Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1917-10-05
was quick call at the

that the first word impaired over the
wire met his anticipations. Then l
heard him ask in rapid succession:
Letters numbers-series?'
He penciled rapidly on his shirt cuff
as the replies cane.
Verify were his final words: E
296,7Ol. 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 case"
"'E 1906" | observed with a sud
den shock of memory as We reached
the street-'if that applies to one
hundred dollar treasury note
1T does" vouchsafed Marvel terse-
ly.
Then you probably have the man"
IF instructions have been followed.
yes" replied my friend.
Who is it,"
The Central National"
That makes ten"
You keep good tab" complimented
Maryel-"exactly ten. What an opti-
mist this original shower Of the queer
must be-"
Briefly, within a week ten counter
felt 500 notes had been passed upon
the city banks. On a 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 800 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 1t.
Four mornings later Resilius Mar
vel came into the bank with No. 296, |
695 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 thosef he in
Quired. placing the bill before me.
Il will find out" replied. and then
rather wonderingly scanned the note. |
1t would have passed muster with me, t
and I counted myself something of a
specialist in my line.
1t took half an hour to 60 the |
rounds of the cages. 1t is almost sec
ond nature for teller to remember |
any bill he has handled, especially |
those of large denomination. The |
man who had changed the treasury
notes for a stranger soon had the five
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 a smiling, easy-mannered young
fellow had passed the notes. Marvel
had named progress to me as it cul-
minated. Now tenth note had
turned up. l accompanied him to the
Central National.
The floor officer was waiting for
Marvel. and knew him. There was a
futter Of Importance and excitement
in his manner at being concerned in
q professional transaction with the
great head of the United Bankers
Protective association. He took us
to the paying teller. saying nothing,
but looking the part of an. humble
instrument of justice who had coop
Grated in capturing a crook" The
teller, looking wise and keen and in a
suppressed way exultant, beckoned to
US, and We went beyond the railing
and around into an anteroom, where
he Joined US.
There is one Of the hundred you
tagged for US. Mr. Marvel" he said.
and handed 500 bill to my friend.
Resilius Marvel nodded, gave the
bill close scrutiny, and returned it
to the teller with the words: Cancel
1t and preserve it for evidence.
Where is the MANI"
The teller slipped the note into his
coat pocket and took out a key.
This way" he directed. and We
followed him down a narrow corridor
AS he started to open a steel-studded
door Marvel halted him.
One moment" he said-"tell me
the circumstances of the matter"
why. your warning had prepared ,
US all, OF course" explained the bank
man. When the fellow with his note ,
presented it. l pretended to be called ,
by my assistant in the next cage |
quietly pressed the call button, sig
mailing what | wanted to the chief ,
clerks desk. He and the floor officer
came up quietly. The man at the
window looked amazed and indignant ,
as the officer seized his arm. He de- ,
manded to know what his arrest
meant. When | told him that the bill ,
was counterfeit, 1t seemed to me as !
II all OF a sudden some frightful sug-
gestion drove his face colorless. He ,
nearly fell to the floor Now Yes, ,
Mr.. Marvel" and the speaker un-
locked the door. He started back as
he opened it. and stared blankly at |
man standing in the center of the ,
place before a high desk with a table ;
top.
Too bad" spoke Marvel quickly. I
as he crowded past our guide and his {
eye swept the room in his rapid, COM ,
prehensive way.
did not make out what Marvel {
l..