They turned toward him. The president looked at him coldly. "And who are
you?"
Mrs. Robinson answered. "He's the new man Mr. Shayne recommended so
highly."
"Ah. And how do you propose to get him out, young man?"
Hugo stood pensively for a moment. "By methods known only to me. I am
certain I can do it--but I will undertake it only if you will all leave
the room."
"Ridiculous!" Mrs. Robinson said.
The president's mouth worked. He looked more sharply at Hugo. Then he
rose. "Come on, everybody." He spoke quietly to Hugo. "You have a nerve.
How much time do you want?"
"Five minutes."
"Only five minutes," the president murmured as he walked from the
chamber.
Hugo did not move until they had all gone. Then he locked the door
behind them. He walked to the safe and rapped on it tentatively with his
knuckles. He removed his coat and vest. He planted his feet against the
steel sill under the door. He caught hold of the two handles, fidgeted
with his elbows, drew a deep breath, and pulled. There was a resonant,
metallic sound. Something gave. The edge of the seven-foot door moved
outward and a miasma steamed through the aperture. Hugo changed his
stance and took the door itself in his hands. His back bent. He pulled
again. With a reverberating clang and a falling of broken steel it swung
out. Hugo dragged the man who lay on the floor to a window that gave on
a grated pit. He broke the glass with his fist. The clerk's chest heaved
violently; he panted, opened his eyes, and closed them tremblingly.
Hugo put on his coat and vest and unlocked the door. The people outside
all moved toward him.
"It's all right," Hugo said. "He's out."
Mrs. Robinson glanced at the clerk and walked to the safe. "He's ruined
it!" she said in a shrill voice.
The president was behind her. He looked at the handles of the vault,
which had been bent like hair-pins, and he stooped to examine the
shattered bolts. Then his eyes travelled to Hugo. There was a profoundly
startled expression in them.