feet was a bit of dirty white paper. Mechanically,
he picked it up and looked it over. On it was the following:

O--4
L 2--12
R 3 53
L 2 44

"The combination!" he murmured. "Somebody had it on that paper and
dropped it. Shall I try to work it, or try to get out?"

His better judgment told him he should try to make his escape. But he
was curious to know what was behind that iron door; and, setting the
lantern down, he commenced to work the combination knob. He twirled
the knob around four times and stopped at O. Then he began on the
combination proper--twice to the left, stopping at 12; three times to
the right, stopping at 53; and then twice to the left again, stopping
at 44. Then he came around slowly to O again. There followed a click.
The combination was off.

He twisted the handle of the iron door and pulled upon it. It came
open noiselessly, revealing a stone chamber beyond, eight feet square,
and equally high.

Lantern in hand, Adam Adams stepped into the vault and gazed around
eagerly. On two sides were wooden shelves, six in number. On the
shelves rested several boxes, of wood and of metal.

He opened one of the boxes, and gazed at the contents with interest.
It contained a quantity of haired paper, almost an exact duplicate of
the haired paper used in the making of banknotes.

He looked at another box. This also contained paper. The third box
held a quantity of counterfeits, the amount of which made even the
matter-of-fact detective gasp.

"If they ever floated these, they would be the richest gang of
counterfeiters in the world!" was his mental comment. He had no idea
of the exact amount, but saw that it would total up to a tremendous sum.

He turned to one of the metal boxes. It was empty, and he set it down
again. Then he took up another box that was fairly heavy, and threw
open the cover.

There, resting on some thick blotting paper, was a counterfeit plate--a
plate undoubtedly used for printing the backs of the spurious $100
bills!

Adam Adams could not help but gaze at that plate with interest. How
the Secret Service men had worked to bring that plate to light, and
arrest the users! And here he, in following up the clues of one crime,
had stumbled upon the broad trail of another.

As he put the plate down, a noise reached his ears. By instinct, he
blew out the lantern and listened. The noise was that from footsteps
at a distance. Then he heard a murm