A guard came to the prison shoe-shop, where Jimmy Valentine wasassiduously stitching uppers, and escorted him to the front office.There the warden handed Jimmy his pardon, which had been signed thatmorning by the governor. Jimmy took it in a tired kind of way. He hadserved nearly ten months of a four year sentence. He had expected tostay only about three months, at the longest. When a man with as manyfriends on the outside as Jimmy Valentine had is received in the"stir" it is hardly worth while to cut his hair.
"Now, Valentine," said the warden, "you'll go out in the morning.Brace up, and make a man of yourself. You're not a bad fellow atheart. Stop cracking safes, and live straight."
"Me?" said Jimmy, in surprise. "Why, I never cracked a safe in mylife."
"Oh, no," laughed the warden. "Of course not. Let's see, now. How wasit you happened to get sent up on that Springfield job? Was it becauseyou wouldn't prove an alibi for fear of compromising somebody inextremely high-toned society? Or was it simply a case of a mean oldjury that had it in for you? It's always one or the other with youinnocent victims."
"Me?" said Jimmy, still blankly virtuous. "Why, warden, I never was inSpringfield in my life!"
"Take him back, Cronin!" said the warden, "and fix him up withoutgoing clothes. Unlock him at seven in the morning, and let him cometo the bull-pen. Better think over my advice, Valentine."
At a quarter past seven on the next morning Jimmy stood in thewarden's outer office. He had on a suit of the villainously fitting,ready-made clothes and a pair of the stiff, squeaky shoes that thestate furnishes to its discharged compulsory guests.
The clerk handed him a railroad ticket and the five-dollar bill withwhich the law expected him to rehabilitate himself into goodcitizenship and prosperity. The warden gave him a cigar, and shookhands. Valentine, 9762, was chronicled on the books, "Pardoned byGovernor," and Mr. James Valentine walked out into the sunshine.
Disregarding the song of the birds, the waving green trees, and thesmell of the flowers, Jimmy headed straight for a restaurant. There hetasted the first sweet joys of liberty in the shape of a broiledchicken and a bottle of white wine--followed by a cigar a grade betterthan the one the warden had given him. From there he proceededleisurely to the depot. He tossed a quarter into the hat of a blindman sitting by the door, and boarded his train. Three hours set himdown in a little town near the state line. He went to the cafe of oneMike Dolan and shook hands with Mike, who was alone behind the bar.
"Sorry we couldn't make it sooner, Jimmy, me boy," said Mike. "But wehad that protest from Springfield to buck against, and the governornearly balked. Feeling all right?"
"Fine," said Jimmy. "Got my key?"
He got his key and went upstairs, unlocking the door of a room at therear. Everything was just as he had left it. There on the floor wasstill Ben Price's collar-button that had been torn from that eminentdetective's shirt-band when they had overpowered Jimmy to arrest him.
Pulling out from the wall a folding-bed, Jimmy slid back a panel inthe wall and dragged out a dust-covered suit-case. He opened this andgazed fondly at the finest set of burglar's tools in the East. It wasa complete set, made of specially tempered steel, the latest designsin drills, punches, braces and bits, jimmies, clamps, and augers, withtwo or three novelties, invented by Jimmy himself, in which he tookpride. Over nine hundred dollars they had cost him to have made at----, a place where they make such things for the profession.
In half an hour Jimmy went down stairs and through the cafe. He wasnow dressed in tasteful and well-fitting clothes, and carried hisdusted and cleaned suit-case in his hand.
"Got anything on?" asked Mike Dolan, genially.
"Me?" said Jimmy, in a puzzled tone. "I don't understand. I'mrepresenting the New York Amalgamated Short Snap Biscuit Cracker andFrazzled Wheat Company."
This statement delighted Mike to such an extent that Jimmy had to takea seltzer-and-milk on the spot. He never touched "hard" drinks.
A week after the release of Valentine, 9762, there was a neat job ofsafe-burglary done in Richmond, Indiana, with no clue to the author. Ascant eight hundred dollars was all that was secured. Two weeks afterthat a patented, improved, burglar-proof safe in Logansport was openedlike a cheese to the tune of fifteen hundred dollars, currency;securities and silver untouched. That began to interest the rogue-catchers. Then an old-fashioned bank-safe in Jefferson City becameactive and threw out of its crater an eruption of bank-notes amountingto five thousand dollars. The losses were now high enough to bring thematter up into Ben Price's class of work. By comparing notes, aremarkable similarity in the methods of the burglaries was noticed.Ben Price investigated the scenes of the robberies, and was heard toremark:
"That's Dandy Jim Valentine's autograph. He's resumed business. Lookat that combination knob--jerked out as easy as pulling up a radish inwet weather. He's got the only clamps that can do it. And look howclean those tumblers were punched out! Jimmy never has to drill butone hole. Yes, I guess I want Mr. Valentine. He'll do his bit nexttime without any short-time or clemency foolishness."
