"Well, ma'am, I'll talk some more about Gentleman George, for he's the boy for my money. No one knows where he started from, unless I could make a guess now, but he's a gentleman born, and welcome in every hang-out in the Union. And he's smart," and the young man swore a delighted oath. "To find out how safes were made, he got work with the Densmore Safe Company till there wasn't a lock he couldn't duplicate. And he's got an ear as fine hung as thistledown. By the turning of the dial he can tell at what numbers the tumblers drop into place."
"Young man, what do I know about tumblers?"
"Nothing, ma'am, I'm forgetting you're not with us. If you want to know about Gentleman George, he's rolled up two or three fortunes by bank-breaking, but he's such a confounded gambler that he out-points himself."
"Where is he now?" articulated Miss Gastonguay, with difficulty.
"Now that's one thing, ma'am, I can't tell you. I'm sorry to disoblige a lady, but it can't be helped."
"Has he repented? Is he leading an honest life?"
"Yes, ma'am, just now he has to. The police are after him again. He breaks out in spots, then he lies low. For the last few years you might have heard of him in California, in Mexico, in Europe, always in big hauls, always looting something worth looting. There was the California Star Bank Vault robbery where he got a clean half million, the Belgium Bank affair—"
"Do they never catch him? Is he never shot at,—hurt?"
"Catch him, yes, but no prison holds him. He's got good friends. After the California swoop they shut him up in jail, but he had a partner outside who had a masked hole made in the gate of the jail. Next day Gentleman George broke loose from a marching line of convicts in the jail yard, made a dash for the hole, jumped into a wagon his partner had waiting, and got out of the way in double quick time."
Miss Gastonguay had had about all she could endure. "Daybreak is coming," she said, abruptly. "You must get away; is there anything I can do for you?"