Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 491

"A Precious Pair of Scoundrels" This serialized crime story by E. A. St. Mon follows the robbery of the Asheville Bank. Watchman Budge Martin, on duty eighteen years, experiences unexplained unease one autumn night. A man claiming to be bank president Tudor Carew arrives at midnight with urgent warnings, but uses a personal detail—asking about Martin's son Dit-Dat-Dot—to gain entry. The visitor strikes Martin unconscious, revealing himself as a burglar. Three masked criminals, well-dressed and professional, incapacitate Martin with gag and bonds. They possess the vault combination (the word "Load"), allowing them to access the inner door despite Martin's assumption only the president and cashier know it. Using an outside confederate's whistle signals to warn of approaching danger, the burglars systematically loot gold and currency from the vault while the helpless watchman, barely conscious but observant, witnesses the theft and agonizes over his culpability.