Ben Price knew Jimmy's habits. He had learned them while working onthe Springfield case. Long jumps, quick get-aways, no confederates,and a taste for good society--these ways had helped Mr. Valentine tobecome noted as a successful dodger of retribution. It was given outthat Ben Price had taken up the trail of the elusive cracksman, andother people with burglar-proof safes felt more at ease.
One afternoon Jimmy Valentine and his suit-case climbed out of themail-hack in Elmore, a little town five miles off the railroad down inthe black-jack country of Arkansas. Jimmy, looking like an athleticyoung senior just home from college, went down the board side-walktoward the hotel.
A young lady crossed the street, passed him at the corner and entereda door over which was the sign, "The Elmore Bank." Jimmy Valentinelooked into her eyes, forgot what he was, and became another man. Shelowered her eyes and coloured slightly. Young men of Jimmy's style andlooks were scarce in Elmore.
Jimmy collared a boy that was loafing on the steps of the bank as ifhe were one of the stockholders, and began to ask him questions aboutthe town, feeding him dimes at intervals. By and by the young ladycame out, looking royally unconscious of the young man with the suit-case, and went her way.
"Isn' that young lady Polly Simpson?" asked Jimmy, with speciousguile.
"Naw," said the boy. "She's Annabel Adams. Her pa owns this bank.Why'd you come to Elmore for? Is that a gold watch-chain? I'm going toget a bulldog. Got any more dimes?"
Jimmy went to the Planters' Hotel, registered as Ralph D. Spencer, andengaged a room. He leaned on the desk and declared his platform to theclerk. He said he had come to Elmore to look for a location to go intobusiness. How was the shoe business, now, in the town? He had thoughtof the shoe business. Was there an opening?
The clerk was impressed by the clothes and manner of Jimmy. He,himself, was something of a pattern of fashion to the thinly gildedyouth of Elmore, but he now perceived his shortcomings. While tryingto figure out Jimmy's manner of tying his four-in-hand he cordiallygave information.
Yes, there ought to be a good opening in the shoe line. There wasn'tan exclusive shoe-store in the place. The dry-goods and general storeshandled them. Business in all lines was fairly good. Hoped Mr. Spencerwould decide to locate in Elmore. He would find it a pleasant town tolive in, and the people very sociable.
Mr. Spencer thought he would stop over in the town a few days and lookover the situation. No, the clerk needn't call the boy. He would carryup his suit-case, himself; it was rather heavy.
Mr. Ralph Spencer, the phoenix that arose from Jimmy Valentine's ashes--ashes left by the flame of a sudden and alterative attack of love--remained in Elmore, and prospered. He opened a shoe-store and secureda good run of trade.
Socially he was also a success, and made many friends. And heaccomplished the wish of his heart. He met Miss Annabel Adams, andbecame more and more captivated by her charms.
At the end of a year the situation of Mr. Ralph Spencer was this: hehad won the respect of the community, his shoe-store was flourishing,and he and Annabel were engaged to be married in two weeks. Mr. Adams,the typical, plodding, country banker, approved of Spencer. Annabel'spride in him almost equalled her affection. He was as much at home inthe family of Mr. Adams and that of Annabel's married sister as if hewere already a member.
One day Jimmy sat down in his room and wrote this letter, which hemailed to the safe address of one of his old friends in St. Louis:
Dear Old Pal:
I want you to be at Sullivan's place, in Little Rock, nextWednesday night, at nine o'clock. I want you to wind up somelittle matters for me. And, also, I want to make you a present ofmy kit of tools. I know you'll be glad to get them--you couldn'tduplicate the lot for a thousand dollars. Say, Billy, I've quitthe old business--a year ago. I've got a nice store. I'm making anhonest living, and I'm going to marry the finest girl on earth twoweeks from now. It's the only life, Billy--the straight one. Iwouldn't touch a dollar of another man's money now for a million.After I get married I'm going to sell out and go West, where therewon't be so much danger of having old scores brought up againstme. I tell you, Billy, she's an angel. She believes in me; and Iwouldn't do another crooked thing for the whole world. Be sure to beat Sully's, for I must see you. I'll bring along the tools with me.
Your old friend,
Jimmy.
On the Monday night after Jimmy wrote this letter, Ben Price joggedunobtrusively into Elmore in a livery buggy. He lounged about town inhis quiet way until he found out what he wanted to know. From thedrug-store across the street from Spencer's shoe-store he got a goodlook at Ralph D. Spencer.
"Going to marry the banker's daughter are you, Jimmy?" said Ben tohimself, softly. "Well, I don't know!"
