as lifted--and the flashlight played again on the dial.

"Twenty-eight and a quarter--left."

How fast the time went--and how slowly! Still the black shape crouched
there in the darkness against the safe. At times, in strange, ghostly
flashes, the nickel dial with the ray upon it seemed to leap out and
glisten through the surrounding blackness; at times, the quick intake of
breath, as from great exertion; at times, faint, musical little clicks,
as, after abortive effort, the dial whirled, preparatory to a fresh
attempt. And then, at last--a gasp of relief:

"Ah!"

Came the sound, barely audible, as of steel sliding in well-oiled
grooves, the muffled thud of metal meeting metal as the bolts shot
back--and the heavy door swung outward.

Jimmie Dale stretched his cramped limbs, and wiped the moisture from
his face--then set to work again upon the inner door. This was an easier
matter--far easier. Five minutes, perhaps a little more, went by--and
then the inner door was open, and the flashlight's ray was flooding the
interior of the safe.

A queer little sound, half of astonishment, half of disappointment,
issued from Jimmie Dale's lips. There was money here, a great deal
of money, undoubtedly, but there was no such sum as he had, somehow,
fantastically imagined from the Magpie's evidently overcoloured story
that there would be; there was money, ten packages of banknotes neatly
piled in the bottom compartment--but there was no half million of
dollars! He picked up one of the packages hurriedly--and drew in
his breath. After all, there was a great deal--the notes were
of hundred-dollar denomination, and on the bottom were two
one-thousand-dollar bills! Calculated roughly, if each of the other
nine packages contained a like amount, the total must exceed a hundred
thousand.

And now Jimmie Dale began to work with feverish haste. From the leather
girdle inside his shirt came the thin metal insignia case--and a gray
seal was stuck firmly on the dial knob of the safe. This done, he tucked
away the packages of banknotes, some into his pockets and some inside
his shirt; and then quickly ransacked the interior of the safe,
flauntingly spilling the contents of drawers and pigeonholes out upon
the floor.

He stood up, and, leaving the safe door wide open, walked back across
the room to the window, unfastened the catch, and opened the window an
inch or two. The way was open now for the Magpie! The Magpie would have
no need t