The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1917-09-27

I am lawyer. Shall I briefly state
the case?"
There was no reply, at least none
audible to US. The speaker contin-
ued:
Some years ago, your son Percival
Buckingham, chief engraver for the
government, was taken I'LL and re-
moved to sanitarium while you
were absent in Europe. Too close ap-
plication to delicate expert work had
blighted his mind. He escaped from
the sanitarium, and three men / will
not name, but once known as the
most finished showers of the queer in
the world, got hold Of him. They saw
their opportunity and improved IT,
They were shrewd, capable men and
made no blunders. What they did you
will now learn for the first time.
Those men secured the upper. floor
Of a lonely, secluded house. They
fitted it up as nearly as possible like
one of the work rooms in the treasury
department. They took your deluded
son there, and made him believe that
he was producing new 1906 series
500 plates for the government. For
nearly a year that was his home.
His mind did not refuse to act me-
chanically along the line eye and skill
had directed for so many years. In
brief, he made two plates, so perfect
that they were almost duplicates OF
the original government plates.
Twelve impressions were made. and
two of these were tested by being
placed in circulation Today they are
somewhere in existence, their valid
ity never doubted. Within that week
it must have been, while unguarded
and alone, your son had flash Of his
old mentality. At all events, when
his three captors returned they found
him gone, and with him the two treas
ury plates and the ten printed $500
bills.
Nov for your end of the story, as
I understand 1t: Your son appeared
at this home, suddenly. Unexpectedly.
He must have brought the plates and
the notes. You believed him a coun-
terfeiter. for before he could explain
to you, his insane mood returned.
You at once removed him to private
asylum. Later you sent him with a
relative, Alan Dean, to Paris. He re-
gained his reason. Today he occupies
a studio in the French capital. patron
ICED by devotees Of high art. Happily
married, all that year OF mental dark
ness forgotten, restored to his right
mind. he is wonderful producer OF
art etchings, q man Of fame. and mar
velously prosperous. You have been
content to keep him out Of the coun-
try. You never sought to enlighten
him as to that lost year in his life."
II know all this-why go over it,"
came in muffied tones of suffering
from the millionaire.
$50 that the matter may be clearly
understood between u.s." was the
prompt response Within q week
after your sons escape from the coun-
terfeiters, one of their number came
to see you. He caused you to believe
that your son had deliberately left the
government service to go into a
scheme to secure millions by using
his professional skill as a counter
feiter. You told him lie. You led
him to believe that your son had de-
stroyed the ten treasury notes and the
two plates. The man, however, threat
ened to find the son you had hidden
away, to denounce him to the police
as dangerous counterfeiter. To ST.
lence this man, you paid $4,000, and
that ended the matter for the time
being"
II know not how" continued the
lawyer, "but my client, when today
he saw the announcement in the
newspapers that certain counterfeit
500 treasury notes of certain series
were in circulation, at once was
forced to an irresistible conclusion.
Those notes came from this house
they could come from nowhere else.
Your nephew, only recently arrived
from Paris, where your son is living,
is missing from your home since yes
terday. A man answering his descrip-
ton passed the notes. Putting this
and that together, my client reasons
that you have also the plates. He
must have them"
Again a groan from the lips of the
tortured man.
We heard a tottering step cross the
floor. Marvel was at my side as the
draperies were agitated. He reached
me in swift glide and drew me be-
side him to a curtained alcove in the
library as Arnold Buckingham entered
and turned on light.
The old mans lips were trembling
and he was whispering hoarsely to
himself His eyes were those Of
man on the verge of losing his senses.
He produced key, opened strong
box safe, and from some inner recess
drew out two oblong pieces Of metal.
In a flash Marvel was at his side.
ION your life, not world" he abb
jured the shrinking, well-nigh stricken
millionaire. "I will deal with the
wretches who seek to blackmail you"
pressed to the side Of Buckingham
and supported him, or he would have
fallen. / saw Marvel hold the plates
toward the light. He drew a magni-
flying glass from his pocket and
looked them over.
What was the significance Of the
quick, momentary smile that crossed
his lips, I knew not then. Before
could even conjecture cause, he had
parted the draperies. and heard the