University of San Francisco - USF Don Yearbook (San Francisco, CA)

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DOUBLE CROSSED 23 “‘Here,’ she replied. ‘Now don't wire anything about this to the chief. W ith these words she was off. “To say that she left me bewildered would be putting it mildly. Here was a mere girl that knew almost as much about me as i knew myself, and who was apparently well acquainted with the workings of the ‘Service.’ Her plan, however, appealed to my vanity, for if it worked I would be able to put over the biggest thing of my career. “Needless to say, I slept but little during the night. The next day I examined, cleaned, re-examined, and cleaned again and again my little Colt that had never failed me in an emergency. Several times 1 decided that to follow the instructions of this girl would be foolhardy, and several times I concluded that I would meet her and tell her that I would not go. but nevertheless 8:30 found me in the lobby, anxiously awaiting her arrival, and more than eager for the adventure. She was on time, and as she approached me her eyes seemed bright with expectation. “‘You have not changed your mind?’ she queried as I spoke to her. “ ‘No,’ I answered. ‘When I say I’ll do a thing you can generally rely on me.’ “ ‘Well, let’s be on our way. she continued. ‘The coast is clear, so we had better finish up the job in a hurry.’ I followed her out into the street, where we boarded a car. W hen we were seated she gave me a few final instructions. “‘And don’t forget the signal,’ she concluded. ‘Knock twice, pause, and then twice again. You’ll find the door at the end of the hallway. I’ll be waiting outside. Think you can make it?’ 1 assured her that I could, and then, discovering that we were at the end of our journey, she signaled the conductor to stop the car, and we alighted. The district was not familiar to me. but appeared fairly respectable. She led the way for about half a block, and

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 THE JGXATIAX “Service men within ten miles of here. You would never he missed. She was ri.uht and I knew it. With fifty, possibly seventy-five other agents almost within calling distance, what good would it do to grab me? “‘Well, kid. I said, ’I’ll take a chance. What’s your game?’ 'Won mean you’ll keep what I tell you under your hat and follow im instructions?’ she queried. “ ‘Yes.’ I replied. ’’ its easy to pull it off. she began, her eyes brightening. ’At about l) o’clock at night he is usually alone. A hundred to one he’ll be lying on the couch opposite the door. All you have to do is to knock like this to get in.’ She tapped twice on the arm of her chair, paused, and then tapped twice again. ‘That’s the signal,’ she said. ‘When he hears that he’ll press a button that releases Unlock on the door. Then you can fling it open and cover him with your gun. That’s what I call :»implc.’ “‘But how about the plates?’ “‘Oh yes. the plates,’ she continued. ‘When you get inside of the room you’ll see a panel in the wall over the couch. By running your hand over it you will find a button. Press it. and the panel will spring open. Right inside, on a little shelf, are the plates.’ “‘And where will you be while I am doing all this?’ 1 asked. “‘Outside she replied. ‘Don’t worry about me. I’U be on the spot when you bring him out.’ “’But where is the lvmse?’ 1 questioned, determined to find out as much as possible. “‘I’ll show vou when you do the job she answered. ‘If I told you now you might be tempted to raid it without me. Will you be ready at 8:30 to-morrow night?' I hesitated for a moment: then thrusting my fears aside, said: “‘Yes, I’ll be ready. Where shall 1 meet you?’

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24 run icsatiax then halted in the shadow of a spreading shade tree. Pointing at a two-story building across the street, she said o 0 o in a low voice: “ ‘That’s the place. The front door is always open. Go right down the hall to the end. and there you will find a door. Do you remember the signal? “ ‘Yes,’ I replied, ‘two taps, a pause, and then two taps. W ithout 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. Peering down at the further end, I could discern a door. With my right hand 1 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. Finally. after moments of great suspense that seemed like hours, I arrived in front of the door. Within, I could hear two men conversing in an undertone. Summoning 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. 1 was just reaching for the knob, when suddenly I felt two powerful hands seize the wrist of my right hand in which 1 still clutched the Colt. Swinging around, 1 attempted to strike my assailant with my left, as my right was rendered powerless by the vice-like grip he had or. it. l»ut as I drew it back, I was pounced upon from the other side, and borne to the floor. 1 struggled, squirmed, kicked, and clawed, but to no avail. I was bound hand and foot, my pistol was taken from me, and finally 1 found myself dragged into the room in which 1 had been told the plates were hidden. When I had recovered sufficiently from the beating to percive my surroundings. 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 had never seen before to my knowledge, but the third, Sandy McGregor, was well known to me.