Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1917-11-02

I'VE will 20 to the Gil ndale apart
mentS." announced lIy friend abruptly.
Ii was only through determined per
SiStenCy that Marvel was able To ut
last prevail upon Miss Garnet DruSe.
through her maid. To admit Us. Every
thing bespoke refinement as we en-
tered II room where sat frail delicate
girl whose face and manner bespoke
wistful CcnteneSs that appeared To
both of us. Her face was pale. her
bosom heaving. her eyes expressed II
hunted dread. She had not yet re-
covered from the great strain of the
episode to which we had been wit
ness.
Miss DruSe." spoke my friend. al
am KeSIiUS Marvel of the United
Bankers Protective association. This
gentleman" and he Indicated myself,
lis the private secretary of the bank
upon which that check is drawn. Our
mission is confidential and we ask an
explanation that will be entirely help
tul To YOU"
For II moment the fair young crea-
ture gazel ut Us as if her tongue WAS
%Uled to the roof of her mouth and the
life currents turned TO ice. Then her
head sank upon her arms outStrctched
on the table before her. She uttered
two despairing, heart-rending words:
Save us!'
| noted the humane, sympathetic
face of my friend soften. He made IL
quick motion to me which | under
stood and passed into the next room.
leaving the two alone. AS l stood at
the windows looking out into the
street could catch the echo of the
tones of Maryel-low, persuasive. al
most fatherly. Finally, broken. sob
bling intOnatiOns mingled. the current
of words became more steady. AT the
| end of half an hour when my friend
rejoinCd me. ! knew that master mind
| of his had prevailed over the shrink
| Ing. fearSOme mood of the beautiful
! Girl, stricken with the weight of some
| dread secret, and had conquered the
! clOuded situation. Now ii WIS clear
as crystal.
AinSlee Druse. sanguine, lightly
| balanced. invested with liberal wealth
for the first time in his life, had stray
ed to the seance chamber of the Mir
vaSa. Her fascination, II appeared
had less to do with his constant visits
than her speciOus influence in maxim.
him believe that through a judiCiouS
investment he could assist The Oldest
Man in the World to develop and
mature his ability To manufacture gold
from vast. substances. Nirvasa had
evidently secretly given him some sub
tie elixir under the guiSe of Il Elre In
dian wine that had completed his sub
iucation. He had revealed in Il fools
paradise. His sister had discovered in
part his infatuatiOn. She had followed
him that day TO the home of NirvaSa.
to see him give the check to the wOm-
IN upon which her name was forged.
She had broken in upon them. seizeC:
the check, and the end of her wiiG
flight we knew.
Miss Druse will strive to find her
brother through friends tonight and
send us word tomorrow" explained
Marvel. "She has begged me to allow
her to make this effort. which she
hopes will succeed. so that no scan
dial may result"
A hurry call reached me ut the bank
Just after the directors meeting the
next morning. 1t WIS from Resilius
Marvel and requested my immediate
presence / was ut his Office in a few
minutes. l noticed In his inner office
the fiutter Of a white handkerchief. My
friend closed the door as entered the
room.
1T is Miss Druse," he said to me nj
once. "a new complication has arisen
in the ,,use. hope and believe | have
acted - time. l want yod to go some
wher.- Sith me-"
/ knew where 1t was, after he had
held brief consultation with his Wis
itor. 1t appeared that Miss Druse had
come to his Office less than half IN
hour previous in u great state of ex
element and alarm. She had been
unable to find her brother, and a
thought had come to her mind that had
driven her to come downtown early In
the morning to visit the safety de
post vault where the plate, jewelry
and family papers Of the estate were
kept. Only she and her brother held
keys to the section where these val
uables were. She had made an appall
ing discovery. Family diamonds con
tanned In n chamOis bag to the value
Of over 100000. most of them former
ly the property of her dead mother
were missing. Fooled In securing CAPT
tai for his mad scheme Of wealth
Ainslee Druse had secured the jewels
They were doubtless by this time In
the possession Of the cOnspirators.
Il have had two men acting on or
ders at the seance studio since las
evening" reported Marvel as we spur
along toward our destination. There
is m. man now" he added as, reach
ing the front of the building We ha(
so strangely visited the day previous
a prim. severe-faced individual came
to the side of the machine.
1--WE have detained the lady," re
ported this ally Of Resilius Marvel
AT midnight we saw the crowd hat
taken alarm and were bent on flight
You left open orders, and l acted OF
my best judgment"
very good"
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