The Tomahawk., 1917-09-20

/ tense curiosity and impatience to
drop In upon him on my way t. the
bank the next morning. l found MIN
with a newspaper folded across his
knee and his eyes regarding 1t Win
q vexed expression.
did you see it," ne inquired.
guessed what, and told him so,
and ran hurriedly over an item an
nouncing that a new 500 treasury
note counterfeit-the particulars con-
corning which, even to the approx
mate serial numbers, were given
had appeared on the market.
| Some one has babbled," scolded
my friend. 1T may make a compl1-
| cation"
l did not see how, just then. I
knew better-later. Marvel had moth
! ing to impart to me of progress or
| Importance in the case, but late that
afternoon there came hurry call for
me from him. l closed my desk and
was soon in his company.
He handed me a card which he
took from an envelope. 1t read sim
ply, in pencil scrawl: Il must see
you.-A. B."
Il may need you," observed my
friend, and after half hours spin
we arrived at the home of the mil
lionaire.
The servant who answered the sum-
mons at the door seemed to know
we were expected. She led us down
the hall to a sort of library, saying
! that Mr.. Buckingham was engaged,
but that she would announce our pres
ence shortly. Then she left us alone
in the room, half darkened by the ap-
preaching shadows of eventide,
l caught some rapid words from
room beyond the heavy draperies, ev-
identity a smoking apartment of the
library. I noted, however, that Mar
vel heard them quicker than l., for he
moved from his seat to chair closer
to the masked doorway. The words,
not in the tones Of Mr.. Buckingham,
were rapid, insistent, almost menac-
ing:
1.-THE plates-the plates!"
There was an utterance akin to
groan, and it proceeded from the lips
| of the millionaire, I readily traced.
Then the former voice, only clacking,
wheedling and menacing at the same
time, spoke again:
"Mr. Buckingham, am here in the
interests of client who has one
proposition to make to you. My prom
Use ends with a distinct and final neg
alive or affirmative. It places me in
regrettable and unfortunate posi-
| ton to be the representative Of men
who are dangerous criminals, but
am a lawyer. Shall briefly state
the case?"
There was no reply, at least none
audible to US. The speaker contin-
ued:
"Some years ago, your son Percival
Buckingham, chief engraver for the
government, was taken i'll and re-
moved to a sanitariuln while you
were absent in Europe. Too close ap-
plication to delicate expert work had
blighted his mind. He escaped from
the sanitarium, and three men will
not name, but once known as the
most finished showers Of the queer In
the world, got hold of him. They saw
their opportunity and improved it.
They were shrewd, capable men and
made no blunders. What they did you
will now learn for the first time.
"Those men secured the upper floor
| of lonely, secluded house. They
fitted it up as nearly as possible like
one of the work rooms in the treasury
| department. They took your deluded
son there, and made him believe that
he was producing new 1906 series
$500 plates for the government. For
| nearly a year that was his home.
His mind did not refuse to act me-
chanfcally along the line eye and skill
had directed for so many years. In
brief, he made two plates, so perfect
that they were almost duplicates OF
the original government plates.
Twelve impressions were made, and
two of these were tested by being
placed in circulation. Today they are
somewhere in existence, their valid
ity never doubted. Within that week
it must have been, while unguarded
and alone, your son had a flash OF his
old mentality. At all events, when
his three captors returned they found
him gone, and with him the two treas
Jury plates and the ten printed 500
bills.
Nov for your end Of the story, as
| I understand it: Your son appeared
at this home, suddenly, Unexpectedly.
He must have brought the plates and
the notes. You believed him a coun-
terfeiter, for before he could explain
| to you, his insane mood returned.
You at once removed him to a private
| asylum. Later you sent him with
relative, Alan Dean, to Paris. He re-
gained his reason. Today he occupies
a studio in the French capital, patron
lied by devotees of high art. Happily
married, all that year Of mental dark
ness forgotten, restored to his right
mind, he is wonderful producer OF
e.