Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1917-09-14

schemers, 'pikers" and delinquents
who have been tagged at the older in
stitutions. Young Paget pretty shrewd-
ly evaded most of the pitfalls, but one
day King" Gundorf walked into the
bank.
1t was not as Gundorf that he did
this, but as Bogart Rutledge. He an
nounced that he was about to buy out
the old and established Acme Metals
company, concern SO well known to
Paget that he was at once interested.
Gundorf stated that he was paying
100000 for the business, half cash,
now held in escrow, as a receipt
showed. He wished the bank to loan
him 100000. for which he, as the new
president of the Acme, would put up
the entire 100000 stocks of that COM
pany. The bank had no right TO make
a loan in one volume so largely in ex-
cess of proportional capital restric-
tions, but Gundorf claimed il would be
for only ten days and offered a hand
In five days the explosion came. To
his dismay Paget learned that the pre-
tended Rutledge, in giving the collat-
eral note for 100000 had no authority
to sign, at that time, as president of
the Acme. This fact relieved the cor
poration of all liability and the Dank
held worthless piece of paper and a
non-valid stock transfer receipt. The
next discovery was that Gundorf had
disappeared with the 100000 received
from the bank. and that the 100000
in escrow comprised counterfeit notes.
ined this was made manifest, and at
this point Resilius Marvel was called
in.
He recognized the culprit from his
earmarks at once. Gundorf had been
sentenced to long term of imprison-
ment in Brazil year back. He was
supposed to be out of the way. for
spell at least. But about six months
since there had appeared on the mar
ket a fifty-dollar counterfeit note.
which. to Marvels experienced eyes.
was the product of Gundorf's skill.
Before any of them had been recog-
nized as dangerous by the banks, Mar
vel had detected the flaws in the issue.
There were two material variations
| from the good notes. AS soon as he
sent out this possibility of worldwide
Identification, all fifty-dollar notes
were of course scanned closely.
To run down the counterfeits was
Marvels first purpose; to help out the
Guardian Trust and Savings an added
motive. The Acme people had lost
nothing, as they simply invalidated
the stock contract. Paget, however
was out 100000 His father was now
| trying to raise this amount so the
bank could continue, or, If necessary
go out of business honorably. The
banks within the Clearing House we're
trying to smother publicity, for fear
of general run. Paget had been CIV
en- thirty days by the bank examiners
to clear the situation. He had tech
nically violated the banking laws, and
but for the pending strained financial
situation his bank would have been
closed and himself prosecuted.
The Guardian Trust and Savings
cleared through our bank, Paget was
a personal friend, held fifty shares
of the stock-that is how l was inter
ested. For two weeks Marvel had
been on the track of Gundorf He had
his own ideas as to how far catching
him would relieve conditions.
You are interested" he said, as l
arose to leave the room, fearing l
might be in the way. Stay where
you are. | have had a man watching
the house where Gundorf lived until
he put over this last deal of his"
But vacant, | understand you to
say"
Vacant, true, but the rent paid up
for six months. and telephone, gas and
electricity ordered kept ready for use
and paid for ahead. | fancy my man
has learned something at last, and !
also imagine he IS bringing somebody
with him."
AS the door opened on noiseless
hinges Lott ushered into the room two
men. The one who held the other a
prisoner was a powerful. unkenpt fel
low, who resembled a tramp who
might have been sleeping in a dog
kennel over night. l later found out
that this was literally true-but for
a week, instead of day.
His companion. cringing, terror
faced. wildly distraught. was a 1.-THE
wiry man, brown as a berry, with
small, beady eyes. His garb was hall
foreign, his actions those of a mental
He was in a frantic excess of terror
and trembled as Marvel fixed those
grave, boring eyes upon him.
Il made the catch on suspicion.
spoke his captor. He was ringing al
the door bell of the place We know
when | showed up. He's an innocent
and doesn't understand q word of Eng
lish. Held out this card and this pic
ture," and the speaker gave beth to
Marvel. who glanced at them and
then passed them to me. The card
, bore the address of the house under
surveillance. The photograph was q
/. duplicate of one he had shown me
, more than once-"King" Gundorf
Marvel nodded to his. assistant, who
, departed ike a man thoroughly train
, ed in his profession. The foreigner
stood now nervously pressing his un
: steady hands together, the cold swea,
gathering on his face. Once he held
out his hand piteously for the return
of the articles taken from him. Mar
, h 4.