The Tomahawk. [volume] (White Earth, Becker County, Minn.) 1903-192?, 1917-10-18

ed several thousands of dollars, and
then with her combination had faded
away.
Resilius Marvel came to me just as
had concluded my interesting read
ing. He held two pieces Of paper in
his hands. They were crumpled frag-
ments Strengthened out, and I knew
represented the little wad of paper l
had seen him pick up at the window
where we had seen the girl.
"Look that over" he said.
A new zest of interest came INTO the
strange case. Torn crossWise, the two
fragments comprised check for $780,
OOO signed "Ainslee Druse," Garnet
Druse." It was drawn on our bank.
do you know them?' asked Mar
vel.
81 know the account well,' replied,
lost in surprise and augury; II know
Ainslee Druse by sight. This is-fair-
ly remarkable"
"It gives us plain sailing for Bit"
declared Marvel in his businesslike
way. II have been busy at the tele-
phone. Nirvasa told the truth; the
girl we saw, or at least one answering
to her description, lives at the Glendale
apartments, and her name is Garnet
Druse."
"That is the sister of Ainslee
Druse," I volunteered. eff you will
give me ten minutes I may be able to
dig up something at the bank"
"Go ahead" said Marvel simply.
I came back with some real infOr-
nation. The Druses, brother and SIS
ter, were children Of the Hon. Amos
Druse, now abroad. We had carried
two family accounts. One was in the
name Of Ainslee Druse, originally $780,
600, drawn down in solid amounts
through sixtyNays, and a last check
presented twosdays previous, thrown
out-"N. S. F."
"Not sufficient funds, eh?" translat-
ed Marvel. "And the other account?"
"Joint checks honored only on de-
posit of Amos Druse when bearing sig
nature of both brother and sister,
"Good for the face of that check?"
Eyes, and four times over" I re-
piled. 'There is something: queer
about this affair."" I submitted. 1.-THE
paying teller says the withdrawal of
such substantial amounts caused him
to notice Ainslee Druse. He knows
him slightly in a social way. Says
he has been hurried, excited, dOpy by
turns when he came to draw money
of late"
"We will go to the Glendale apart
ments," announced my friend abruptly.
1t was only through determined per-
sistency that Marvel was able to at
last prevail upon Miss Garnet Druse,
through her maid, to admit us. Every
thing bespoke refinement as we en-
tered room where sat frail delicate
girl whose face and manner bespoke
wistful gentleness that appeared to
both of us. Her face was pale, her
bosom heaving, her eyes expressed a
hunted dread. She had not yet re-
7 covered from the great strain of the
episode to which we had been a wit
ness.
miss Druse," spoke my friend, 81
am Resilius 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
full to YOU"
For a moment the fair young crea-
ture gazed at us as if her tongue was
glued to the roof of her mouth and the
life currents turned to ice. Then her
head sank upon her arms Outstretched
on the table before her. She uttered
two despairing, heart-rendjng words !:
"Save us!"
1 noted the humane, sympathetic
face of my friend soften. He made a
quick motion to me which I under
stood and passed into the next room,
leaving the two alone. AS stood at
the windows looking out into the
street I could catch the echo Of the
tones of Marvel-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
rejoined me, I 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 it was 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, it appeared,
had less to do with his constant visits
than her specious influence in making
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 waste substances. Nirvasa had
evidently secretly given him some SUBJ
tie elixir under the guise Of rare In
dian wine that had completed his SUBJ
jugation. He had revelled in a FOOLS
paradise. His sister had discovered in