The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1917-09-21
rwsHERE was a quick call at the
telephone, and Resilius Marvel
n seized the receiver as though


heard him ask in rapid succession:
Letters-numbers-
He penciled rapidly on his shirt Gun
ss the replies came.
Verify" were his final words: "'E-
796,701, Series of 1906 Very well"
and hung up the receiver and arose
to his feet "Come with me-" he add
ed simply, and / knew that the great
head of the United Bankers Protec-
tive association was started on an
other ease"
e. 1906" I observed with sud
den shock of memory as we reached
the street-"if that applies to a one
hundred dollar treasury note"
1T does," youchsafed Marvel terse-
ly.
Then you probably have the man."
eff instructions have been followed.
yes" replied my friend.
t'Who is it?"
1.-THE Central National"
"That makes ten"
"You keep good tab" complimented
Marvel-"exactly ten. What an opti-
mist this original shower of the queer
must bel"
Briefly. within a week ten counter
felt 500 notes had been passed upon
the city banks. On certain Monday
morning a spruce, sprightly young
man of about twenty-five had come
into our institution and had presented
himself at the paying teller's window
with five 500 treasury notes. He
asked to have them changed into bills
of smaller denominations and was
readily accommodated. The teller
had noted they were comparatively
new, that their serial numbers were
consecutive. An expert glance salts
fed him, however, that they were all
right They were placed with other
hundreds to make up a package of
twenty, or $1,000, and nothing more
was thought of it.
Four mornings later Resilius Mar
vel came into the bank with No. 296
sos of the same series. Across Its
face was stamped the word Counter
felt in broad red letters taking IN
the full front surface of the note.
Have you any of those?" he in
quired, placing the bill before me.
81 will find out" I replied, and theT
rather wonderingly scanned the note
1t would have passed muster with me
and l counted myself something of
specialist in my line.
1t took half an hour to go the
rounds of the cages. 1t is almost sec
0nd nature for a. teller to remember
any bill he has handled, especially
those of large denomination. The
man who had changed the treasury
notes for stranger soon had the hve
In question in evidence.
Two more of the $500 notes turned
up twenty-four hours later at another
institution. Then two other banks
each contributed like bills. In each
case smiling, easy-mannered young
fellow had passed the notes. Marve
had named progress to me as it cul
minated. Now a tenth note hat
turned up. / accompanied him to the
Central National.
The floor officer was waiting FOL
Marvel, and knew him. There was
flutter of Importance and excitement
i'm his manner at being concerned II
a professional transaction with tht
great head of the United Bankers
Protective association. He took III
to the paying teller, saying nothing
but looking the part of an humble
instrument Of justice who had coop
Grated in capturing crook" Thu
teller, looking wise and keen and in ;
suppressed way exultant, beckoned t.
us, and we went beyond the railing
and around into an anteroom, wher'
he joined US.
''There is one of the hundred yol
tagged for us, Mr.. Marvel" he said
and handed 800 bill to my friend.
Resilius Marvel nodded, gave tn
bill a close scrutiny, and returned
to the teller with the words: "Cance
it and preserve it for evidence
Where is the MANI"
The teller slipped the note into hi
coat pocket and took out a key.
"This way" he directed, and W
followed him down a narrow corridor
AS he started to open a steel-studde
door Marvel halted him.
zone moment" he said-"tell m
the circumstances of the matter"
why, your warning had prepare
US all, of course" explained the ban
man. when the fellow with his not
presented it, l pretended to be Gale
by my assistant in the next cage.
quietly pressed the call button, sis
mailing what l wanted to the chic
cgark,c daSk He and tha floor office
came up quietly. The man at tn
window looked amazed and indignar
as the officer seized his arm. He d.
Ymanded to know what his arres
meant. When told him that the bi
was counterfeit, it seemed to me a
Sc all of a sudden some frightful SUI
gestion drove his face colorless. H
nearly fell to the floor. Now? Ye
Mr.. Marvel" and the speaker I'll
A. l1ar H. CT han1r O