conversation.

"What was that?" muttered Harvey.

The lieutenant affected not to hear the remark.

"Some one is getting into the building," Harvey whispered. Mattison
stepped lightly across the hall and, bending down, listened at the
keyhole. He returned with an excited gesture.

"Don't you hear it?" he asked.

"No," said Mallory. "I don't hear anything."

"Are you deaf, man?"

"No, but I think I know when to hear."

It occurred to Harvey that Jim had done his work well. But then, Jim's
orders, however brief, were always understood. Harvey motioned the others
to be silent, and tiptoed across the floor. He listened as Mattison had
done, then passed on to the President's door. Cautiously he drew a bunch
of keys from his pocket, and feeling for the right one he slipped it into
the lock, threw open the door, and darted into the office. Mattison and
the detective followed, stumbling over chairs, and colliding with the door
to the inner office, which had closed after Harvey. In the dim light they
could see two figures struggling in the passage by the vault. While
Mattison sprang forward, Mallory quickly lighted the gas.

The light showed that Harvey had crowded the fellow up against the vault