ia of
the burglars' industry. This he did. Irving took charge of the money,
and he had far too great an interest in the scheme to suffer the cash to
be squandered. The agreement was that on the following day Conroy should
present himself at the bank to hire a vacant basement, the roof of which
formed the floor of the room where the safes were lodged. The president
undertook to smooth any difficulties in the way of requiring references,
and promised that he should be accepted as a tenant.

This agreement was punctually carried out. Conroy made his application,
the basement was granted to him, the rent paid in advance for the
edification of the clerks, and he at once entered in possession. Hurley
and Shinburne joined him, and the following Saturday they removed so
much of the ceiling that but a few minutes' work was required to
complete a hole which should serve as a doorway to the vaults above when
the bank closed in the evening.

[Illustration: MACHINE FOR WEIGHING GOLD.]

CHAPTER VI.

CHEATED VISIONS AND VANISHED HOPES.

Saturday night was the time chosen to get into the bank, and the
plunderers were to remain there until Sunday. The members of Irving's
ring were to keep watch to prevent any officious interference from
passers-by or from ward policemen. Carriages were to be in waiting at
some convenient place on Sunday morning, and when the men inside
received a signal from their police accomplices on the outside, they
were to leave the bank, abandoning their tools, and carrying away
nothing but the money and the securities they had stolen. So far, the
way was plain; the keys had long before been prepared, tested and found
to work properly; full instructions were given as to the way to use
them, but the way inside was not yet open.

A night watchman was employed on the premises, and he, of course, was to
be got rid of. Little ceremony was to be used in treating him. He was to
be seized, overcome by any means, bound, gagged and rendered helpless
until Monday, and the fact that he always passed Sunday in the bank,
prevented any remark at home upon his continued absence. The details of
the plot were thus satisfactorily settled, and at a late hour the
conspirators separated.

In the early morning of that day the three burglars were standing in the
cellar to which they had lowered their booty, waiting for the signal to
come out. At last it was given, when the precious trio slipped out,
carrying their precio