2. I í-keng hôe-ho̍k êng-gia̍p ah
Valentine, 9762, sek-hòng chi̍t lé-pài liáu-āu, tī Indiana ê Richmond hoat-seng chi̍t-kiāⁿ súi-khùi ê pó-hiám-kūi chha̍t-thau-àn, chhōe bô hoān-àn-chiá ê sòaⁿ-soh. Só͘ tit-tio̍h ê kan-ta 800 kho͘ bí-kim niā-niā. Nn̄g lé-pài liáu-āu, tī Logansport ê chi̍t-ê ū choan-lī ê, kái-chìn-hêng ê ī-hông chha̍t-thau ê pó-hiám-kūi, hông ná chhiat chi̍t-tè chhiz án-ne kā phah-khui, the̍h-cháu 1,500 kho͘ hiān-kim, chèng-koàn kap pe̍h-gîn bô tāng. Che khai-sí ín-khí lia̍h thit-thô-á ê lâng ê hèng-chhù. Koh lâi, tī Jefferson Chhī, chi̍t-ê lāu-sek ê pó-hiám-kūi khai-sí oa̍h-tāng, ùi i ê khang-kháu phùn chhut chóng-kiōng 5,000 kho͘ bí-kim ê gîn-phiò. Chiah-ê sún-sit í-keng ta̍t-kàu Ben Price hit téng-kip--ê chhut-bīn lâi chhú-lí ah. Chham-khó pit-kì, ē-tàng chù-ì tio̍h chiah-ê chha̍t-thau-àn iōng ê hong-hoat ū chin tōa ê kiōng-tông-tiám. Ben Price kàu hiān-tiûⁿ tiâu-cha liáu-āu, án-ne kóng:
"He sī Jim Valentine Siàu-iâ chhin-sin lâu ê hûn-jiah. I í-keng hôe-ho̍k êng-gia̍p ah. Lí khòaⁿ chit-ê tùi-hō-só -- i án-ne kā la̍k chhut-lâi, khin-sang kah ná-chhiūⁿ lo̍h-hō͘-thiⁿ khau chhài-thâu. I ū ē-tàng án-ne chò ê ûi-it ê gia̍p-á. Koh khòaⁿ hiah-ê kún-lûn kòng chhut-lâi ê khoán, sī gōa-nī-á ti̍t-chiap! Jimmy it-hiòng kan-ta su-iàu chǹg chi̍t-ê khang. Tio̍h, góa siūⁿ góa boeh chhōe Valentine Ss. I chin kín tō ē koh chhut-tōng, bē iân-chhiân, mā bē tèⁿ-gōng."
Ben Price chai-iáⁿ Jimmy ê si̍p-koàn. I sī ùi pān Springfield hit-ê àn-kiāⁿ chiah chai chiah-ê. Tn̂g-tô͘ thiàu tiám, khoài-sok lī-khui, ū siōng-liû siā-hōe ê phín-bī -- chiah-ê hong-sek hō͘ Valentine Ss in-ūi sêng-kong siám-phiah pò-èng lâi teh chhut-miâ. Thiaⁿ-kóng Ben Prince í-keng teh tui-chong chit-ê ku̍t-liu ê chha̍t-á, án-ne hō͘ kî-thaⁿ ū ī-hông chha̍t-thau pó-hiám-kūi ê lâng sió-khóa khah an-sim.
Chi̍t-kang ē-tàu, Jimmy hām i ê chhiú-thê-siuⁿ tī Elmore ùi iû-piān chhia peh chhut-lâi, chia sī tī Arkansas ê chi̍t-ê lī thih-lō͘ 5-mai, jîn-kháu chin chió ê chng-kha só͘-chāi. Jimmy, khòaⁿ khí-lâi ná chhiūⁿ chi̍t-ê tú ùi tāi-ha̍k tńg lâi, ài ūn-tōng ê siàu-liân ha̍k-seng, iân pho͘ chhâ-pang ê jîn-hêng-tō kiâⁿ-hiòng lí-koán.
