$-Rays by Henry Leverage
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“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
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