The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1917-10-11

/ --o-As A-AS any 4uA lA6I ludu 10 OU-
serve:
! Very good. ! see the light, and
the end"
The end" did not seem to material
lze very rapidly. In fact, at the end
of the month began to suspect that
somewhere in the skein of mysteries,
a strand had knotted, somehow. In the
meantime had received a blank from
the Guaranty Indemnity company as
1 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
& 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 a
| purpose.
Tomorrow" he said, simply, in a
low tone.
Tomorrow it was-the crisis, though
not the final climax. Only a part of
my breakfast was complacent. The
rest of it, after I had taken up a
morning paper, was ruffled and unsat-
| isfactory.
In glazing headlines the print told
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 to
me. To the public the incident
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 & Co., nor to their deposit
tors, as the missing cashier had been
bonded by the Guaranty Indemnity
company for an amount equal to the
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 when
I had joined him. / noticed that we
passed the pretentious gilt and glass
plate front of the Purvois banking
house. Then, where 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 a door, but
drew back as they recognized my
guide. Then up two flights of stairs
we went and into a lighted room.
It's door was as well guarded as be-
low. Again Marvel was in himself
password. AS we came into the room
noticed two professional looking men
standing near cot. Upon it, white
and motionless, lay Allison Ransome.
l could not control the wave of pity
that involuntarily swept over me.
The rigid calm of that handsome
young face was apparently that of
death. Then I knew more, for my
friend asked one of the physicians:
How will it end, doctor?"
"He will live, Think was the re-
spouse, made guardedly. Some de-
pressing narcotic, subtle as the old
aqua tofana, has been administered.
The purpose seems to have been to
reduce mind and body to permanent
condition of lethargy, rather than to
produce distinct toxic effect"
"You have diagnosed it right" as.
sured Marvel. Within an hour /
shall probably know the properties of
the medicine"
"That will aid us materially" was
the reply.
There seemed to be great many
ramifications to the operations of
Resilius Marvel was beginning to
understand conditions. The alleged
embezzlement was a subterfuge on the
900 from the surety company. The
plan was to cause the disappearance
of the unsuspecting Ransome until |
the conspirators were ready to en-
bark with their loot for parts una |
known.
further knew, as Marvel entered |
another room, that he had discovered |
the men whose part it was to keep the |
man denounced as the absconder out
of the way. Three men were ranged |
on bench along the wall, hand
cuffed. and three men guarded them.
I soon knew, too, that the end one was
Tod Ferret. My friend brought a let
ter from his pocket and extended 1t
with a pencil to this man.
tits understood that I'm to get the
benefit If I sign?" said Ferret
'You will go free, unfortunately, if
Purvois comes to time," replied Mar
vel. II promise nothing"
He dispatched a man with the let
ter. Within half an hour Purvois
came into the room. He was pale,
breathless, cowed and crushed as Mar
vel placed him on the rack.
your course can be plain or
as you choose" advised my
friend. What demand is the $780,
900 you secured from the bank In your
clever raids. The surety company
will protect itself. ! advise you to
close up business and depart for new