The Argosy, Vol. XXIV, No. 3 — page 127: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE BUNKEL MYSTERY. - 511 » tention to the prisoner, or to his associate. He had found the drawer which contained the money, and he was very busy in transferring the bills to a leather bag he had brought with him. ‘This task was completed in a few minutes, and then he searched the vault for anything he had overlooked. He found nothing he wanted outside of the drawer ; but the large pack- ages of bills, labeled with big figures, which he found in the tills, seemed to satisfy him. There were plenty of papers, perhaps bonds, but he would not bother with them, for they were liable to lead to the detection of the robbers. He closed the bag hastily, and then left the vault. He closed and locked the double doors of the strong room and put the keys in his pocket. ‘Then he went to the rear room and closed the window by which he had entered, and put everything in the condition in which he had found it. When Poddy spoke to his companion, and called him ‘‘’T'om,”’ Dolph had a glimmer of light ; and the second time the latter spoke he had no difficulty in recognizing the voice of the chief of the hoodlums. ‘The one who had kicked him was Tom Sawder, without a doubt. Poddy was ina hurry, and taking Dolph by the collar of his coat, he assisted him to rise. ‘Then he led him to the door, carefully closing the gate that was at the end of the counter. At the door he halted, and opened his dark lantern, so that the prisoner could see the revolver which he pas at his head. ‘‘T want you to understand that I will put a bullet through your head if you attempt to get away,”’ said he ina loud whisper. ‘‘ We won’t hurt you if you keep still and do as you are told ; and when we are done with you we will let you go. ‘That is all; but we will make short work with you if you give us any trouble.’’ ‘“‘I won’t give you any trouble,’’ replied Dolph. ‘You had better not,’’ added Poddy impressively. ‘I should like to make a trade with you,’’ continued Dolph, who had by this time recovered his self possession, and even his wickedness, if he had lost the latter for the moment. “Say quick! What do you mean?’ demanded Poddy, evidently in- terested, in spite of his hurry. “I was going to borrow three tipijeand dollars of the bank for some- thing. My fathers owns most of the stock, so that it was the same as bor- rowing it of him, only he would not lend me the money,”’ Dolph proceeded to explain. _ “* Short stories !’’ exclaimed the robber. “You have got all the money from the bank now. If you will lend me three thousand dollars of it, I will take the keys back to my father’s room, and nobody will know that you have been here till the cashier misses the cash in the morning,’’ added Dolph, who thought in himself that this would be a brilliant stroke of business if the principal burglar would agree to it. ‘‘I won’t trust you,’’ replied Poddy, after a little hesitation, which showed that he was favorably impressed by the proposition. ‘Then I will keep the keys in my room and my father will think I robbed the bank, and they will not look for you,’’ argued Dolph. Comicloolks