Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 12.pdf/434

 A Great Gold Robbery. "Mix the plaster of paris," said Wallis, "and stir it quickly lest it set too soon." He took the putty and built a low wall about the Bank of England's seal. Then he lightly oiled both wax and putty. The plaster of paris was ready. Wallis filled the shallow well he had made, watched the plaster for a few seconds while it set, then lifted off the hard, white block. The oil had prevented any sticking, and Wallis had secured an exact impression in reverse of the bank's seal. Stevens, who had been drilled into the understanding of details, melted sealing-wax in a ladle over the gas stove. " Steady," murmured Wallis, "we have nearly finished." The wax was poured into its appointed place. Down came the false seal, impressing its lie in characters as clear as those of truth, and the work was done. Once more the sack was raised on Wallis's shoulder, but this time it went out full and returned empty. The wheels of the railway van rattled on until they met the deeper roll of the Gray's Inn Road and were lost. On the floor of the quiet room lay an insignifi cant looking case, its treasure still hidden, and over it stooped two white-faced men. "It was well done," murmured Wallis; •"there were three seconds to spare." III. THE GOLD.

The same room and the same men. Three days had passed, days which had cut strange lines in Wallis's boyish face. He had made a mistake; a thing always unpleasant in it self, hateful when involving confession to a man like Stevens. In a corner of the room stood a new safe bought for the purpose, and in it lay the unopened case of gold. Wallis had left the treasure in Stevens's hands with out hesitation. " You would steal it all if you dared," he had said unkindly, " but you do not dare. You know that I should at once lay an information against you, and you

401

would be caught with the stuff in your pos session. You couldn't get rid of it." "By the way, Stevens," he said now, "have you thought of the means by which we are to realize our spoil? That is a prob lem of some interest." "I suppose there are ways," answered Stevens, crossly; "but I don't know them. You have had the management of this busi ness and you had better keep it." "I also suppose there are ways, but I don't know them. It seems rather absurd." Stevens sprang to his feet. " You don't know! Have you blundered into this, you swaggering fool, that you can't sell the gold you've stolen? Why didn't you consult me?" "That's precisely what I'm doing now." Stevens dropped into his chair. " It must be possible," he said, weakly. "Listen to me." "I want my ¿£2,000." "Listen to me, and as soon as I have fin ished you shall have your .£2,000!" "I shall really have it?" "You shall really have it," said Wallis, smiling grimly. It was a nasty smile. "When I was at the Bank of England," he went on, " I learned a good deal about gold, but there was one detail which escaped me. We are now breaking our heads against that detail. You well know that by the Coinage Act of 1870 any one is entitled to take gold of the mint and have it coined at the rate of 77 s. ю 1-2 d. an ounce. There is nothing to pay. This seemed to me to be an admirable arrangement, and when I planned this robbery I had in mind to take the gold to the mint in small quantities and gradually to have it coined. I always believe in the bold course, and this seemed both bold and safe." "That is all right. What is the difficulty?" "You shall hear. Yesterday I thought it well to study the subject more fully, so as to find out all the ways of the mint and to guard myself against unexpected dangers.