant above the top of the wall.
His heart beat with excitement when he saw two figures approaching. Though it was so dark, he recognized them by their size and outlines. They were Julius Gibbon, the bookkeeper, and Phil Stark6, the stranger staying at the hotel.
Carl watched closely, raising his head for a few seconds at a time above the wall, ready to lower it should either glance in his direction. But neither of the men did so. Ignorant that they were suspected, it was the farthest possible from their thoughts that anyone would be on the watch.
Presently they came so near that Carl could hear their voices.
“Don’t worry,” said his companion. “There is no occasion for haste. Everybody in Milford is in bed and asleep, and we have several hours at our disposal.”
“My friend, you can afford to take the chances. Haven’t I agreed to give you half the bonds?”
“I shall be suspected, and shall be obliged to stand my ground, while you will disappear from the scene.”
“Two thousand dollars will pay you for some inconvenience. I don’t see why you should be suspected. You will be supposed to be fast asleep on your virtuous9 couch, while some bad burglar is robbing your worthy10 employer. Of course you will be thunderstruck when in the morning the appalling11 discovery is made. I’ll tell you what will be a good dodge12 for you.”
“Well?”
“Offer a reward of a hundred dollars from your own purse for the discovery of the villain13 who has robbed the safe and abstracted the bonds.”
“Hush!” said Gibbon, timidly. “I thought I heard some one moving.”
“What a timid fool you are!” muttered Stark, contemptuously. “If I had no more pluck, I’d hire myself out to herd15 cows.”
“It’s a better business,” said Gibbon, bitterly.
“Well, well, each to his taste! If you lose your place as bookkeeper, you might offer your services to some farmer. As for me, the danger, though there isn’t much, is just enough to make it exciting.”
“I don’t care for any such excitement,” said Gibbon, dispiritedly. “Why couldn’t you have kept away and let me earn an honest living?”
“Because I must live as well as you, my dear friend. When this little affair is over, you will thank me for helping16 you to a good thing.”
Of course all this conversation did not take place within Carl’s hearing. While it was going on, the men had opened the office door and entered. Then, as Carl watched the window closely he saw a narrow gleam of light from a dark lantern illuminating17 the interior.
“Now they are at the safe,” thought Carl.
We, who are privileged, will enter the office and watch the proceedings18.
Gibbon had no difficulty in opening the safe, for he was acquainted with the combination. Stark thrust in his hand eagerly and drew out the box.
“This is what we want,” he said, in a tone of satisfaction. “Have you a key that will open it?”
“No.”
“Then I shall have to take box and all.”
“Let us get through as soon as possible,” said Gibbon, uneasily.
“You can close the safe, if you want to. There is nothing else worth taking?”
“No.”
“Then we will evacuate19 the premises20. Is there an old newspaper I can use to wrap up the box in? It might look suspicious if anyone should see it in our possession.”
“Yes, here is one.”
He handed a copy of a weekly paper to Phil Stark, who skillfully wrapped up the box, and placing it under his arm, went out of the office, leaving Gibbon to follow.
“Where will you carry it?” asked Gibbon.
“Somewhere out of sight where I can safely open it. I should have preferred to take the bonds, and leave the box in the safe. Then the bonds might not have been missed for a week or more.”
“That would have been better.”
That was the last that Carl heard. The two disappeared in the darkness, and Carl, raising himself from his place of concealment, stretched his cramped21 limbs and made the best of his way home. He thought no one would be up, but Mr. Jennings came out from the sitting-room22, where he had flung himself on a lounge, and met Carl in the hall.
“Well?” he said.
“The safe has been robbed.”
“Who did it?” asked the manufacturer, quickly.
“The two we suspected.”
“Did you see Mr. Gibbon, then?”
“Yes; he was accompanied by Mr. Stark.”
“You saw them enter the factory?”
“How long were they inside?”
“Not over fifteen minutes—perhaps only ten.”
“Mr. Gibbon knew the combination,” said Jennings, quietly. “There was no occasion to lose time in breaking open the safe. There is some advantage in having a friend inside. Did you see them go out?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Carrying the tin box with them?”
“Yes, sir. Mr. Stark wrapped it in a newspaper after they got outside.”
“But you saw the tin box?”
“Yes.”
“Then, if necessary, you can testify to it. I thought it possible that Mr. Gibbon might have a key to open it.”
“I overheard Stark regretting that he could not open it so as to abstract the bonds and leave the box in the safe. In that case, he said, it might be some time before the robbery was discovered.”
“He will himself make an unpleasant discovery when he opens the box. I don’t think there is any call to pity him, do you, Carl?”
“No, sir. I should like to be within sight when he opens it.”
The manufacturer laughed quietly.
“Yes,” he said; “if I could see it I should feel repaid for the loss of the box. Let it be a lesson for you, my boy. Those who seek to enrich themselves by unlawful means are likely in the end to meet with disappointment.”
“Do you think I need the lesson?” asked Carl, smiling.
“No, my lad. I am sure you don’t. But you do need a good night’s rest. Let us go to bed at once, and get what sleep we may. I won’t allow the burglary to keep me awake.”
He laughed in high good humor, and Carl went up to his comfortable room, where he soon lost all remembrance of the exciting scene of which he had been a witness.
Mr. Jennings went to the factory at the usual time the next morning.
As he entered the office the bookkeeper approached him pale and excited.
“Mr. Jennings,” he said, hurriedly, “I have bad news for you.”
“What is it, Mr. Gibbon?”
“When I opened the safe this morning, I discovered that the tin box had been stolen.”
Mr. Jennings took the news quietly.
“Have you any suspicion who took it?” he asked.
“No, sir. I—I hope the loss is not a heavy one.”
“I do not care to make the extent of the loss public. Were there any marks of violence? Was the safe broken open?”
“No, sir.”
“Singular; is it not?”
“If you will allow me I will join in offering a reward for the discovery of the thief. I feel in a measure responsible.”
“I will think of your offer, Mr. Gibbon.”
“He suspects nothing,” thought Gibbon, with a sigh of relief.
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1
outskirts
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| n.郊外，郊区 | |
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concealment
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| n.隐藏, 掩盖，隐瞒 | |
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pealed
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| v.（使）（钟等）鸣响，（雷等）发出隆隆声( peal的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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spire
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| n.(教堂)尖顶，尖塔，高点 | |
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murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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6
stark
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| adj.荒凉的；严酷的；完全的；adv.完全地 | |
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7
nervously
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| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
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8
undo
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| vt.解开，松开；取消，撤销 | |
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9
virtuous
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| adj.有品德的，善良的，贞洁的，有效力的 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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11
appalling
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| adj.骇人听闻的，令人震惊的，可怕的 | |
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12
dodge
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| v.闪开，躲开，避开；n.妙计，诡计 | |
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13
villain
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| n.反派演员，反面人物；恶棍；问题的起因 | |
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14
guffaw
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| n.哄笑；突然的大笑 | |
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15
herd
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| n.兽群，牧群；vt.使集中，把…赶在一起 | |
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16
helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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illuminating
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| a.富于启发性的，有助阐明的 | |
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18
proceedings
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| n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报 | |
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evacuate
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| v.遣送；搬空；抽出；排泄；大(小)便 | |
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premises
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| n.建筑物，房屋 | |
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21
cramped
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| a.狭窄的 | |
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22
sitting-room
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| n.（BrE）客厅，起居室 | |
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crouching
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 ) | |
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