The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1911-03-30

Is signed" said Hunt.
had arranged with Hunt that when
he drew the note / was to put my
hand in my side pocket and grasp
revolver did so, and Hunt, standing
we'll away from the Italian that he
might not snatch the paper, read what
was written, ending with the word
Memo" Vechi heard his doom in the
words and turned CHASTITY white. Hunt
waited for him to speak, keeping his
eyes riveted on him the while.
allow much do you ask for it?'' final
ly Vechi asked.
"My friend here" replied the detec-
tive, pointing to me, sis it's owner. He
intends to give the proceeds of its sale
to the family of the man to whom this
note was addressed and who was
Vechi staggered Hunt continued:
"The price is certain stocks and
bonds that passed to this man Memo.
If they are all returned the note will be
returned to the writer to do what he
likes with it and no steps will be TAX
en- in the case. If every security is
not given up Memo will be arrested be-
fore he can leave his shop"
Vechi seemed to be thinking for
few moments, after which he asked:
''Tell me the amount"
We did not know the amount, but
had provided for this.
you alone know the amount at
present, but since we know that this
property has passed into the posses
sion of Memo we can at any time dis
cover the exact amount. If we dis
cover that he has withheld any Of 1t
we may reopen the case"
Vechi stood wavering. Whether he
was hesitating as to the amount he
would return or whether to defy us
don't know. Presently he said:
II will buy your autograph, gentle
men, but 1 have not the price here.
You must go with me to my house."
We went with him, as he suggested,
/ walking on one side of him, Hunt on
the other, Hunt and 1 each having a
hand on a revolver concealed. When
we reached the house Vechi took us
into a room, locked the door and said:
"What guarantee have 1 that you
will keep your word?'
"None whatever" said Hunt. You
must rely on the promise of a gentle
man."
Making a virtue of necessity, he
opened a closet door, exposing a safe
Embedded in the wall. The safe being
painted like the wall, only its keyhole
was perceptible. Introducing the key,
he opened the safe door and took out
a large bundle of securities. l looked
them over and knew the value of most
of them. judged they were worth be-
tween .$35OOOO and 100000. They
were mostly coupon bonds, not the
same property that had been trans
ferred by Driscoll to Vechi.
''Is this all?" asked Hunt.
Everything replied Vechi. 81 have
no desire to leave anything amiss that
will reopen this matter"
Perhaps my friend" said Hunt,
may wish to know TIE hold you had
on Driscoll."
"I have no such DESIRE" l said. ''The
property is returned, and that is suffi-
cient. The secret of blackmail if told
might bring distress on an innocent
family. Goodby, Mr.. Memo. So far as
this matter is in my possession you
may consider it closed"
We went from the shop to the Dris-
coils, where Mrs. Driscoll answered
my card in person. said to her:
Madam, have an important an
nouncement to make to you, and de-
sire that you call into the room your
sons and daughters to hear it."
Surprised, she complied with my re-
quest, and her children, mostly grown,
were summoned When they were all
assembled 1 told the story of my pur-
chase Of the desk and the finding of
the paper in the secret drawer. Then
| entered upon Hunts Investigations
(some of them recognized him) and
lastly told of our visit to Vechi's shop.
1t was interesting to watch their fea-
lures during my recital of our inter
view with the blackmailer, they grow
ing more and more intent till the de-
livery of the property. When the re-
cital was finished took the securities
from my pocket and handed them to
Mrs. Driscoll, saying:
There are securities affording an
annual income of $4,000, in considera-
ton of which we have taken the lib
erty Of giving indemnity against prose
cutiOn for blackmail and
shrank from speaking the dreadful
word murder.
Every member of the family ap-
proved Of all had done and acknowl-
edged in every possible way their in
debtedness for the great favor | had
done them. Before l left the house
every one of us took an oath never to
reveal anything of what had hap
pened.
Mrs. Driscoll afterward informed me
that so far as she could discover the
equivalent of all the securities her
husband had possessed was returned.
Some $4,000 in cash was unaccounted
for.
SyIS5 ZFTS