Page:The gold brick (1910).djvu/209

 The governor ascended to the floor above, and turned down the north corridor. A golden bar of light was thrown across the marble floor. It streamed from the open door of the state treasury. The governor quickened his steps. He heard the lunge of huge bolts as they were tumbled home. He heard the dull spin of a combination lock, and as he reached the treasury two men were emerging from the dark vaults.

"Thank God, that's—"

The sentence was lost in the mouth of the attorney-general of the state of Illinois, who stood with dropping jaw staring at the governor. The attorney-general stood motionless, and then plunged a hand with three pieces of paper into an outer pocket of his overcoat. Mendenhall stood behind him, a flame flashing over his face.

The governor was the first one to speak.

"Good evening, gentlemen," he said.

The two men did not reply, and the governor spoke again.

"Under the law, gentlemen," he said, "the duty devolves upon me of closing and locking the treasury and temporarily assuming possession of it."