St Ignatius College - Ignatian Yearbook (San Francisco, CA)

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ll? Im-4 ilk slid 'IW G0 flllll 3 lliui tim llc Sfmt Num nh: my yn im! 'HN fru- 'Ui l-I :th Ulf, U ,gj surf tha' di.. ...mf .wvl its Iltihi ,, . ,,,Ii iii: lv' , 1.2. - li,Q1,..g anis -fqfi ii ill: I'-T' 1:3 rlftij . v , 15, 1 lu: Ihr fl , gn an . vf U um Ili in whiuii I had lt' Ur, H1 V :ls . fhfilf ill my gf mf. iowldifi 'fi IO Ulf' DOUBLE CROSSED 25 having put in six years at Sing Sing for counterfeiting. As I glared at him, he came closer to me with a sickly smile on his face. K' 'So you're the guy that gets 310,000 a year for being a sharperf He laughed sarcastically. 'VVell, we put one over on you this time-thanks to the girl. She's not all ivory upstairs, is she?' II'hat shock the mentioning of the girl gave me. So I had been tricked, caught in a trap by a girl less than half my own age. The Very thought of it maddened ine. McGregor interrupted my reflections by starting to search my pockets. One by one, everything that I had in my possession was carefully examined by him. Finally he gave a low whistle. 'This might come in handyf he said. Glancing at what he referred to, I discovered that it was a pass card given to those who have been in the 'Service' a number of years. It will take the bearer anywhere, without any ques- tions being asked. Immediately I realized what it meant to have it in McGregor's possession. XYith it he could take the plates aboard any steamer without fear of having his baggage inspected. My misery was now complete. VVhat would headquarters think of me when it came out that the plates were taken out of the country through my negligence? Putting the card into his pocket, McGregor held a hasty consultation with his companions in one corner of the room Then, gathering up a few things in a bag, he left hurriedly. 1' 'How long are you going to keep me here? I en- quired of one of my captors. 'Oh about two or three weeks,' he answered with a sneer. I was convinced that McGregor would use the pass to get out of the country. What would I say when I got free. I wondered. How could I ever reinstate myself? I would be disgraced for life. The words of the chief came back to me, KI am sure you know the gamell Thus I sat, silently upbraiding myself for being such

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24 THE I CNA TIAN then halted in the shadow of a spreading shade tree. I'ointing at a two-story building across the street, she said in a low voice: 'Thatls the place. The front door is always open. G0 right down the hall to the end, and there you will find a door. Do you remember the signal? 'YQs,' I replied, 'two taps, a pause, and then two tapsf Wfithout further words I left her, crossed the street, and mounted the steps. I turned the knob, swung the door noiselessly open, and with a last glance at my young friend, slipped quietly into the half-lighted hallway. Peer- ing down at the further end, I could discern a door. Vffith my right hand I held my Colt in readiness in my coat pocket, and having waited a few seconds to be sure that no one was moving about, I tip-toed down the hall. Final- ly, after moments of great suspense that seemed like hours, I arrived in front of the door. IYithin, I could hear two men conversing in an undertone. Sunimoning up all my courage, I rapped twice, paused, and repeated the two raps. The occupants of the room ceased talking, and I heard a click to my right, which I interpreted as the sound of the spring releasing the door. I was just reaching for the knob, when suddenly I felt two powerful hands seize the wrist of my right hand in which I still clutched the Colt. Swinging around, I attempted to strike my assailant with my left, as my right was rendered powerless by the yice- like grip he had on it. Uut as I drew it back, I was pounced upon from the other side, and borne to the floor. I struggled, squirined, kicked, and clawed, but to no ayail. I was bound hand and foot, my pistol was taken from me, and finally I found myself dragged into the room in which I had been told the plates were hidden. IYhen I had re- coyered sufficiently from the beating to perciye my sur- roundings, I discovered that I was roped to the chair in which I was sitting, with three men standing in front of me. Two of them I had never seen before to my knowledge, but the third. Sandy lN'fcGregor, was well known to me,

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I--Y-9 .,,,..., Y.,,, .5 .. l xt ju THE IGN.-1 TIAX .i foul. ns thc hours slowly passed by. But suddenly there onine the sound of footsteps in the hallway. The two men, 5 who had been left to watch me, sprang up and peeked through a crack in the door. Then, without paying any :mention to me, they ran to one corner of the room, pulled np a trap door in the floor, and disappeared through the opening. A moment later came loud knocks on the door. 'Its locked.' I shouted. 'You'll have to break it down.' They followed my instructions, and within a few minutes 2 captain of police and four burly officers were in the 1 . w-Q-ni. loosening the ropes that held me a prisoner. Onfooie paused a second to dispose of the remains of the Havana. which by this time had burned down and :cite out. 'Til sag: she was some kid, commented Rogers. Did Z1 ever see her again? Yes, cc-sinned CVT-Jcile, that night. In fact twenty :fixes aft-sr I was ire-ri I arrived at the Central Police Staiiczz. and found ke: there waiting for me. 'Visiting far yc-ui evclaimed Rogers. Yes, waiting for rne. Arid she had McGregor too. - 5: see. site was 'Ee-wt-li the fiancee of the young fellow c 'F-izsiiztic-: who was suspected of the theft. She was wiriig tc cies: hiatt. She got a tip somehow or other as t 5 Iii' 1-lates. bet couldnt locate them. Then she i :gi cf :sins nie. She figure-d it out that if she could :store they would take the plates with them. XY. -..IZN J. ' if west TG 1'cGr:-if-r and pretended to be a friend. Sfig tgi 55:11 that the 'Service' was wise to him, and he -1 EET. Sie told that I was coming there at a If xt is 55:11. and suggested that he grab t tty Q: s :io skit- the country. You know how 'S - :Ei 3-if scieztte. Hut the best part of it was that gs 1 ss llcdrtgor gcc my pass. he made a wild dash .QT :Eta jfstts. E:1:e:1.iE:ig tc- get out of the country. She f':'ne.f wifi .a jfgaitz ciotics man. and nabbed him with .s Q-mis. S-sztte girl ein? You something. agreed Rngi-2-5, N '. Darrril Dalv-