$-Rays by Henry Leverage Read online

“A good checking up—a new count all

  The chief weigher led the way to the

  round wouldn’t hurt,” said Drew. “The first

  old wing where they paused before the iron

  thing to do is to find out how much you are

  door of vault No. 3. It was locked and sealed.

  short. If five or six hundred pounds of gold A watchman hurried up as Aldrich called. He

  have gone in the thin air they must have gone unlocked the outer door. The chief weigher

  somewhere. If it isn’t natural causes it’s

  drew it open, stooped and inserted a flat key unnatural. If it’s that, there’s a thread we can into the lock of the inner door. It came open pick up somewhere some time.”

  with a rusty wheeze of the hinges. Aldrich

  Aldrich led the way to the other vaults.

  reached and snapped on a light. The sacks of These were examined in turn. In each the

  gold were arranged about the vault in orderly same careful scrutiny was made by Drew. The

  rows save in the place where the three had

  one point of interest to him seemed to be the been removed by the chief weigher.

  loose rivets of the iron-sheathing—the

  Drew sat down on a sack of gold,

  decrepit condition of the government strong-

  crossed his legs, and shot a shrewd eye about boxes wherein was stored bullion that reached the vault. He surveyed the ceiling, then the into many millions of money. He scratched his floor. He rose with a languid air and went over head in perplexity.

  the side plates. “I don’t know why we’re

  “The protection of these places.” he

  here.” he laughed good-naturedly. “If each

  said cuttingly, “lies in the watchmen—not in vault has been tapped it’s a job for a lot of the construction of the vaults. They are

  thinking. I wouldn’t say offhand that it’s impossible. I wouldn’t expect a pawnbroker to going to be something we can see close up.

  keep plated stuff in this type of vault. Perhaps, This place would disgrace a country bank. It’s though, that’s our very reason to conclude that

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  the gold has never been tampered with in here war I have heard there is more gold gathered by human hands—the simpler a thing the in this building than was ever in one place more difficult—sometimes. This layout before. Is that correct?”

  reminds me of English vaults where the total

  “There’s over a billion and a half.”

  protection is in the hands of watchmen. I

  “Some swag! I don’t wonder that the

  suppose for a base we can assume that yours

  attempt was made. I don’t wonder that it was are like Caesar’s spouse—above suspicion!”

  successful so far. I’m acting on the

  Aldrich held up his hands. His olive

  assumption that Washington sent you the

  eyes flashed. “If I were to tell you the correct count and weight. Your figures show precautions we take here in the matter of

  that this was the case. The shortage is here. If guarding these vaults you would not believe

  there was no other lead to follow I would

  me. I don’t believe that there is any spot in all suggest that we start from a more careful

  the world more closely guarded.”

  guarding of the vaults and a secret watch

  Drew nodded and stepped out into the

  being set. It is idle to say that the thing could hallway. He counted six watchmen in various

  not be done. It has already been done. You are corners of the long, dark hallway. “Looks like short over ten thousand—perhaps a million

  it.” he snapped, glancing at his watch. “Well, when the full count is in.

  let’s go up to your office. I think this is a

  “This leads to the deduction that if

  matter of finding out just how much gold is

  there is a million missing there is a million of gone—also of getting Washington on the gold, in the world that somebody somewhere wire. I can start the investigation there. We’ll will try to convert into other security. It’s a have an operative go over the government

  criminal trait to convert spoils. The natural shipments to you and check the weights. means to convert gold bullion is to get bank-There’s always a chance of a slip notes for it. Do you follow me?”

  somewhere.”

  “It’s about as clear as mud,” blurted

  Aldrich led the way up-stairs. He sank

  Aldrich with asperity. “How did a crook take into his swivel-chair as Drew telephoned to

  seven grains of gold from each gold piece?

  his chief, then to Washington.

  Answer that and I can follow you.”

  The detective hung up the receiver.

  “I don’t know how,” laughed Drew.

  “That ’11 start them,” he said. “Now let’s

  “But the thing was done, as you yourself

  check up. You’ve given orders to weigh and

  admit. You say it happened. All right, then—

  count all the gold in the four vaults, I I’m working from the known fact. I’m presume?”

  supposing that all of your watchmen and

  “I have,” said Aldrich.

  guards are honest. I’m supposing that you are

  “You’ll have this report soon?”

  honest. I’m going over all this and arriving at

  “Yes.”

  one conclusion: Gold was stolen or, at least, Drew leaned upon the window-sill and

  has disappeared from your vaults. It went

  glanced up and down the street. “The richest away from under your eyes as if it had wings.

