The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1917-09-21

bank the next morning. | found him
with newspaper folded across his
knee and his eyes regarding 1t with
a vexed expression.
did you see it?" he inquired.
l guessed what, and told him so,
and ran hurriedly over an item an
nouncing that a new 800 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 compli-
cation"
| l did not see how, just then. /
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. | 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: II must see
| you.-A. B."
Il may need you," observed my
/ illCnd, anu dLLGI a HAIL nOuE 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 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 APP
preaching shadows of eventide.
caught some rapid words from a
room beyond the heavy draperies, ey-
identity smoking apartment of the
library. / noted, however, that Mar
vel heard them quicker than I, for he
moved from his seat to a chair closer
to the masked doorway. The words,
not in the tones of Mr.. Buckingham,
were rapid, insistent, almost menac-
ing:
THE plates-the plates!"
There was an utterance akin to a
groan, and it proceeded from the lips
of the millionaire, / 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 a client who has one
proposition to make to you. My prom
Use ends with distinct and final neg
alive or affirmative. 1t places me in
a regrettable and unfortunate posi-
ton to be the representative of men
who are dangerous criminals, but
am 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 Perciva
1 buckingham, chief engraver for tn,
/ government, was taken i'll and re
| moved to a sanitarium while yoI
Y were absent in Europe. Too close al
plication TO delicate expert work ha
II blighted his mind. He escaped frol
the sanitarium, and three men l wi
N not name, but once known as Il
Z, most finished showers of the queer
= the world, got hold of him, They sd
their opportunity and improved
They were shrewd, capable men al
made no plumbers. What they did "
will now learn for the first time.
Those men secured the upper f1ot
of a lonely, secluded house. The
fitted it up as nearly as possible lik
one of the work rooms In the treasur
department They took your delude
son there, and made him believe tina
he was producing new 1906 serie
800 plates for the government. Fo
= | ne orIv that HE hnune
His mind did not refuse to act me
: chanically along the line eye and skill
had directed for so many years. Il
brief, he made two plates, so perfec
: that they we're almost duplicates o
the original government plates
Twelve impressions were made, ant
: two of these were tested by being
placed in circulation. Today they arr
somewhere in existence, their valid
ity never doubted. Within that weel
!. it must have been, while unguardeC
and alone, your son had fash of hi
: old mentality. At all events, wher
his three captors returned they fount
;, him gone, and with him the two treas
ury plates and the ten printed $40
bills.
Now for your end of the story, a
understand it: Your son appeared
at this home, suddenly, unexpectedly
e He must have brought the plates AM
the notes. You believed him coun
q terfeiter, for before he could explain
e to you, his insane mood returned
e You at once removed him to priyat
Y asylum. Later you sent him with
I relative, Alan Dean, to Paris. He re
d gained his reason. Today he occupie
! studio in the French capital, patron
lied by devotees of high art. Happil
n married all that year of mental darf
d ness forgotten, restored to his RICH
/ mind, he is wonderful producer Q
It art etchings, man Of fame. and NAL
, velously prosperous. You have bee
It content to keep him out of the cour