The Green Forest tribune., 1917-10-05
THEN his office stenographei an-

OnlteQ Bankers Pr0teCtlVe as sociation, had gone to Rio Janeiro, Bra xii, on secret and important mission, | smiled to myself. It was true that for several days the secretary of the association had attended to the duties or the office. It was also true that Marvel's bachelor quarters uptown were closed and the shades drawn. He was no longer present at his accus- toned haunts. I, his favored friend had not seen him since the Tuesday previous. For all that, I doubted if this secret agent and protector of the cfty's banks was one and identical with the Resiius Marvel whose minor office force supposed him to be a thou sand miles distant.
 The more I revived the last occasion upon which I had seen him, the more certain was I that my informant was mistaken. and some one else double crossed" applied this phrase at the time with casual glibness. I little dreamed how pat was my surmise un til events progressed. Upon the eve ming referred to had strolled over to Marvefs room for a quiet smoke and chat. to find him packing a grip.
 Rush call," he announced briskly Its a brief journey. consultation and small fortune. this time.''
 expressed my regret at losing his company I repressed my intense GU Hosity. He never wasted words to nc purpose. never made untimely dis closures. When he got ready. or the minute was right, or time developed the circumstances. I would be duly appraised. knew.
 Sit down." he directed. leading me into little den off the main apart ment. "I have something to tell you. and he pointed to sheet of tissue pa. per spread across stand.
 noted a nondescript assemblage of some matches, what suggested shoe scrapings, little heap of hard black cinders, a jagged piece of parafflne paper and pile of crisp brittle ashes
 Tn the first place." narrated Marvel "a letter was slipped through the door slot into my metal mail box yesterday evening, and am unable to determine its contents. In plain words, missive intended for me was destroyed. Some one knew 1t was coming to me, or had arrived, and slid lighted matches through the slot until the letter was burned up"
 Just after noon today" resumed Marvel, "I had visitor. He presented card which announced him to be Senor Marco Valdez, business man Of Rio Janeiro, Brazil. He did not pre- possess me favorably from the start In fact. he had not been with me more than two minutes before I traced an ulterior design in his mission and straightway lent myself to his leading He had baited his trap with five thou sand dollars, and to his way of think ing fell into it body and heels. There was family trouble at Rio serious trouble with the various branches oi the Valdez family, rich as it was. pow erful as 1t always had been. Bankers cattlemen, exporters, their family in terests were in peril from a circum stance of which l would be appriseG when I reached Rio-with sealed in structions, mind you; for. although he had travelled far to engage me at the suggestion of the president of New York bank, he must leave an explana tion as to how and why my services were required to his brother, Colonel Valdez, of Rio Janeiro. My visitor pro duced five one-thousand-do dollar bank notes. and requested me to designate a bank where he should deposit them subject to my order upon my return from my mission. He further rendered a memoranda of a contract to be O. K.'d by his brother. Two million dollars was involved in the case Should I succeed in accomplishing what his brother would direct, was te receive ten per cent. of this enormous sum"
 Quite speculation" suggested.
 "So rich and promising" observed Marvel in his dry, wise way. that ac cepted at once. The details were gone over I am expected to leave on the evening fast mail. The office can run itself on routine work until return If you feel lonesome. drop over here once in a while," and he handed me 6 duplicate key to the apartments.
 And you may return more speedily than you now plan," suggested.
 Possibly. After all was said and done," continued my friend, my wis ttor proceeded on his trip-to Denver 1 think he said. Then I sat down tc cogitate over some flaws in his story One-he said he had been at his hote all the morning. See exhibits 1 and 9, meaning that little heap of cinders and next to 1t that pile of shoe scrap ings. l took pains to place brin up on a newspaper the hat my visitor wore. shaking these cinders off the rim They came from a locomotive l reckon, thereby indicating that my client lied to me, and that he had been sitting at the open window of a rail way car just before he reached here As to the shoe scrapings, they are the result of contact of the sole of his shoe with the round of the chair over wonder where he rested 1t. There is g good deal of marble dust mixed with the clay, which Is reddish l recall that the yard at the state prison. forty miles from here, has marble yard and a natural red clay soil"
 T see." nodded. energetically ant admiringly.
 Flaw two-T offered Senor Marco Valdez cigar after we had talked awhile," resumed Marvel, but I diG not offer Jim light. He took out hi. own match box. Exhibit three. those match stubs wonder represent the