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Updated: June 28, 2025
It was none of these things that actuated the Wolf it was Frenchy Virat, alias one Kenleigh, who was awaiting trial in the Tombs. Frenchy Virat was the Wolf's bosom friend! The wheezy, air-choked gas-jet spluttered into a blue flame, as Jimmie Dale lighted it.
As though he could not have read aright, he read again; disjointed words and phrases muttered audibly: "... Afraid not in time ... hurry ... this afternoon ... the Magpie and Virat ... Kenleigh, insurance broker ... safe in Kenleigh's house ... ground floor left ... one hundred thousand dollars ... bonds ... will try it ... Meighan of headquarters ... half-past one at Virat's ... Gray Seal ... Larry the Bat ... if dangerous, keep away ..."
"This means absolute ruin to me! A hundred thousand dollars in bonds payable to bearer and and, God help me, they weren't mine!" "Say" Meighan, still busily occupied with the fractured safe, spoke gruffly, though not unkindly, over his shoulder "I understand all right, but don't lose your nerve, Mr. Kenleigh.
It was quite dark now, and Jimmie Dale leaned forward a little to catch the words. Both men were speaking in guarded undertones. "About six o'clock," Kenleigh answered. "I came straight from the office. I put the bonds in that safe there, and I should say it was a quarter to seven by the time I had dressed and gone out again." "And, say, halfpast eleven when you got back.
"I daresay you don't." Meighan was chuckling now. "It's like this, Mr. Kenleigh. A crook's like any one else, like an artist, say you get to know 'em, get to spot 'em, especially safe workers, from certain peculiarities about their work. They can't any more help it than stop breathing. Here, for instance, the way he " Meighan stopped suddenly.
An' mabbe dere's one or two other things in de years he's been playin' Kenleigh dat he'll tell youse about, if youse ask him nice and pleasant-like!" Larry the Bat edged around the table, and, covering Meighan with his revolver, backed to the door. "Well, so long, Meighan!" he said softly, from the threshold. "T'ink of me when dey pins de medal on yer breast fer dis!"
"I'm an insurance broker with an office on Wall Street, as I daresay you know. A client of mine, a well-known millionaire here in the city, wanted a hundred thousand dollars' worth of the Canadian War Loan bonds, but for business reasons, he has a large German connection, he did not want his name to appear in the transaction." Kenleigh hesitated. "Sure!" said Meighan. "I see. Wise guy! Go on!"
I've got a little money, all I've been able to save in ten years' work, a few thousand. I'm ruined." "Don't talk so loud!" cautioned Meighan. He whistled low under his breath. "You're certainly up against it, Mr. Kenleigh, but you buck up! We'll get 'em. And, anyway, bonds can be traced." "These are payable to bearer," said Kenleigh numbly.
Meighan chuckled. "Sure, he'll come back here if he isn't nabbed beforehand! It's the only chance he's got. Don't you worry, Mr. Kenleigh. He's a shy bird, is the Magpie, or he'd have been up the river long before now, but we've got him coming and going this deal. Now then, I haven't got the details from you yet. What time this evening did you get back here before you went out to dine?"
"I don't know, unless he stood in with the bond firm's messenger; that's the only way in which I could account for it," said Kenleigh huskily. "And I've no right to say that God knows I've no wish to get an innocent man into trouble. I've no proof but I can't see any other solution." Kenleigh's voice broke. He seemed to steady himself with an effort.
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