MakingSenseOfLiteratureBook1
track4
track4
The next Monday, Ben Price is walking in the streets of Elmore.
The detective talks to many people. He asks them about Jimmy Valentine.
Nobody in the town knows Jimmy Valentine, but everybody talks about Ralph D Spencer.
Soon, Ben Price starts to watch the owner of the shoe store.
Jimmy, you're going to marry the banker's daughter, the detective says to himself.
That's very interesting. You think you are clever?
On Tuesday morning, Jimmy has breakfast at the banker's house outside the town.
I'm going to Little Rock today, he tells the family. I want to buy my wedding suit
and I want to buy something nice for Annabelle.
I want you to see something at the bank first, says Mr Adams.
After breakfast, they all walk into the town together.
Mr Adams, Jimmy, Annabelle, and Annabelle's sister with her two little girls.
They stop at the planter's hotel and Jimmy brings his suitcase from his room.
They all walk on towards the bank. Inside the bank, Jimmy puts down his suitcase.
Annabelle tries to lift it. Ralph, your case is very heavy, she says.
Yes, my dear, Jimmy replies, there are lots of heavy shoes in it.
Mr Adams takes his family and Jimmy behind the high railings into the banking room.
Elmore Bank is having a new strongroom. Mr Adams is very proud of it.
He wants to show the new strongroom to his family and to his friend, Ralph Spencer.
Some men from a company in Little Rock are building it, Mr Adams says.
They're going to finish it tomorrow.
The strongroom has a very thick steel door. There is a special lock on the door, a combinational lock.
The banker tries to explain about the lock to his friend.
This is a combinational lock, he says. There isn't a key.
The numbers on those four knobs unlock the door.
But we mustn't close the door. I'm going to have the numbers for the combination tomorrow.
Everybody is interested in the strongroom.
The two little girls, May and Agatha, love the shiny metal door.
They love the big shiny handle and they love the knobs with numbers on them.
Ben Price sees the banker's family enter the building with Jimmy.
After a few minutes, the great detective follows them into the building.
Ben Price looks through the railings into the banking room.
Good morning, sir. One of the clerks says to him,
do you need some help?
No, thank you, says the detective. I'm waiting for someone. I'm going to meet a friend here.
Behind the railings, Annabelle and her sister suddenly scream.
Agatha is locked inside the strongroom.
Mr Adams runs to the steel door. He pulls and pulls the big handle.
I can't open it, he shouts.
Oh, what shall we do? Annabelle's sister asks.
There isn't much air in the strongroom, Mr Adams says.
I must send for a man from the lock company. But the company is in little rock.
Agatha's mother begins to cry. My darling will die.
Mr Adams' face is white. Please be quiet, everybody, he says.
Then he shouts through the thick steel door.
Agatha, he shouts. Agatha, listen to me. We'll get you out of there soon.
The child is alone in the dark strongroom. She is only five years old and she is very frightened.
The family hear her crying.
Please do something.
Annabelle cries. Jimmy looks at her for a moment and says,
Annabelle, please give me the rose from your dress.
Jimmy puts the rose in his coat pocket.
Then he takes off his coat and he pulls up the sleeve of his shirt.
And suddenly, Ralph D Spencer, the owner of the shoe store, becomes Jimmy Valentine,
the famous safe cracker.
Everybody must move away from the strongroom door, he says.
Jimmy lifts his suitcase onto a table and opens it.
Quickly and carefully, he takes out the strange shiny tools.
He sings quietly to himself. Nobody speaks.
After a few minutes, one of Jimmy's special tools is cutting into the steel door.
After ten minutes, he cuts out the locks.
And one minute after that, Jimmy pulls the big handle and the door opens.
Little Agatha falls into her mother's arms.
The child is afraid, but she is not hurt.
Less than fifteen minutes, it is the fastest job of Jimmy's life.
Jimmy puts on his coat.
He walks through the banking room towards the street door.
He hears a young woman's voice behind him.
Ralph, come back!
But Jimmy does not turn round.
He looks at the big man standing in front of the door.
It is Ben Price.
Hello, Ben, says Jimmy.
You are a great detective.
I won't fight you this time.
Arrest me.
Take me away.
I don't care anymore.
Ben Price looks past Jimmy.
He looks at Annabelle.
He looks at the mother and her children in the banking room.
They are all crying quietly.
He thinks for a moment and looks at Jimmy's face.
He smiles.
I'm sorry, Mr. Spencer.
The detective says, I don't understand you.
Then the great detective turns and walks out of the bank.
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