The next morning Jimmy took breakfast at the Adamses. He was going toLittle Rock that day to order his wedding-suit and buy something nicefor Annabel. That would be the first time he had left town since hecame to Elmore. It had been more than a year now since those lastprofessional "jobs," and he thought he could safely venture out.
After breakfast quite a family party went downtown together--Mr.Adams, Annabel, Jimmy, and Annabel's married sister with her twolittle girls, aged five and nine. They came by the hotel where Jimmystill boarded, and he ran up to his room and brought along his suit-case. Then they went on to the bank. There stood Jimmy's horse andbuggy and Dolph Gibson, who was going to drive him over to therailroad station.
All went inside the high, carved oak railings into the banking-room--Jimmy included, for Mr. Adams's future son-in-law was welcomeanywhere. The clerks were pleased to be greeted by the good-looking,agreeable young man who was going to marry Miss Annabel. Jimmy set hissuit-case down. Annabel, whose heart was bubbling with happiness andlively youth, put on Jimmy's hat, and picked up the suit-case."Wouldn't I make a nice drummer?" said Annabel. "My! Ralph, how heavyit is? Feels like it was full of gold bricks."
"Lot of nickel-plated shoe-horns in there," said Jimmy, coolly, "thatI'm going to return. Thought I'd save express charges by taking themup. I'm getting awfully economical."
The Elmore Bank had just put in a new safe and vault. Mr. Adams wasvery proud of it, and insisted on an inspection by every one. Thevault was a small one, but it had a new, patented door. It fastenedwith three solid steel bolts thrown simultaneously with a singlehandle, and had a time-lock. Mr. Adams beamingly explained itsworkings to Mr. Spencer, who showed a courteous but not toointelligent interest. The two children, May and Agatha, were delightedby the shining metal and funny clock and knobs.
While they were thus engaged Ben Price sauntered in and leaned on hiselbow, looking casually inside between the railings. He told theteller that he didn't want anything; he was just waiting for a man heknew.
Suddenly there was a scream or two from the women, and a commotion.Unperceived by the elders, May, the nine-year-old girl, in a spirit ofplay, had shut Agatha in the vault. She had then shot the bolts andturned the knob of the combination as she had seen Mr. Adams do.
The old banker sprang to the handle and tugged at it for a moment."The door can't be opened," he groaned. "The clock hasn't been woundnor the combination set."
Agatha's mother screamed again, hysterically.
"Hush!" said Mr. Adams, raising his trembling hand. "All be quite fora moment. Agatha!" he called as loudly as he could. "Listen to me."During the following silence they could just hear the faint sound ofthe child wildly shrieking in the dark vault in a panic of terror.
"My precious darling!" wailed the mother. "She will die of fright!Open the door! Oh, break it open! Can't you men do something?"
"There isn't a man nearer than Little Rock who can open that door,"said Mr. Adams, in a shaky voice. "My God! Spencer, what shall we do?That child--she can't stand it long in there. There isn't enough air,and, besides, she'll go into convulsions from fright."
Agatha's mother, frantic now, beat the door of the vault with herhands. Somebody wildly suggested dynamite. Annabel turned to Jimmy,her large eyes full of anguish, but not yet despairing. To a womannothing seems quite impossible to the powers of the man she worships.
"Can't you do something, Ralph--/try/, won't you?"
He looked at her with a queer, soft smile on his lips and in his keeneyes.
"Annabel," he said, "give me that rose you are wearing, will you?"
Hardly believing that she heard him aright, she unpinned the bud fromthe bosom of her dress, and placed it in his hand. Jimmy stuffed itinto his vest-pocket, threw off his coat and pulled up his shirt-sleeves. With that act Ralph D. Spencer passed away and JimmyValentine took his place.
"Get away from the door, all of you," he commanded, shortly.
He set his suit-case on the table, and opened it out flat. From thattime on he seemed to be unconscious of the presence of any one else.He laid out the shining, queer implements swiftly and orderly,whistling softly to himself as he always did when at work. In a deepsilence and immovable, the others watched him as if under a spell.
In a minute Jimmy's pet drill was biting smoothly into the steel door.In ten minutes--breaking his own burglarious record--he threw back thebolts and opened the door.
Agatha, almost collapsed, but safe, was gathered into her mother'sarms.
Jimmy Valentine put on his coat, and walked outside the railingstowards the front door. As he went he thought he heard a far-awayvoice that he once knew call "Ralph!" But he never hesitated.
At the door a big man stood somewhat in his way.
"Hello, Ben!" said Jimmy, still with his strange smile. "Got around atlast, have you? Well, let's go. I don't know that it makes muchdifference, now."
And then Ben Price acted rather strangely.
"Guess you're mistaken, Mr. Spencer," he said. "Don't believe Irecognize you. Your buggy's waiting for you, ain't it?"
And Ben Price turned and strolled down the street.
