"It's too deep for me," said Carnes with a sigh. "Can I do anything to help? The doctor told me to stand by and do anything I could." "I might be able to use you a little if you can use tools," said Casey with a grin. "You can start bolting together that light proof shield if you want to." * * * * * "Well, Carnes, did you have an instructive night?" asked Dr. Bird cheerfully as he entered the First National Bank at eight-thirty the next morning. "I don't see that I did much good, Doctor. Casey would have had the machine ready on time anyway, and I'm no machinist." "Well, frankly, Carnes, I didn't expect you to be of much help to him, but I did want you to see what Casey was doing, and a little of it was pretty heavy for him to handle alone. I suppose that everything is ready?" "The motor reached full speed about fifteen minutes ago and Casey went out to get a cup of coffee. Would you mind telling me the object of the whole thing?" "Not at all. I plan to make a permanent record of the work of the most ingenious bank robber in the world. I hope he keeps his word." "What do you mean?" "Three days ago when Sturtevant sweated a 'confession' out of poor Winston, the bank got a message that the robbery would be repeated this morning and dared them to prevent it. Rogers thought it was a hoax, but he telephoned me and I worked the Bureau men night and day to get my camera ready in time for him. I am afraid that I can't do much to prevent the robbery, but I may be able to take a picture of it and thus prevent other cases of a like nature." "Was the warning written?" "No. It was telephoned from a pay station in the loop district, and by the time it was traced and men got there, the telephoner was probably a mile away. He said that he would rob the same cage in the same manner as he did before." "Aren't you taking any special precautions?" "Oh, yes, the bank is putting on extra guards and making a lot of fuss of that sort, probably to the great amusement of the robber." "Why not close the cage for the day?" "Then he would rob a different one and we would have no way of photographing his actions. To be sure, we will put dummy money there, bundles with bills on the outside and paper on the inside, so if I don't get a picture of him, he won't get much. Every bill in the cage will be marked as well." "Did he say at what time he would operate?" "No, he didn't, so we'll have to stand by all day. Oh, hello, Casey, is everything all right?" "As sweet as chocolate candy, Doctor. I have tested it out thoroughly, and unless we have to run it so long that the film wears out and breaks, we are sitting pretty. If we don't get the pictures you are looking for, I'm a dodo, and I haven't been called that yet." "Good work, Casey. Keep the bearings oiled and pray that the film doesn't break." * * * * *