1913-11-08 — Page 7

SHORT

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH.

STORY.

DETECTIVE BURNS

THE MYSTERY OF THE DOUBLE EAGLES,

BY ARTHUR 8. RHEVË.

"Thirty thousand dollar shirt nge discovered at the mint. Es quire ablest and best talent in the the government service."

Never had the Secretary of the

Treasury to oived a more alarm

him some ten years ago from the Director of the Mint home elf.

Consider for a moment what

this simple telegrum meant, com ing from the Director at at

whom he happened to be visiting

one of the leading branch mint

of the country.

EXTRA

HONGKONG, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1913, 1.30 P.M.

19

of enrichment which

know him, and his appointment There was nothing of this mass by a transverse corridor running to work the combination after and the abundent life is nes posa as cashier a year before had been of detail that escaped Burns in the width of the building from two days, say on Sunday ora ible for thousands of human beinge only what they expected. his hunt for the criminal who set right to left, after the manner of holiday. But he had cracked the owing to the fact that their bodies -fa-fot-all-three, Atobison,

there checks and balances in many large public buildings, nickel, as Burns and the expert and minds are repressed by the Braden. and Colton, as well as defiance" He noted everything, Directly before him, at the far discovered, had found that filing necessity for child labour and by the other employees, seemed such as the "delivery" every end of the main corridor, was the the dog-looking device was unwholesome surroundings.

By abundant life Jesus meant GREAT CASES: impecable. Many of the two morning, as it is called, when the door of the cashier's office, the sufficient, and had bent the arm

hundred-odd employees had re- coiner delivere to the superinten office being at the back of the back again.

freedom from fear. Millions of cords of long and fa.thful service dent the coin that has been made building and extending from the Next Burns devoted his atten- people live continually under in this mint, some of them as the day before in bis department centre to the right wing, along tion to the vault itself. He found great clouds of fear There are highly as forty or forty-five which is then placed in the vault the far side of the transverse that at this time and for several five great causes. First, the fear years. Men who had worked in the cashier's office. Represen- dorridor. It was in this right months it had been congested of death; second, the fear of there from ten to thirty years tatives of the assay department, wing, at the back that the with money. All the stationary poverty or want; third, fear of of the superintendent and of the cashier's vault which had been pigeonholes or receptacles for the sickness an old age fourth fear were common among them.'

And yet, when the Director of coiner, bad to be present at the rifled was located.

sealed bags, each compartment of falilure; and fifth, the fear of and knotty caso8 were turned

delivery." The coin had to be He handed the telegram the Mint from Washington had receipted for to the coiner, and ridor as one entered, in the front thousand dollars in it,in one causes of fear paralyses eff art, and To the right of the main cor- holding a bag of gold with five other people. Any one of these over.

lean present for the government brought in sacks on trucke to the to Burps.

of the building, and section in fires, in another eagles makes impossible a free life" and As he was whirled across the in its usual eqttlement with the cashier's room, where each sack consequently lying opposite and in another double eagles, an abundant life, such as Jesus country the great detective spent varions mints in the country, he the hours gazing at scenery that had found that this particular counted and weighed in the the cashier's office along the were fall. Therefore, in order came to give. There is no doubt presence of the three men, tied transverse corridor, was the to put more money into the vault, that faith in Jesus dispels all ing message then was flashed to ba.did not see and turning the branch mint showed a shortage with a stout string, and sealed numismatist's room, where coins two trucks had been pushed up these feare. "Perfect love cast.

matter over in his mind. This of thirty thousand dollars.

with a lead seal stamped with the and pedals were kept in a sgainst the east side of it, entirely oth out fear." It is to release much he knew. Some one trust. More than that, investigation superintendent's name, secured

museum. To the left, as one out of the way. Of course there human beings from foar that led and high in the government had disolosed the fact that the ep that if the eack was tampered entered this main corridor, was was no likelihood of wanting to Jesus came, and abundant life

mploy itself had gone wrong shortage was in the vault of the with it could be seen, Fifteen hundred double eagles cashier. The Director had made

the office of the chief clerk, Bra-ase the money on tho trucks or follows almost immediately when had been taken by tome one on absolutely sure that the cashier mint is a romantic revelation of main corridor, as well se another

A glance at the conduct of a den, with a door leading into the in the pigeonholes back of them. the fear is dissipated.

