“Open it,” he said, and Stark could not believe his ears.
“What!”
“Open it. I’ll pay you well—and I’ll give you your liberty. You’ll only have to work on one lock—the combination is ‘Telma’—got that?”
“Do you mean it, guv’nor?” incredulity dominant.
“Yes, yes. I lost my key,” replied Gordon. “Now get to work—can you manage without the lights?”
The other grinned in the darkness.
“Sure. Only amatchoors want a lot of light. A flash is best—and brightest.”
He produced from under his coat a short jemmy and a longer and thinner instrument. He may have been, and was, a poor window-cleaner. As burglar he belonged to the aristocracy.
“Ever seen a safe opened before?” he asked over his shoulder.
Gordon shook his head.