THE PRIVATE SAFE
Divided as she was among several opinions, torn by doubts and sufferings from grief, Viola Carwell found distinct relief in a message that awaited her on her return to the house after her failure to find Colonel Ashley.The message, given her by a maid, was to the effect:
"The safe man has come."
"The who?" asked Viola, not at first understanding.
"The safe man.He said you sent for him to open a safe and - " "Oh, yes, I understand, Jane.Where is he?""In the library, Miss Viola."
Viola hastened to the room where so many fateful talks had taken place of late, and found there a quiet man, beside whose chair was a limp valise that rattled with a metallic jingle as his foot brushed against it when he arose on her entrance.
"Have you come from the safe company?" she asked.
"Yes.I understood that there was one of our safes which could not be opened, and they sent me.Here is the order," and he held out the paper.
He spoke with quiet dignity, omitting the "ma'am," from his salutation.And Viola was glad of this.He was a relief from the usual plumber or carpenter, who seemed to lack initiative.
"It is my father's private safe that we wish opened," she said."He alone had the combination to it, and he - he is dead," she added softly.
"So I understood," he responded with appreciation of what her grief must be."Well, I think I shall be able to open the safe without damaging it.That was what you wanted, was it not?""Yes.Father never let any one but himself open the safe when he was alive.I don't believe my mother or I saw it open more than ten times, and then by accident.In it he kept his private papers.But, now that he is - is gone, there is need to see how his affairs stand.The lawyer tells me I had better open the safe.
"When we found that none of us knew the combination, and when itwas not found written down anywhere among father's other papers, and when his clerk, Mr.Blossom, did not have it, we sent to the company.""I understand," said the safe expert."If you will show me - "Viola touched a button on the wall, a button so cleverly concealed that the ordinary observer would never have noticed it, and a panel slid back, revealing the door of the safe.
"It was one of father's ideas that his strong box was better hidden this way," said Viola, with a little wan smile."Is there room enough for you to work? The safe is built into the wall.""Oh, there is plenty of room, thank you.I can very easily get at it.It isn't the first safe I've had to work on this way.Many families have safes hidden like this.It's a good idea."He looked at the safe, noted the manufacturer's number, and consulted a little book he carried with him.Then he began to turn the knob gently, listening the while, with acute and trained ears, to the noise the tumblers made as they clicked their way, unseen, amid the mazes of the combination.
"Will it be difficult, do you think?" asked Viola."Will it take you long?""That is hard to say."
"Do you mind if I watch you?" she asked eagerly.She wanted something to take her mind off the many things that were tearing at it as the not far distant sea tore at the shore which stood as a barrier in its way.
"Not at all," answered the expert.Then he went on with his work.
In a way it was as delicate an operation as that which sometimes confronts a physician who is in doubt as to what ails his patient.There was a twisting and a turning of the knob, a listening with an ear to the heavy steel door, as a doctor listens to the breathing of a pneumonia victim.Then with his little finger held against the numbered dial, the expert again twirled the nickel knob, seeking to tell, by the vibration, when the little catches fell into the slots provided for them.
It was rather a lengthy operation, and he tried several of the more common and usual combinations without result.As he straightened up to rest Viola asked:
"Do you think you can manage it? Can you open it?""Oh, yes.It will take a little time, but I can do it.Your father evidently used a more complicated combination than is usually set on these safes.But I shall find it."Viola's determination to open the safe had been arrived at soon after the funeral, when it was found that, as far as could be ascertained, her father had left no will.A stickler for system, in its many branches and ramifications, and insisting for minute detail on the part of his subordinates, Horace Carwell did what many a better and worse man has done - put off the making of his will.And that made it necessary for the surrogate to appoint an administrator, who, in this case, Viola renouncing her natural rights, was Miss Mary Carwell.
"I'd rather you acted than I," Viola had said, though she, being of age and the direct heir, could well and legally have served.
Miss Carwell had agreed to act.Then it became necessary to find out certain facts, and when they were not disclosed by a perusal of the papers of the dead man found in his office and in the safe deposit box at the bank, recourse was had to the private safe.LeGrand Blossom knew nothing of what was in the strong box-not even being entrusted with the combination."There!It's open!" announced the expert at length, and he turned thehandle and swung back the door.
"Thank you," said Viola.Then, as she looked within the safe, she exclaimed:
"Oh, there is an inner compartment, and that's locked, too!""Only with a key.That will give no trouble at all," said the man.He proved it by opening it with the third key he tried from a bunch of many he took from his valise.That was all there was for him to do, save to set the combination with a simpler system, which he did, giving Viola the numbers.
"Was it as easy as you thought?" she asked, when the expert was about to leave.
"Not quite - no.The combination was a double one.That is, in two parts.First the one had to be disposed of, and then the other worked.""Why was that?"
