Chapter XVII — Judge Keeps an Appointment
In the dimly lighted banking room of the Middletown Trust Company, Major and Ferret were at work. Together, they were removing stacks of bank notes from the vault.
Only the portion of the room close by the vault was illuminated. The two men knew that they were safe from observation. The lower windows of the bank were closed with metal shutters. Any glow of light that might be seen from above would not attract suspicion, for night work was not unusual in the Trust Company.
There was a watchman on duty, but he was stationed at the outer door, and had not yet begun to make his rounds. There was a reason. Judge had chosen the watchman, and had gradually inculcated certain habits in the man's actions.
Ferret was whispering a few gleeful words to Major as they continued their work.
"Old Jimmy, the watchman," he said derisively. "Sitting out there, dead to the world — deaf as they make them. Judge certainly picked a swell bozo in that guy."
"He's only on a couple of nights a week," replied Major. "A relief man. What you say works two ways. It means we've got to be on the lookout. It's a night like this that someone might try to get in here." Ferret made no reply. He understood the significance of the remark. Major was making a guarded reference to The Shadow. The suggestion brought a remote suspicion into Ferret's mind.
"You're sure you looked everywhere?" questioned Major cautiously.
"Everywhere," said Ferret. "As soon as we came in. You did some snooping around the offices yourself. If anyone is in this place, he must be a midget. I didn't look in the wastebaskets."
"Never mind the wisecracks," responded Major. "Let's start this load downstairs. Then you keep on. I'll do the relay work. That leaves me in here all the time."