The Tomahawk., 1917-10-04

would simply count the packages, &C
cepting their stamped value, tossing
them aside and aggregating amounts,
even as you and I the small change
for a dollar.
One day it was necessary to use q
large amount of the reserve cash, a
$4,000 package included in the ag'
! gregate was found to contain, instead
Of fifty $1,000 bills, exactly fifty ones.
That package had been passed from
hand to hand for over a year, It's
stamped value always accepted with
out hesitation. The cord enclosing it,
duly covered with government seals,
was apparently all right. There was
nothing in the exterior appearance OF
the package to indicate tampering or
substitution.
Here was cold, clear fact, however
-$49,95O short. The sub-treasury
agent looked over the opened package,
casually inspected the coverings, and
calmly called attention to three facts
that were incontrovertible: the string
was not government string, the wax
in the seals was not government wax
and the paper enclosing the package
did not bear the government water
mark. In other words, the govern
ment disputed ever delivering the
package to the Unity National Some
one had substituted the one contain
ing the one-dollar bills month back
two, three, siX-or yesterday, or to-
day. It was the duty of Alison Ran
some to guess how it could have been
done, for he was responsible for tho
deeds and misdeeds of the depart
ment.
Resilius Marvel had been called in.
It took him a day to decide that no.
body in the bank had worked the sub
stitution. When he came to examine
the wrapper that had enclosed the
substituted bills, he found that it had
been a discarded covering for, some
other package at one time, such as
were thrown into the waste room.
The figures had been changed, but the
official stamp helped through the i'm
position. AS to the seals, they had
been broken in opening the package,
so their recent real condition could
not be estimated.
At the time was silent lounger
in a dark corner in Marveps private
office when he held a rapid fire col
loquy with this same Alison Ransome.
felt sorry for the young fellow, for
he was so artless, so distressed, SO
clear in his statements, that there was
| not false note palpable in what he
said. He had brought the visitors
register with him. Spread out on the
same glass-topped table where I now
over it line by line.
There were foreign and sightseeing
visitors, soon disposed of. The repre-
sentatives Of country banks came I'M
der cynosure with no results warrant
ing suspicion. Every name on the
register was tailed off quite satisfac-
torily until they came to a delicate
line announcing Miss Vera Tithenor.
"Credited to whom?" Marvel had
challenged, keeping his finger on the
penciled initials after the name and
looking Ransome squarely in the face,
who flushed like a schoolboy and
blurted out:
Myself"
noticed Marvel just there start
slightly,
"A friend-a relative?"
"A friend, yes" answered Ransome;
well, 1 might better say an acquaint-
ance. I knew the lady only casually
at the time. She expressed wish to
60 through the bank and of course
had to be courteous. Then she
brought friend. She was very much
interested in bank details, saying her
father and her uncle had been in that
line once"
Tall, fair?" insinuated Marvel, and
knew he was prompted to pursue
the topic by the vagrant thought
noted.
Tall. fair-very fair" acceded the
young fellow, with almost a sigh.
Light blue eyes-one disfgured?"
continued Marvel.
why, MOI" exclaimed Ransome,
with hard stare. What a strange
question to ask, sir! Blue eyes! Dis
figured! Indeed, no, sir-eyes black
as a sloe, and very bright and-be-
witching. I've got to say it," ex-
planned the speaker, with a slight
laugh, "for to! tell you the. truth,
fancied I was in love with.Miss 1.-THE
nor at the time"
And now?" Intercepted Marvel,
mercilessly. x
Il have not seen her for weeks. 1
understand she has gone abroad"
The color of the eyes seemed to
settle the matter with Marvel, and he
checked off the name. After THAI
evening I considered the case aban-
doned. for I had not heard Marvel
mention it since, The bank quietly
buried the circumstances, but young
Ransome left its employ week later
I understood that he had joined some
small brokerage firm. There was no
imputation as to his honesty, but the
luckless loss of 100000 to the bank
cfood aooinsf him m tho records