Chi̍t-ūi siàu-liân lú-sū chāⁿ kòe ke-lō͘, tī oat-oan ê ūi hām i sio-siám-sin, kiâⁿ ji̍p chi̍t-ê mn̂g, mn̂g téng-koân kòa chi̍t-ki khan-páng: "Elmore Gîn-hâng". Jimmny kim-kim khòaⁿ yi ê ba̍k-chiu, bē-kì-tit ka-tī sī siáng, piàn-chò lēng-gōa chi̍t-ê lâng. Yi ê ba̍k-chiu khòaⁿ-kē, bīn sió-khóa hoán âng. Chhiūⁿ Jimmy chit-khoán hong-keh kap gōa-piáu ê siàu-liân-ke tī Elmore chin chió khòaⁿ tio̍h.
Jimmy chang chi̍t-ê tī gîn-hâng lâu-thui khám-á se̍h lâi se̍h khì ê cha-po͘ gín-á, ká-ná i sī gîn-hâng ê chi̍t-ê ko͘-tong kāng-khoán, mn̄g i iú-koan chit-ê sió-tìn ê tāi-chì, sî put-sî koh kō͘ gîn-kak-á kā pa-kiat. Keng-kòe chi̍t-khùn, hit-ê siàu-liân lú-sū koh kiâⁿ chhut-lâi, khòaⁿ khí-lâi yi sī chin-chiàⁿ bô chù-ì tio̍h chit-ê kōaⁿ chhiú-thê-siuⁿ ê siàu-liân-ke, kè-sio̍k kiâⁿ yi ê lō͘.
"He kám m̄-sī siàu-liân ê Polly Simpson Sc ah?" Jimmy mn̄g, kek chi̍t-ê ké-gâu ê bīn.
"M̄-sī lah," hit-ê gín-á kóng. "Yi sī Annabel Adams. Yin pâ sī gîn-hâng ê thâu-ke. Lí lâi Elmore boeh chhòng-siáⁿ? He kám sī kim ê sî-pió-á tòa? Góa boeh bé chi̍t-chiah tak-gû-káu (bulldog). Koh hō͘ góa gîn-kak-á lah."
Jimmy lâi kàu Plannters’ Hotel, iōng Ralph D. Spencer chit-ê miâ tēng chi̍t-ê pâng-keng. I àⁿ-hiòng kūi-tâi, kap tiàm-oân kóng-khí i ê kè-ōe. I kóng, i lâi Elmore boeh chhōe chi̍t-ê só͘-chāi, thang khai-sí i ê sū-gia̍p. Chit-ê sió-tìn chit-má ê ê-á seng-lí seⁿ-chò án-chóaⁿ? I ū siūⁿ boeh chò ê-á seng-lí. Kám ū ki-hōe?
Tiàm-oân tùi Jimmy ê chhēng-chhah kap kí-chí ìn-siōng chin chhim. I pún-sin mā sī Elmore hiah-ê bô kìⁿ-kòe sè-bīn ê siàu-liân-ke ê liû-hêng bô͘-hoān, m̄-koh taⁿ i ì-sek tio̍h ka-tī ê put-chiok. Ná teh gián-kiù Jimmy ê nekutái ê sì-pō͘-kat, i tō chin chhin-chhiat thê-kiong siau-sit hō͘ i.
Sī ah, tī ê-á chit-ê hâng-gia̍p eng-kai ū chin hó ê bī-lâi. Chit-ê só͘-chāi iáu bô choan-bûn ê ê-á tiàm. Ê-á tio̍h khì kám-á-tiàm a̍h cha̍p-hòe-hâng bé. Hi-bāng Spencer Ss ē koat-tēng lâi Elmore khiā-khí. I ē hoat-hiān chia sī chi̍t-ê chin hó kòe-ji̍t ê sió-tìn, chia ê lâng mā chin hó chò-tīn.
Spencer Ss jīn-ûi i boeh tī chit-ê sió-tìn tòa--kúi-kang-á, sió koan-chhat chia ê chêng-hêng. Bián, tiàm-oân bián kiò hit-ê gín-á lâi. I ē ka-tī kōaⁿ i ê chhiú-thê-siuⁿ; he put-chí-á tāng.
