R. Holmes & Co., page 49 by John Kendrick Bangs
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tween Mr. Blank and myself, but the other would put a corporation on the trail of the safe-breaker--an uncompromising situation."
Grouch's eye glistened.
"You know a man who, for a consideration and with a guarantee against prosecution, would break open my--I mean Mr. Blank's private vault?" he cried.
"I think so," said Raffles Holmes, noncommittally. "Not as a crime, however, merely as a favor, and with the lofty purpose of saving an honored name from ruin. My advice to you would be to put a dummy package, supposed to contain the missing bonds, along with about $30,000 worth of other securities in that vault, and so arrange matters that on the night preceding the date of young Wilbraham's majority, the man I will send you shall have the opportunity to crack it open and get away with the stuff unmolested and unseen. Next day young Wilbraham will see for himself why it is that Mr. Blank cannot turn over the trust. That is the only secure and I may say decently honest way out of your trouble."
"Mr. Raffles Holmes, you are a genius!" cried Grouch, ecstatically. And then he calmed down again as an unpleasant thought flashed across his mind. "Why is it necessary to put $30,000 additional in the safe, Mr. Holmes?"
"Simply as a blind," said Holmes. "Young Wilbraham would be suspicious if the burglar got away with nothing but his property, wouldn't he?"
"Quite so," said Grouch. "And now, Mr. Holmes, what will this service cost me?"
"Five thousand dollars," said Holmes.
"Phe-e-e-w!" whistled Grouch. "Isn't that pretty steep?"
"No, Mr. Grouch. I save two reputations--yours and Mr. Blank's. Twenty-five hundred dollars is not much to pay for a reputation these days--I mean a real one, of course, such as yours is up to date," said Holmes, coldly.
"Payable by certified check?" said Grouch.
"Not much," laughed Holmes. "In twenty-dollar bills, Mr. Grouch. You may leave them in the safe along with the other valuables."
"Thank you, Mr. Holmes," sai