The Green Forest tribune., 1917-10-05
up the letter in your mail box?"

another apartment l fetgned fear of an intrusion. Step in there for a mo- ment,' I directed my visitor, opening the door to that anteroom wonder Instantly, taken off his guard, he seized the reverse knob and held to 1t as l pushed the door shut. Then had my man down in black and white Unconsciously he had followed the prison rule of drawing to and hold ing tightly the door until the tier locking bar falls in place. When l an nounced false alarm and called him back into the room, had ready. spread over the blotter on my desk, paraf- fined sheet of paper. Just set your thumb on that corner while 1 tack 1t down. I suggested. He did so, and that piece of 1t you see has the i'm. press of his thumb. I made ado to do some scribbling on the sheet to subdue any suspicious he might entertain He went away satisfied that by night would be on nay way on a fools CT rand"
 And later?"
 "The identification bureau. Thanks to his thumb impression and my ability to describe my plausible visitor, l was practically convinced that l had been honored by call from no less a per sonage than the notorious Rex Ma ginn. alias the Human Spool"
 "A strange pseudonym," l observed.
 "So awarded" explained Marvel, lon account of his brilliant record as an expert smuggler up along the Cana dian border This man was once cap. tured by the Detroit police. They dis robed him to find some thousands of yards of fine lace wound round and round him. They began turning him in circle. They reeied off vast quan titles of the stuff, until he fell down dizzy and exhausted, and they had to give him frequent rests before they un. wound the discounted human spool | "A known criminal then?"
 1 "Yes, but quiescent for few years. the record runs. That Is his system however. He generally satisfies him. self with pulling off two or three big things In a decade"
 And Is probably preparing for one of those signal events at the present time," I ventured.
 Beyond doubt. In plain English this man and his associates are bent upon some big scheme, probably in the bank line, where my absence is an es sential. I wired the state prison. Our Brazilian friend was there this morn ing. and visited long termer named Dorchester Ickes. who is serving time as bank embezzler"
 ''If 1 can assist you" ] suggested hoping that Marvel would let me.
 q will cable you," was the response with dry dry smile-"from Rio"
 It was a case of while the cats sup | posed to be away the mice will play, to my manner of thinking, looked for something to happen immediately Three days passed by, however, and Resilius Marvel. according to the schedule, should be forty-eight hours out on the Brazilian steamer Express bound for Rio. While I was sure that some big bank trick was about to be pulled off, as the saying goes, I won dered where the lightning might strike, how and when, and doubted not that Rex Maginn would be in evidence when the culmination arrived. The Human Spool did not put in an ap pearance, however. I wondered Ii Marvel had already nipped his scheme in the bud.
 The third evening, I found myself headed in the direction of MarveIs apartment and I quickened my steps as I turned corner to come within view of the house where Marvel lived At the side of one of the shades of his library there was glint of light. The shade had become disarranged in some way. I drew back, walked forward stopped, and then got upon a hitching block to acquire the exact focus needed.
 At last-there was Resilius Marvel in his accustomed easy chair. Stand ing near a table in front of him was a stout man wearing full white beard and silk hat. He was drawing on his gloves as If about to depart walked around the corner. posted my. self in an open doorway adjoining the apartment house, and waited.
 Almost immediately I saw the man with the high hat come out into the street. He turned in first one direc tion and then another and glanced sharply down the street in both Then he almost ran to an automobile stand ing at the curb. leaped into it. slammed Its door shut, gave some quick order to the chauffeur and the machine started away.
 had no reason to imagine anything significant and sinister about the man except his covert, nervous actions. had no thought of following him. My intention was to mount the stairs to l Marvel's rooms and venture to in trude upon my. friend. At just that juncture. however, something hap. pened, something so unexpected that l was lifted off my feet, fairly.
 Standing in the shadow of line of trees opposite the apartment house was second machine. It's chauffeur was unobtrusively lounging in his seat. As If by magic he started up. A man made flying leap from some dark doorway back from the curb. knew the sprint. l Knew the supple swing of the body I caught the out, line of the face in glint of the cor her arc light. though well shadowec by broad peaked cap pulled down al most to the raised collar of the crav- enette-it was Resilius Marvel l The first automohile was ont of sight. the second machine two blocks down the street by the time I could comprehend what two Resilius Mar