The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1933-06-01
CHAPTER v
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- IdulIk6 IEOIu Tic lOOI VI tuS I'LL
on which stand the buildings of the
university. Oak street, some three
miles from the University, Is the
chief shopping center Of Marland.
Archer street carries the traffic
load. It runs east and west. At
the four corners which mark the
intersection Of Oak and Archer
there are two gas filling stations
and two drug stores. The latter,
however, open on Oak street, and
next to one of them, one door from
the corner, facing Archer street
and west of Oak, is the snug little
gray stone home of the Marland
National bank.
The Marland National bears an
enyiable reputation. 1t is small but
staunch, and on its roster Of di-
rectors one will find names which
carry great weight even in the city
of quarter million which exists
twenty miles away. It Is spoken of
boastfully by natives of Marland,
and Randolph Fiske, it's president.
Is real power In the community.
This mornfng-the morning Of
May third-Randolph Fiske sat at
his desk in. the Office which was
marked Observation-Disclosures" He
was tall, well-proportioned man,
fifty-eight years of age, whose hair
matched the gray Of his bank
building. He had a fine, broad fore
head and iron-gray brows from be-
meath which a pair of keen eyes
peered in manner which gave an
impression Of unimpeachable eff
cheney.
He was gazing attentively at a
tiny bit Of pasteboard. There was
printing on it's surface printing,
not enclosing. It said simply:
James n. Harvey
Bankers Protective Assn.
Mr.. Fiske's eye roved to a yellow
telegram which had arrived two
days previously from New York.
It was from headquarters of the
Bankers Protective association and
was very explicit.
"Our best operative arrives Mar
land morning May Third"
Mr.. Fiske heaved sign Of relief
as he prepared to shift a very great
burden to the shoulders Of another
man-one professionally equipped
to bear such burdens. He looked
up at Miss Seward.
"Show Mr.. Harvey in, please"
Miss Seward put out bony hand
which trembled in protest.
"Surely, Mr.. Fiske mot that
man The 1.-The terrible person who
gave me that card"
Fiske frowned.
81 don't understand, Miss Seward.
This man is a great detective"
There's a mistake, Mr.. Fiske.
This person couldn't detect any
thing. Pm very sure of that. Just
wait until you see him."
She vanished in triumph, and
Randolph Fiske stared after her.
"What in the world. p Then
he smiled. At least she had pre-
pared him for a somewhat uncouth
person. Probably a squat gentle
man with brown derby, square
toed shoes, a checkered vest and
dimes worth of chewing tobacco.
Queer how these detective chaps al
ways dressed so that there was no
mistaking their profession. Ran
dolph Fiske saw the door swing
open. Then it closed and Mr.. Fiske
was rendered inarticulate.
Jim Harvey was everything in
the world which one is quite sure
a detective should not be. His two
hundred and sixty pounds Of ayoir-
dupois was distributed with heavily
inartistic effect; it wabbled when
he moved and he seemed to
move with vast reluctance.
But it was the head which rose
above triple chins that filed Ran
dolph Fiske with awe. The face
was huge and round and utterly
expressionless. Randolph Fiske was
quite sure that never before in his
life had he seen a human coun-
tenance so utterly devoid of intel
ligence. 1t was-yes, by George y
It was the eyesl Round little eyes
which were as vacant and color
less as the orbs of a fish.
The mass of flesh stood in the
doorway. Fiske knew he was
breathing; he could tell that by the
fact that a rather remarkable con-
traption which appeared in the
neighborhood Of Jim Hanvey's pro-
digiods tummy kept moving rhyth-
mically. Randolph Fiske kept his
eyes fascinatedly on that particular
apparatus. 1t hung from a haw.
serlike watch chain and was sim.
liar to nothing which the banker
had ever before set eyes upon. II
| was long and slim and seemed to
be made of gold.
Then, without warning, the 81
lence was punctured by sleepy
drawly voice.
aIt,s toothpick, Mr.. FiSke."