There were plenty of other Jesus meant by abundant life the inside. A block alain on the was actually short before he had a fairy world where gold and leading into the transverse cor-bage that could be readily gt at opportunity to enrich life with azingly clean record of the mint wired the facts to the Secretary silver are the stook in trade, se ridor. This office extended from for any usual demand. These its common sources of enrich in handling billions upon billions of the Treasury; there was no in other more sordid businesses of the building to the transverse trucks remained stationary untilment. The six prominent From the massive granite and of dollars must be greeod. Even question about it. In this mint it is mere iron pig or bolte of corridor. Next to and communi- the final accounting, and, in all, sources sandstone exterior of the great before he arrived on the scene, the e were several large vaults, cloth. For instance, a citizen cating with it was the office of some three million dollara acoam help to make life abundant United States treasure house to the Burna knew that this most prove belonging to the assayer, the with gold to sell, a miner perhaps. the superintendent of the mint in alated on them

are-first, education; second, minutest electrical device, the a-historic caso,

receiver, the coiner, the melter would go to the receiving-room, the very left-hand front corner of Burns began first what he calls nd refiner, and the cashier. It There he would find a long coun; the building opening into the keeping the amount on the tracks entertainment; fifth, knowledge mint bespoke national security

In counting over the bags, travel; third, friendship; fourth, and national strength I was his "secret investigation." When was Colton's vault alone that bad ter on which was a scoop into long-transverse corridor.

separate from the bags in the of literature, music, art, history, supposed to represent the atmust be arrival on the scene, he did been found to be short.

which he would dump his dust, Opposite these two offices, which pigeonbbles, the men who did the etc.; sixth, the common heritage, progress in protective systems not let & Boul know who, he xs- and mechanisms of the time--or why he was there until he had vault, too, and no person had the this counter he could see desks wing of the mint, and ranged was intact. Some of the men to make life happier and stronger

There was a time-lock on the baggats, or old gold. Back of occupied the entire front of this work found that the three million like inventions, etc., which help safety raised to the nth power. looked the ground over. He

combination except Colton. The and tables, interspersed perhaps along the other side of the trans- who helped to carry out the gold Every human being has a right The very external aspect of the began by placing everybody who only copy of it was in a sealed with trucks actually loaded with verse our for, was the receiving remembered, however, six vacant to education. Yet comparatively mint seemed to say to the world was in a position to know any envelope, and that was in the real gold bars, a fortune casually room at the extreme end opposite holes near the floor, behind the few have either the leisure or the that such a thing as theft was thing about the crime hacer custody of Atchison, to be used wheeled about like a sack of cats the superintendent's offices, the place where the trucks generally opportunity for it in comparison impossible: lago dcore pre-suspicion, and then, by what if only in case of accident or the

It is ant a part of this particu-weighing-room, opposite the chief stood. Burns was now getting Travel is a great source of enrich with the entire world population. claimed by their very ponderosity known as the "process of elimine-laudden death of "the cashier. lar story, though it is a romance-Iclerk's office; and then the cash-closer and closer to the truth. that it was their, sole duty, totion," arriving at the possible There was no evidence, as yet, to in itself, how the gold is carefully ier's department, entending He had already learned from ment of life; yet comparatively guard the antion's treasure. suspects. He looked over the show whether or not the copy of Luards were elationed at every mint itself where the loss had the combination sealed in the weighed in the weighing-room through the other half of the back the superintendent how the short few of the world's toilers can ever Leptoly vulnerable point, Ap occurred, lavestig tad the moth envelope had ever been tampered variona processes through the thess departments, the cashier's, and Braden had been counting of life. It is almost necessary for cert to the receiving-room, the of the building. All three of age had been discovered when he travel, Friendship is something which requires the leisure period oris of conducting business parently, nothing that rumen)

with. Therefore the discovery laboratory of the assay depart the weighing, and the receiving the money in the vault the day the acquisition of real helpful throughout the day, absorber of the shortage was all the more ment in the bas ment, the assay communicated with one another. Colton was sick. ingenuity .could devise Waa

everything that might or might sensational.

