Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1917-10-26
up the letter in your mail box?"

precisely While | was conversin
with him door was closed noisily Il
another apartment | feigned fear O
an intrusion. Step in there for a me
ment.' directed my visitor, opening
the door TO that anteroom yonder
Instantly, taken of his guard, b.
seized the reverse knob and held to
as | pushed the door shut. Then
had my man down in black and white
CnconsciousP he had followed tn,
prison rule Of drawing to and hold
Ing tightly the door until the tie
locking bar falls in place. When an
nounced false alarm and called hin
back into the room, | had ready. spread
over the blotter on my desk. paraf
fined sheet OF paper. Just set YOU
thumb on that corner while tack II
/ down, | suggested He did so, anC
that piece Of it you see has the i'm
| press or his thumb | made ado to dc
some scribbling on the sheet TO subdue
any suspicious he might entertain He
went away satisfied that by night
would be on my way on a fools er
| rand"
And later?"
THE Identification bureau Thanks
/ TO his thumb impression and my ability
to describe my plausible visitor. | was
practically convinced that | had been
| honored by call from no less a per
sonage than the notorious Rex Ma
ginn, alias the Human Spool"
"A strange pseudonym," | observed
$50 awarded" explained Marvel. ION
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 reeled off vast guam
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. them"
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" | ventured
Beyond doubt In plain English
this man and his associates are ben
upon some big scheme. probably in tn
bank line, where my absence is an es
sential | wired the state prison Gu
Brazilian friend was there this NOR
ing and visited long termer name.
Dorchester Ickes. who is serving tim
as bank embezzler."
IF | can assist you" | suggested
hoping that Marvel would let me-
Il will cable you" was the response
with dry, dry smile-"from Rio"
TWAS 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 was sure that
some big bank trick was about to be
pulled off, as the saying goes, won
dered where the lightning might
strike, how and when. and doubted not
that Rex Maginn would be In evidence
when the elimination arrived. The
I'm Cnnn1 l.
pearance. however. wondered II
Marvel had already nipped his scheme
in the bud.
The third evening, I found myself
headed In the direction OF MarveTs
apartment and | quickened my steps
as | turned a corner to come within
view of the house where Marvel lived
At the side of one of the shades of his
library there was a CLINT of light. The
shade had become disarranged in some
way. | drew back, walked forward.
stopped, and then got upon hitching
block to acquire the exact focus /
needed.
At last-there was Resilius Marvel, |
n his accustomed easy chair Stand. |
ng near a table in front Of him was |
l stout man wearing a full white |
beard and silk hat. He was drawing |
IN his gloves as II about to depart | |
walked around the corner. posted my !
elf in an open doorway adjoining the
apartment house, and waited
Almost Immediately | saw the man
With the high hat come out into the
treet. He turned in first one drec.
ion and then another and glanced
harply down the street in both. Then
10 almost ran to an automobile stand
ne at the curb. leaped into 1t,
damned It's door shut, gave some
uick order to the chauffeur and the
machine started away.
i had no reason to imagine anything
ignificant and sinister about the man
xcept his covert. nervous actions.
ad no thought OF following him. My
attention was to mount the stairs to
iarvels rooms and venture to In
rude upon my friend. At Just that
lncture, however. something hap
ened. something so unexpected that
was lifted of my feet, fairly.
Standing In the shadow OF a line OF
rees opposite the apartment house ,
'as a second machine. Its chauffeur ,
las unobtrusively lounging in his
eat. AS II by magic he started up /
man made a flying leap from some
ark doorway back from the curb l.,
new the sprint. Knew the supple