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2. 伊已經回復營業 ah
Valentine, 9762, 釋放一禮拜了後, tī Indiana ê Richmond 發生一件媠氣 ê 保險櫃賊偷案, 揣無犯案者 ê 線索. 所得著 ê 干焦 800 箍美金 niā-niā. 兩禮拜了後, tī Logansport ê 一个有專利 ê, 改進型 ê 預防賊偷 ê 保險櫃, hông ná 切一塊 chhiz án-ne kā 拍開, 提走 1,500 箍現金, 證券 kap 白銀無動. 這開始引起掠 thit-thô-á ê 人 ê 興趣. Koh 來, tī Jefferson 市, 一个老式 ê 保險櫃開始活動, ùi 伊 ê 空口噴出總共 5,000 箍美金 ê 銀票. Chiah-ê 損失已經達到 Ben Price 彼等級 ê 出面來處理 ah. 參考筆記, 會當注意著 chiah-ê 賊偷案用 ê 方法有真大 ê 共同點. Ben Price 到現場調查了後, án-ne 講:
"彼是 Jim Valentine 少爺親身留 ê 痕跡. 伊已經回復營業 ah. 你看這个對號鎖 -- 伊 án-ne kā la̍k 出來, 輕鬆 kah ná 像落雨天 khau 菜頭. 伊有會當 án-ne 做 ê 唯一 ê 挾仔. Koh 看 hiah-ê 滾輪摃出來 ê 款, sī gōa-nī-á 直接! Jimmy 一向干焦需要鑽一个空. 著, 我想我欲揣 Valentine Ss. 伊真緊 tō 會 koh 出動, 袂延 chhiân, mā 袂 tèⁿ 戇."
Ben Price 知影 Jimmy ê 習慣. 伊是 ùi 辦 Springfield 彼个案件才知 chiah-ê. 長途跳點, 快速離開, 有上流社會 ê 品味 -- chiah-ê 方式予 Valentine Ss 因為成功閃避報應來 teh 出名. 聽講 Ben Prince 已經 teh 追蹤這个滑溜 ê 賊仔, án-ne 予其他有預防賊偷保險櫃 ê 人小可較安心.
一工下晝, Jimmy 和伊 ê 手提箱 tī Elmore ùi 郵便車 peh 出來, chia 是 tī Arkansas ê 一个離鐵路 5-mai, 人口真少 ê 庄跤所在. Jimmy, 看起來 ná 像一个拄 ùi 大學轉來, 愛運動 ê 少年學生, 沿鋪柴枋 ê 人行道行向旅館.
一位少年女士 chāⁿ 過街路, tī 斡彎 ê 位和伊相閃身, 行入一个門, 門頂懸掛一支 khan-páng: "Elmore 銀行". Jimmny 金金看她 ê 目睭, 袂記得 ka-tī 是 siáng, 變做另外一个人. 她 ê 目睭看低, 面小可反紅. 像 Jimmy 這款風格 kap 外表 ê 少年家 tī Elmore 真少看著.
Jimmy 㨑一个 tī 銀行樓梯坎仔踅來踅去 ê 查埔囡仔, ká-ná 伊是銀行 ê 一个股東仝款, 問伊有關這个小鎮 ê 代誌, 時不時 koh kō͘ 銀角仔 kā 巴結. 經過一睏, 彼个少年女士 koh 行出來, 看起來她是真正無注意著這个捾手提箱 ê 少年家, 繼續行她 ê 路.
"彼敢毋是少年 ê Polly Simpson Sc ah?" Jimmy 問, 激一个假 gâu ê 面.
"毋是 lah," 彼个囡仔講. "她是 Annabel Adams. 姻 pâ 是銀行 ê 頭家. 你來 Elmore 欲創啥? 彼敢是金 ê 時錶仔帶? 我欲買一隻觸牛狗 (bulldog). Koh 予我銀角仔 lah."
Jimmy 來到 Plannters’ Hotel, 用 Ralph D. Spencer 這个名定一个房間. 伊 àⁿ 向櫃台, kap 店員講起伊 ê 計畫. 伊講, 伊來 Elmore 欲揣一个所在, 通開始伊 ê 事業. 這个小鎮 chit-má ê 鞋仔生理生做按怎? 伊有想欲做鞋仔生理. 敢有機會?
店員對 Jimmy ê 穿插 kap 舉止印象真深. 伊本身 mā 是 Elmore hiah-ê 無見過世面 ê 少年家 ê 流行模範, m̄-koh 今伊意識著 ka-tī ê 不足. Ná teh 研究 Jimmy ê nekutái ê 四步結, 伊 tō 真親切提供消息予伊.