friendship that a person should lacking.

furnaces, the delicate scales and not prove evidential. After going

Barns' first and most natural Braden had just written down have leisure time. The great Burns went over the life and weights of the adjusters, the over the mint thoroughly, he entered on the various processes watched carefully for days how habits of Colton, the cashier, with melting and refining department, query bad been: Was it possible some figares when Atchison lean-craving of the people for enter- "There is a shortage tainment goes without argument. until it returned again to the business was transacted, the num a mioroscope. Apparently he the settling and silver reduction to manipulate the books? Thas ed over. outside world as gki coin, all her of clerks around, all sorts of was a man of the beet record and tanks, the ingot melting-room, proved to be easy to settle, in of thirty thousand here," said the It is seen on every side.

spite of the intricate system. And superintendent keenly.

By the abundant life, Jeans sorts of delicate teate, checks, things, until he might almost connections, just the sort on the rolling-room with its long settled

quickly No, I think not," replied must have meant the sharing of and balances bad been devited to have been learning to run the would pick out instinctively as gleaming strips of rolled gold,

the man through whose hands the annealing furnaces, the coin books were perfect.

negative. No, the Braden, continuing to figure; "of life, with others. Sharing life protect the government. No mint himself.

According perhaps it is due to the cash with others calle for (1) absence bank is no exact, no record is Let us say, for the purposes of all the money that was to be paid er's department with its coin- kept so clean, se in the United this story, that the superintendent is or out should go. All this time presses, the milling, and reeding. Colton's own accounts, there drawer; or there may have been of regard for social prejudice;

WOR & thirty-thousand-dollar a mistake in the count.'

opportunities to gratify this States money mille. Every ounce of the mint was Mr. Atchison- Colton betrayed not the slightest machines, the weigh-room with

abortage

world companionship which of metal, every penny of coin, A." Atchison enjoyed the cutward symptom of uneasiness, its ingenious counting-boards-

would mean the absence of war, must be accounted for invariably distinction, at the time, of being although he knew that the short a long process, ending with the

SHORT SERMON.

of fear, of hate, and "of personal before the cashier of the mist can the ablaat man who had ever hald age had been found, and must cashier's vault hiding its mystery not conceal, or had not concealed,

pride; (3) the use of imagination. call his day's work done. the position anywhere, in the have cuspected that he was, being of the missing double eagles. the fact that there ought të he

"I came that they may have it might held greatly in the de- Consider this, also. Far from country. He was a large, fine-watched. What a surprise it Mystery it was, too; for thirty thousand dollars more in the street lay the great vigil looking man, middle aged, with would have been to the commun- so carefully were all these gold pieces in the vault than there life, any may have it abundantly," velopment of our lives if we could

carried out

acoustom ourselves to the thought where the

that, actually was. Blazoned in damn--John x. 10. of mass

money a clear eye, a bearts voice, and aity to know that everything in

The tent of a religion is in what of changing places with others. Was guarded with

Colton'e vault down at the mint with a wastage allowed by law of ing figures on the books them vigit grip of the hand that left you aurpassing that be-

one thousandth to the melter and selves was the mystery of the it does for those who profess it. Let the man who is employing with no doubt as to the power of was not correct!

