s?"

Alex shook his head. "If it's not to send the message--and which I know
he won't--I don't know."

The robber laughed. "You are going to send the message, and he is going
to stand just outside the door here and tell us letter by letter just
what you make the instruments say. See?"

Alex uttered an exclamation. And, strange as it may seem, it was not
entirely of chagrin, for the striking originality and ingenuity of the
plan immediately appealed to his own peculiar genius for getting over
difficulties.

"And then," continued the talkative safe-breaker, "we will tie you both
in your chairs, cut the wires, then flag the night express, and depart
for the East like respectable citizens, and by the time you have been
found and the wires restored we will be well out of danger.

"Now, I claim there is some class to that scheme. What?"

Despite himself, Alex could not forbear a smile, even while he at once
saw that to defeat the plan would be almost an impossibility.
Nevertheless, as the bank robber turned his attention to a time-table,
Alex determinedly addressed his wits to the problem.

Presently, as he sat looking at the telegraph instruments for an
inspiration, he started. That last First of April joke he had played on
his father! The cut-off arrangement of wires was still in place beneath
the instrument table! Could he not use it?

He determined to see whether the connections were still in order.
Fortunately he was sitting close to the table, with his feet beneath.
Making a move as though tired of his position, he crossed one foot over
the other, and sank a little lower in the chair. Then, the change having
brought no comment from the man at the counter, he carefully reached out
the upper foot, found the two wires and pressed them together.
Immediately came a click from the instruments.

It was in working order! With hope Alex at once addressed himself to its
possibilities, and soon a suggestion came. "Yes, I believe I could do
it," he told himself with satisfaction. "I'll make a try anyway. So much
for never giving up."

At that moment the footfalls of the returning robber and those of another
sounded on the platform without. Both men were talking, and as they
entered the waiting-room Alex heard the evidently still unsuspecting
Jones say: "Funny, though. I never heard of the boy being troubled with
his heart before."

[Illustration: "COME ON! COME ON!" EXCLAIMED THE MAN IN THE
DOORWAY.]

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