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Page 81
Once in the storeroom, his next move was to place what was left of the
broken plank into position, and on it he piled several empty boxes and
barrels.
"That may keep them guessing as to how I got out of the room below," he
thought. "They'll find out sooner or later--but the later the better."
Lantern in hand, he moved cautiously around the old storeroom. There
were many empty boxes and barrels, and also sacks that contained musty
flour. Rats were in evidence, and they scurried hither and thither as
the detective moved around.
It was not long before he discovered two doors. One was nailed up, and
where it led to, he could not surmise. The other stood partly open,
and through it came a whiff of fresh air.
"That smells like liberty," he thought, as he breathed in the fresh air.
He looked down a passageway, with a flooring partly of brick and partly
of stone. Where it led to, there was no telling.
Feeling that it would be unwise to use the light longer, he put it out.
But he kept the lantern in his hand, for possible use in the future,
either to show the way or as a weapon.
The passageway made several turns, and in the darkness he had to feel
his way along. Then he reached a flight of stone steps, leading
downward.
"I don't want to go down--I want to go up," he reasoned. But there
seemed no help for it, and down he went, sixteen steps, to land in a
small room at the bottom.
Here all was pitch-dark, and for the moment he stood still, not knowing
in what direction to move next. All around him were stone walls.
Presently he felt a small iron door. He took bold of the handle and
found the door locked.
Curious to learn his whereabouts, he felt for a match, struck it, and
lit the lantern once more. A brief glance at the door caused a look of
wonder to overspread his face. The door was locked with a combination
lock similar in make-up to the lock on a safe.
He gazed around, and soon learned that there was no exit from where he
was, save by the flight of stone steps. To get out, he would have to
go back.
He gazed again at the small iron door, set in an iron frame, embedded
in the stone wall. What could be behind that barrier? Most likely
something of great value.
On the floor at his feet was a bit of dirty white paper. Mechanically,
he picked it up and looked it over. On it was the following:
O--4
L 2--12
R 3 53
L 2 44
"The combination!" he murmured. "Somebody had it on that paper and
dropped it. Shall I try to work it, or try to get out?"
His better judgment told him he should try to make his escape. But he
was curious to know what was behind that iron door; and, setting the
lantern down, he commenced to work the combination knob. He twirled
the knob around four times and stopped at O. Then he began on the
combination proper--twice to the left, stopping at 12; three times to
the right, stopping at 53; and then twice to the left again, stopping
at 44. Then he came around slowly to O again. There followed a click.
The combination was off.
He twisted the handle of the iron door and pulled upon it. It came
open noiselessly, revealing a stone chamber beyond, eight feet square,
and equally high.
Lantern in hand, Adam Adams stepped into the vault and gazed around
eagerly. On two sides were wooden shelves, six in number. On the
shelves rested several boxes, of wood and of metal.
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