What does Mohammedanism do labor imagine himself in the stowed on almost any other house the man behind it. He was There was another peculiar only half that to the coiner, the missing double eagles. of treasure. In this secret realm known as a man of the greatest nincidence in the sitnation, toco. infinitesimally small amount of Here Burns began his clear and for those who believe in it? What place of those who are working no visilor could enter. Millions integrity and honour, extremely For instance, on the day the short-only six or seven per cent. of even clever reasoning, With an instinct bas Hinduism done for the beli for him. "Let him imagine that were stacked ceiling-high where dreful in the conduct of the affaire age was discovered, it had this legal wastage occurred. that lel him unerringly to the evers in Hinduism? What are he would be obliged to start out public curiosity could not see of the miut, a man who had shown happened, as it so often happens But it was in none of these de-heart of the matler, ho quickly the fruits of Buddhism for women in the morning with a dinner them, though it might dream futilely of the fabulous wealth great interest and intelligence in in such cases, that Colton had partments that Barns knew he came to the opaclusion that it and childhood in its native land? basket and with tools in the hand. kohind the impregnable walle hoping up the good record of bean ill, very suldenly taken with must look for the thief. Altoge was absolutely impossible for any This is a fair test for any religions Let him imagine himself living in were eficiency which bad been set for a bad case of tonsillitis. Thus ther, there

many one to have taken the money in faith, and it is the test which the house which this man lives in, Sentinele, mechanical as well as the institution under him. it had beso that the cashier was a seventeen walohmen, of business hours, during the. day. inevitably is applied. The only receiving his. wages, and eating human, defended it at every The chief clerk, "Mr. Bor not present when the shortage hom twelve worked at The next question was: If the sure argument for any religion is, his food. On the other hand, let avenue of approach. Not even let us call him Mr. Braden, was discovered. Bat the super-night, eight on the inside and money had not been taken during "By their fruits ye shall know the working man put himself in the employer's place and sak was also a man of high character in'ondent and the chief olerk had four on the outside. No clue to the day, how was it possible to them." ately identified with that particu-

the mystery was coming from manipulate the time-lock after The avowed purpose of. Jesus himself how he would solve the lar department of the mig, He had come to the mint on the Many things about the mint them, t loast.. at? the the cashier's vault had once been was in His own statement. He problems of a great industrial said He came into the world to organisation. Let the mistress might be permitted to enter the

re sommendation of some of the interested Burns. For example, start, and Barna proscribed zone.

most influential men in that see the system of accounts was bome going alone and single-hand. Borns then tackled the time-give people life abundantly. That change places with her maid in Guarding the vaults were door tion of the country, had risen what intricate, in order to secare ed in his quiet study of the situa- lock on the cashier's vault, and was in one sense what might be the kitchen; ask herself how she of armourplate, swung on tho from the position of cashier salil absolute accuracy in handling tion. Each watchman, he ho soon discovered that he was called His plan of compaign. It would like to live in the room she latest kind of concealed hinges, now he was assistant superinten such large sums of money. Just observed, had a certain station on on the right trail. Some one bad was His object, and He committed gives the girl and receive her locked by massive combination dant. He was a tall, rather epare to illustrate with what minute- the different floors and a specific filed the dog-looking device so Himself to it without reservation. wages and live in her envin locks with time clock attach engaging chap, who by the sheer ness business, was done, there round to make each half hour, that it could be operated by one

From the moment the bullion

nace

༈

the officials, except those immedi-

and standing in the community. been there.

"

processes

still

the

Even the cashier himself could

was closed?

"

**

It is a fair question to ask, ment and on the thier band let mente, proof against fire, against force of an attractive personality were reports in weight in stand-ringing a bell to notify the man wh knew the combination, bid-"What did He mean by abundant the girl imagine herself king earthquake, against burglars, had won for himself membership ard ounces of metal, its cost at the door that he had attended den in Colton's mind and sealed life?" and "Has He succeded in care of the family with all the Against burglars? Six heavy! in some exclusive clubs of the city value and the nominal value of to his duty. Failure to ring the in the superintendent's envelop. giving to the world that He said responsibility of little children bags of five thousand dollars each though he lived with his family the coin made from it, the bell caused investigation. In cer- It made no difference whether the He came to give ?" To start with, and the care of the house. It i in double eagles were missing in the suburbs. There was some number of ounces being multip-tain rooms, such as the refinery, time-look was set or not. It was there is little doubt that by because people do not have would sharing-imagination" that very There was the telegram, which thing about Braden of that solid-lied by the value of one ounos of no watchman ever might go alone. cut of business, When it was abundant life Jesus