  and most talked-of in the world,” he mused

  If it was taken away it must still be in

  aloud. “We’re in the very hub of the financial existence. If it’s in existence then the holder world. Its spokes extend to the four corners of of it will naturally try to change it into

  the world and the rim of the universe. If a

  something else—perhaps into gold pieces or

  crook were to pick out a spot for a gigantic gold certificates. Where in the world would he operation this would be the spot. Since the

  find a better place than right here? I suggest

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  you look over your receipts and we will run

  Seven grains gone and they’re not even worn!

  down every purchase of magnitude. If we find Ump!”

  some seller who can’t explain where he

  Drew paced back and forth across the

  received his gold, then that’s the man, room. “We’ll start with Washington’s report,”

  Aldrich.”

  he said. “We’ll check up with the total amount

  “Suppose you were right regarding the

  missing as soon as you receive it—we’ll act

  disappearance of the gold. Suppose it is in

  on th’—”

  some crook’s possession—he might hold it

  Aldrich turned to the door as it was

  and not try to change it. Mind you, I’m only opened. The chief weigher stepped in, closed supposing—the thing is beyond me, right it, then glanced at a paper he held in his hand now. I haven’t an idea or a clue in the world—

  as he approached Aldrich.

  everything seems to be beyond my brain.”

  “You remember me saying that there

  “It’s a material world — almost,” said

  was a shortage of fifty-three pounds, eight

  Drew. “It’s an age of inventions and applied ounces in the third vault?” he blurted to

  mechanics. There is an eternal balance of Aldrich.

  things that leads me to believe that we owe it

  “I do,�
� said Aldrich.

  to ourselves to conclude that the human mind

  “Well, counting the three sacks you

  will err under certain conditions. The mind

  have, the shortage has now increased to fifty-that worked out a plan for nicking your gold nine pounds, four and a quarter ounces. Every pieces of seven grains each might err in time I weigh the sacks they get lighter!”

  disposing of these seven grains. That’s my

  Triggy Drew bit his lower lip. His eyes

  theory of going about this case—it’s a chance, swung from the white, drawn face of the chief at any rate.”

  weigher to Aldrich.

  “And a mighty slim one.”

  “Lighter!” snapped Aldrich.

  “What else have we to work from?”

  “Yes, sir, lighter.” The chief weigher

  The detective thrust out his hands, palms glanced from the paper in his hand to the gold upward.

  pieces on the desk. They seemed to fascinate Aldrich chewed savagely at the butt of

  him. “I can’t make head nor tail of my own

  his perfecto. He crossed his legs, then weights,” he said blankly. “I don’t seem to get uncrossed them. His fingers drummed upon

  the same result twice— which is unusual. I’ve the edge of the desk. He leaned then and

  had every sack weighed in the third vault.

  inserted a key in the lower drawer. He drew

  Their total, added to the weight of the three out one of the three sacks and poured the gold sacks you have, shows a considerable shortage pieces upon the desk.

  over the weight I had this morning.”

  “Nice,” he muttered. “Nice, and they

  “We might weigh these,” suggested

  look right—but they ain’t. They’d pass till

  Drew, pointing to the gold pieces on the desk.

  they reached some careful bank. We’ve had

  Aldrich gathered them up, counted them, then all kinds of things tried on us—sweating by

  dropped the gold double-eagles into the sacks.

  means of an acid—shaking up in a bag till

  “Get scales,” he said over-shoulder to the

  some of the gold is worn off-drilling and a

  chief weigher. “Get another sack, too—one

  copper wire plugging the drillhole. We’ve that you have already weighed.”

  even found platinum wire in the old days

  The chief weigher returned with small

  before platinum was dearer than it is now.

  gold scales such as assayers use. Into the pan We’ve found everything, but this beats me!

  of this he laid the sack from the vault. Its

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  weight was just under 507 grains of gold per At any rate, I’m going to spend the

  coin, deducting the weight of the sack. This night in vault three and wait for further

  made the coins nine grains short from 516

  developments.”

  grains, their standard weight. Drew, who

  “But why take chances of losing

  figured the weight, turned then and laid one of more?” asked Aldrich, in dismay.

  the sacks from Aldrich’s desk upon the pan of

  “If,” started Drew, “if—now I’m only

  the scales. This weighed 509 grains per coin.

  supposing—if there is an agency at work

  He glanced at his scrawled figures on the back destroying or copping your gold, and this

  of an envelope, then he passed the result over agency is human, they would take alarm at the to Aldrich.

  removal of the bullion or the gold pieces from

  “We’re getting nowhere,” he the vault. You see my point—any power exclaimed — “unless — yes, unless the longer whatsoever that is subtle enough to penetrate the gold remains in the vault the lighter it gets.

  through all your defenses, in the way of

  That seems to be one answer. One would

  concrete and plating, would also be subtle

  think we were talking of ice—or snow. If the enough to detect the fact that the gold had

  gold of the world starts melting it’s time for us been removed. Therefore we must let things

  to throw up the case. If, however, it melts or be natural—for another day—at any rate.”

  rusts or just disappears in one spot, it’s time

  “This is all weird to me!” exclaimed

  we were getting into the game.”

