. But, as it happened, a certain man saw him
leaving the safe opener's office. This man was none other than Tuller,
the friend to Amos Bangs.

"Bartlett, eh?" murmured Tuller to himself. "What is he doing in
Springfield?"

He chanced to know the safe opener, whose name was Westinghouse, and
presently dropped into the other's office as if by accident.

"How is business, Westinghouse?" he said, indifferently.

"Fair," was the answer. "Had two jobs last week."

"Good enough."

"How is business with you?"

"Booming. I suppose you get jobs ahead, is that it, or do you go out on
the run, so to speak?"

"Sometimes I get orders ahead, but most of the jobs come in on the
run--safe out of order, or something like that. I've got to go to
Riverport to-morrow."

"Is that so? Bank?"

"No, a private party, I reckon. Going to have a safe opened by an order
from the court, I think."

"Is that so! Well, I wish you luck on the job. Good-day."

"Good-day!" answered the safe opener.

Once on the street Tuller's face changed.

"Bartlett must have given that order, and if so he means to either open
up the safe at the iron works or else the safe at Bangs's house. I must
see Bangs and warn him, so that nothing is found which will do us
harm!"

At first he thought to telegraph, but then came to the conclusion that
it would be too risky. A letter might not be received in time.

"I'll go myself," he said, and an hour later was on his way to
Riverport.

CHAPTER XXIII

THE PAPERS IN THE SAFE

At Riverport the next day Mr. Bartlett called upon a lawyer with whom
he was well acquainted and told to the legal gentleman all that he had
learned and proposed to do.

"I wish your assistance, Mr. Soper," he said.

"You shall have it," was the lawyer's prompt answer.

"Can you get an order from the court to open that safe?"

"I believe I can. Come, we will go and see the judge at once."

Fortunately for Mr. Bartlett the judge was easily found, and when the
matter was explained he issued the necessary papers and placed them in
the hands of one of the constables.

"But how are you going to open the safe if it is locked?" asked the
judge. "Constable Carley is not equal to it."

"I have engaged a professional safe opener," answered Mr. Bartlett. "He
can do the trick for the constable."

"Very well."

Mr. Bartlett, the lawyer, and the constable waited until the stage came
in. The safe opener was one of the passengers