是 ah, tī 鞋仔這个行業應該有真好 ê 未來. 這个所在猶無專門 ê 鞋仔店. 鞋仔著去 kám 仔店 a̍h 雜貨行買. 希望 Spencer Ss 會決定來 Elmore 徛起. 伊會發現 chia 是一个真好過日 ê 小鎮, chia ê 人 mā 真好做陣.
Spencer Ss 認為伊欲 tī 這个小鎮蹛幾工仔, 小觀察 chia ê 情形. 免, 店員免叫彼个囡仔來. 伊會 ka-tī 捾伊 ê 手提箱; he 不止仔重.
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2.
A week after the release of Valentine, 9762, there was a neat job of safe-burglary done in Richmond, Indiana, with no clue to the author. A scant eight hundred dollars was all that was secured. Two weeks after that a patented, improved, burglar-proof safe in Logansport was opened like a cheese to the tune of fifteen hundred dollars, currency; securities and silver untouched. That began to interest the rogue-catchers. Then an old-fashioned bank-safe in Jefferson City became active and threw out of its crater an eruption of bank-notes amounting to five thousand dollars. The losses were now high enough to bring the matter up into Ben Price's class of work. By comparing notes, a remarkable similarity in the methods of the burglaries was noticed. Ben Price investigated the scenes of the robberies, and was heard to remark:
“That's Dandy Jim Valentine's autograph. He's resumed business. Look at that combination knob—jerked out as easy as pulling up a radish in wet weather. He's got the only clamps that can do it. And look how clean those tumblers were punched out! Jimmy never has to drill but one hole. Yes, I guess I want Mr. Valentine. He'll do his bit next time without any short-time or clemency foolishness.”
Ben Price knew Jimmy's habits. He had learned them while working on the Springfield case. Long jumps, quick get-aways, no confederates, and a taste for good society—these ways had helped Mr. Valentine to become noted as a successful dodger of retribution. It was given out that Ben Price had taken up the trail of the elusive cracksman, and other people with burglar-proof safes felt more at ease.
One afternoon Jimmy Valentine and his suit-case climbed out of the mail-hack in Elmore, a little town five miles off the railroad down in the black-jack country of Arkansas. Jimmy, looking like an athletic young senior just home from college, went down the board side-walk toward the hotel.
A young lady crossed the street, passed him at the corner and entered a door over which was the sign “The Elmore Bank.” Jimmy Valentine looked into her eyes, forgot what he was, and became another man. She lowered her eyes and colored slightly. Young men of Jimmy's style and looks were scarce in Elmore.
Jimmy collared a boy that was loafing on the steps of the bank as if he were one of the stockholders, and began to ask him questions about the town, feeding him dimes at intervals. By and by the young lady came out, looking royally unconscious of the young man with the suit-case, and went her way.
“Isn't that young lady Miss Polly Simpson?” asked Jimmy, with specious guile.
“Naw,” said the boy. “She's Annabel Adams. Her pa owns this bank. What'd you come to Elmore for? Is that a gold watch-chain? I'm going to get a bulldog. Got any more dimes?”
Jimmy went to the Planters' Hotel, registered as Ralph D. Spencer, and engaged a room. He leaned on the desk and declared his platform to the clerk. He said he had come to Elmore to look for a location to go into business. How was the shoe business, now, in the town? He had thought of the shoe business. Was there an opening?
The clerk was impressed by the clothes and manner of Jimmy. He, himself, was something of a pattern of fashion to the thinly gilded youth of Elmore, but he now perceived his shortcomings. While trying to figure out Jimmy's manner of tying his four-in-hand he cordially gave information.
Yes, there ought to be a good opening in the shoe line. There wasn't an exclusive shoe-store in the place. The dry-goods and general stores handled them. Business in all lines was fairly good. Hoped Mr. Spencer would decide to locate in Elmore. He would find it a pleasant town to live in, and the people very sociable.
Mr. Spencer thought he would stop over in the town a few days and look over the situation. No, the clerk needn't call the boy. He would carry up his suit-case, himself; it was rather heavy.
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