  Aldrich. “We seem to be in another age or in Aldrich fished another perfecto from

  the fourth dimension, or something queer.”

  his vest pocket. “I’d say,” he said between

  “There’s always an answer,” said

  puffs of smoke. “that we were getting closer.

  Drew. “The answer to this riddle may be

  Suppose we go over the records of gold simple—I doubt it though.”

  received from private assay offices and the

  Aldrich chewed upon the butt of his

  like. Also, suppose, we make a careful search perfecto. “You may go finish the weighing,”

  throughout the city of any buyer or seller of he said to the chief weigher. “Leave the four gold in quantity. In the mean time I’ll have a sacks here, and the scales. Bring me your

  check on our weights, and just how much

  figures of the old vaults as soon as you finish.

  we’ve lost by ‘melting’ or whatever it is. It We’ll get to the bottom of this thing, or I’ll

  ’11 take days to get a full report of every

  resign.”

  pawn-shop and assay office. I’ll have the

  “I’ve known,” said the detective, as the

  weight by evening— that is the weight of the door closed behind the form of the chief

  gold in the four vaults. The others are all

  weigher. “I’ve known of vaults being robbed

  right.” Aldrich turned toward the chief by blasting the doors with nitroglycerin— I’ve weigher.

  heard of them being opened with oxy-

  “Yes, they check correctly,” he said.

  acetylene blow-pipes—I’ve read somewhere

  “It’s all in the vaults of the old building.

  of allowing an acid to drip on the gold and

  Perhaps we better transfer the gold, sir.”

  collecting the acid at the drain pipe of the

  “I don’t think that would be a bad

  vault. I’ve all these things to refer to, but I idea.”

  never dreamed of the thing we’re up against—

  “It might,” said Drew. “In fact I’m

  taking gold out without disturbing the walls or pretty sure that it would. But one thing— if the door. It’s a new twist to larceny.”

  the gold is ‘melting’ by an outside agency, we

  “Or a natural cause!” exclaimed

  better leave it there another day.

  Aldrich. “And I think that we’ll find it a

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  natural cause. There isn’t a particle of Washington. It promised to make a national evidence of anything else. I ought to go round sensation. He thought of German spies, of

  pulling my hair and crying the news to every master minds, of treachery somewhere within

  detective and official in the service—but I’m the massive walls of the Sub-Treasury.

  so sure we’ll work it out ourselves I’ve kept The chief weigher crept into the room

  my nerve. I’m responsible for this gold down at four o’clock. His face was as long as his to the last grain, but I don’t believe in the lists of triple-checked weights. “We’re ruined supernatural.”

  and robbed,” he muttered, with slight control

  “It’s mostly bosh!” snapped Drew. of his voice. “Vault one shows a shortage of
r />   “Natural causes in a natural world — I agree sixty-seven, odd, pounds — vault two is

  with you. Just the same we must remember the eighty-four pounds short — vault three is

  age we are living in. There’s a lot of things sixty-two and a quarter pounds short, and

  coming up with seven-league boots—wireless,

  vault four, where the bullion is stored, checks and radium, and the theory of atoms. Suppose fully four hundred! and ninety pounds of gold that some master mind hit upon an adaptation under what we put in it.”

  of new-found energy?”

  “What!” exclaimed Aldrich.

  “I’d have to be shown!” exclaimed

  “Yes, sir. I’ve the figures here—

  Aldrich.

  there’s no mistake. We’re roughly speaking,

  The detective picked up his hat and

  seven hundred pounds of gold, short!”

  roll of newspapers. “I’m going over to Central Aldrich mopped his brow with his shirt

  Office,” he said, turning at the door. “I’m

  sleeve. He glared at the cringing figure of the going to have the city operatives scout me up chief weigher as if he would spring on him

  all the information they have on file and throttle his neck. He tried to speak and concerning the purchase of gold by any of the found his throat parched.

  thousands of pawn-shops, assay-offices, and

  “Good God!” he managed to gasp. “It

  refiners. They have this record in case of theft.

  can’t be!”

  It might lead to something, Aldrich.”

  The chief weigher shook his head. “I

  “Hardly with the pawn-shop records—

  checked three times,” he whispered. “I’ve had perhaps with the refiners or assay offices. If twenty-five men working over the gold. I’ve