The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1917-10-20
lady introduced to NE as Miss Itch

| must say she was very at
tractive, but more in manner than in
beauty. There was a sinuous dallying
softncss to her smile that wrapped
about the casual observer inyitingly.
though TO me in measure Warnngly
As TO those eyes, saw them
not. Until the su1 ct the evening not
once did find the opportunity TO meet
them, much less to scrutiGize closely.
she had long Iashcs and way Of
PcePing through thom Sideways. an
| eYasiyc trick Of shifting and conceal
ing their OPPRESSION They were black
jet black, l learned that much. but
nothing more.
But ! made discovery. an impoT-
! tant one, ] learned not much later.
| PurvOis had pressed me to remain, in
timating business. 1t was when most
| of the guests had departed that he
took my arm, nodded to Ransome, and
we three were soon ensconced in a
| little biiou of a boudoir, temporarily
in use as smoking room On top
Of the lighting of the cigars, in his
usual quick business way, Purvois
spoke to me promptly:
"You know Ransome?"
Every well, I am glad to say" re-
sponded, and caught . grateful CLEAN
from the eye of the young man In
question.
"He has told me his history" pro-
ceeded Purvois. Il do not care to re-
traverse it, but you of all men, from
the same bank where he served, can
answer one question finally-he is
strictly honest, if unfortunate?"
II think no one has ever doubted
| that"
"He has applied to me for the cash
iership of my bank" went on Purvois
in a rush OF words. Il know he is I'M
trained, or rather too quickly trained.
1t is only a question Of Elasticity as
to my suggestions, and-trustworthi-
ness. ! am about to handle large
sums as trustee for Russo-American
syndicate They require heavy bonds
and this young man must qualify for
large surety"
Any liability company would fur
nish it, l think" was my reply to
this.
What was working, and how far was
! my candid opinion of the honesty OF
young Ransome helping the plans OF
Resilius Marvel? ! asked myself as
reached home that night When | re-
. hn no
enlighten me any further than to OBJ
serve:
Very good l see the light, and
the end"
The end" did not seem to material
ize very rapidly. In fact. at the end
of the month l began to suspect that
somewhere in the skein of mysteries,
a strand had knotted, somehow. In the
meantime had received blank from
the Guaranty Indemnity company as
one of the references Of Alison Ran
some, who desired, it was stated, to
obtain a 100000 surety bond as cash
Ter for the banking house of Purvois
6. Co. | had showed this to Marvel
Answer it in the usual way" he
directed tersely.
1t was five weeks after this, one
evening, that Marvel flashed past me
on the street with two men whose
guarded way of looking forward told
me they were in his company with g
purpose
Tomorrow" he said, simply, in 9
low tone.
Tomorrow it was-the crisis, though
not the final climax. Only part o.
my breakfast was complacent. The
rest of it, after had taken up q
morning paper, was ruffled and unsat
isfactory.
In glazing headlines the print tol6
of an enormous embezzlement-the
cashier of the banking house of Pur
vols & Co. had disappeared two days
previous, carrying away with him
over 100000 in cash and securities
No trace Of him was suggested. The
past record of young Ransome was
renewed, at some pains it seemed t
me. To the public the inciden
seemed a fitting climax to the career
of young man who had left another
bank under suspicion of being in
volved in two inexplicable $4,000
losses"-so runs the world away.
Great JUNCTION in behalf of the de
pleted banker was exercised In stat
ing that no possible loss could accrue
to Purvois G. Co.. nor to their deposi
tors, as the missing cashier had beer
bonded by the Guaranty Indemnity
company for an amount equal to thu
amount Of the defalcation.
had just reached my room that eve
ming, when a telephone call announced
my friend at the other end Of the line
Come at once to the Cafe Males
tic," he said.
He led me three squares away wheI
I had joined him. l noticed that W.
passed the pretentious gilt and glass
plate front Of the Purvois banking
house. Then, where a court intersect
ed the street just beyond the place
Marvel took the lead toward gloomy
: boarded-up structure that had once
been warehouse.
Four men sprang suddenly into view
as Marvel pushed open door, bu
drew back as they recognized ny
guide. Then up two flights of stairs
we went and into a lighted room
Its door was as well guarded as be
low Again Marvel was in himself