Part 17 (1/2)
”They may bring in some word.”
”Let us hope so,” groaned the manufacturer.
”What became of the watchman?”
”That is a mystery. Perhaps they carried him off and threw him into the river, or something like that!”
”Oh, they wouldn't be as rascally as all that!” returned Dave, in horror.
”Perhaps. Some robbers are very desperate characters.”
At that moment came a cry from one of the workrooms, where one of the officers had gone to take a look around.
”What is it, Carr?” called the chief of police.
”Here's poor Tony Wells,” was the answer. ”He's in bad shape. Better somebody run for a doctor at once!”
CHAPTER XII-THE TELLTALE CIGARETTE BOX
The watchman was indeed in bad shape. He had been found thrown under a workbench, and just returning to consciousness. He had a cut over his left ear and another on his forehead, from which the blood had flowed freely.
”Must have struck him with a club, or an iron bar,” was the opinion of the chief, as the injured man was carried into the office and placed on some chair cus.h.i.+ons. Here his wounds were washed and bound up, while one officer ran to get a doctor who lived not a great distance off.
It was some little time before Tony Wells, who was nearly seventy years of age, opened his eyes to stare around him.
”Don't-don't hit me again!” he murmured. ”I-I didn't touch you!”
”It's all right, Tony!” said the chief. ”Those fellows are gone. You're among friends.”
”They-knocked me down!” gasped the old watchman. ”I-I-tried to telephone-after the explosion, but-but--” He could not go on, and suddenly relapsed again into unconsciousness.
”Poor fellow!” said Mr. Wadsworth, tenderly. ”We must do what we can for him.”
”Is anything missing besides the jewels?” asked Dave, while they were waiting for the doctor to come, and waiting to hear from the others who had gone out.
”No, Dave. But that is enough. If they are not recovered, I shall be ruined.”
”Can they hold you responsible for the loss?”
”Yes, for when I took the jewels to re-set I guaranteed the safe return of each jewel. I had to do that because they were afraid some workmen might try to subst.i.tute other jewels not so good-which is sometimes done.”
”And you said they were worth seventy-five thousand dollars?”
”All of that.”
”Those robbers certainly made a haul.”
”It drives me crazy to think about it,” groaned Oliver Wadsworth.
”Perhaps the others who went out will catch them,” answered our hero, hopefully.