often injustice and wrong and the right of every the Secretary hurriedly turned

ity which one sees in the success metal at the time, worked cut to They had to go in pairs. There apparently set it really did not mean over to the chief of the Secret falcommuter-grave, but not the millionth of a cent. That was also a system of electric al- lock the combination. No one human being who enters the bitterness exist which shut out Service::

aloof, capable, methodical, a men was in order to arrive at the arms throughout the building, so ever discovered it, for no one world to be well born. Three the beneficial effects of the aband "Thirty thousand dollar short who had raised himself in the "seigniorage," the profit the that every one might be notified ever tried to open it out of hours, things stand in the way of this ant life which Jesus came to give.

at the beginning of an abundant age discovered t, the mint. world and felt a pardonable pride government makes in coining in case anything went wrong at except the thief. Requira ablest and best talent in in his position.

any point.

The time-look was taken to a life. They are: first, diseas0

Railway Cure the government service."

Mr. Colton, or "Mr. C.,"-

All accounts of various déport- A word about the mint itself, jeweller, and later a government second, environment; and third,

The engine driver's wife who If that could happen once, the cashier, also bore a reputation

There are thousands of children takes a long railway journey what would prevent its happening for the highest integrity. Colton rents ultimately went through. It was a huge square building of expert one of the best in the injustice, social or industrial. again? If it could happen with was one of those men whom, if one office, where they were granite and sandstone, with a country was summoned from thirty-thousand, why not with he had come to the ordinary man compiled and sent to Washington long and impressive flight of a eps Washington, Burns and the born into the world through no whenever she feels depressed, to three hundred thousand-with and had asked a little favour, the daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, leading up to the main door an expert found that the thief had fault or wish of their own, who the financial embarrassment of three million ? The message, wea ordinary man would have been and annually, socording to the der its massive Grecian columns, bent a little arm in the time-lock are tainted with disease which her husband, is not the only per enough to send shivers up the proud to accommodate. He would nature of the reports, Finally, On two sides of the building ran in such a way that it did not has been contracted by their par son who has found this means of spine of the Treasury Department, have felt a little flattered merely at the close of the Gacal year, two street car lines, strike the proper part to look the ents, generally, we may say, locomotion good for mind and It was the general lay-out of tumblers. The arm had been through some breaking of God's body. Quite a number of peopla despite the torrid temperature of by having been asked. Colton officers were detailed by the

metals.

Washington at the close of the was still young, ambitious, and Bureau of the Mint to examine the interior of the building that, bent first with the idea of render law. Then the environment of are of opinion that the constant fiscal year on June 30 eager to get abead, and his posi- the accounts, weigh the bullion, the more Barus pondered over it, ing the time-look inoperative, childhood often forbids free op-change of scene afforded from the The chief of the Secret Service tion es church member and a count the coin in hand, and report proved to play a part in the solu-so that the thief might return at portunity for growth. The slum windors cf a train has an ex- did not pause to read the leading citizen in the section of the rolla of this examination to tion of the crime Catering the night, work the combination, and child does not have a free oppor-ellent tonic effect, and is message twice. There was just the oity where he lived stamped the Bureau in Washington. front door, the visitor looked down so get into the vault. Later, tunity for abundant life, Social stimulating to the nerves. There one, man in the service at the him as a comer. He was re- Everything was done with sora-wide corridor before him, apparently, he had bent the arm and industrial wrong also oboke is no doubt a psychological ex

prossed at right angles at the end farther down in order to be able the avenues of free opportunity, plauation, time to whom all such difficult spected highly by those who pulous exactness and precision,