Argosy All-Story Weekly, May 3, 1924 — page 57: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

A STRANGER IN flicked py her pertinent question. And his response was instant: “That is exactly the point. It is one we never found out. We had hard enough work on the case as it was. Murgson and Welter and especially Irak are sharp. Irak actually bargained with us before their trial. Of course, we could have sent them up for a longer term without any trouble at all, but—we wanted the plates. And Irak had them. That’s how they got off with three years. But we got the plates and they were destroyed. We had seized all the remaining bills at the bank and we got those already put into circulation and considered the inci- dent closed. But as a matter of fact, it was not. Now and then, ever since, without the least warning, a bogus bill, printed from the same plates, as we believe,: has ap- peared.” ‘A backer?” said Miss Elton quickly. ‘What was he trying to do—recoup him- self for the first twenty thousand?”’ Eddie smiled at her quickness and Mar- vin eyed her out of slightly narrowed lids. “You are quick at a deduction,” he re- plied at length. ‘“ Perhaps. Anyway, I’ve brought the matter up to the time when Murgson and the other two had finished their terms. They’re out. They’ve been living quietly so far as we know, and they’ve been watched. They made no questionable move from the time of their release until they and Blumefeldt got into touch and he offered to sell them the secret of a process by which government paper could be bleached.” © ‘‘ Government paper? notes?” Eddie interrupted. “Exactly, Mr. Harmon.” Marvin stared straight back into his face. ‘“ You can see what that would have meant to Murgson and his pals, when I tell you that Blume- feldt’s stuff would do what he claimed— and that they could have gained all the paper they wished at the price of one dollar bills plus a few cents for the concocting of a bowl of bleach. We know it would do it, for we saw it demonstrated this afternoon.” “Vou saw him—bleach—India ink?”’ For the moment Eddie had actually for- gotten his position in his consideration of all Marvin’s words might mean. You mean bank TOWN. 847 And once more he felt the man’s blue eyes on him. ‘“ Precisely. As an architect, I see that you appreciate my statement, Mr. Harmon. It was the paper that had tricked them in their first attempt at counterfeiting, but with Blumefeldt’s bleach, the question of paper would be simple and Irak could make new plates. This afternoon Blume- feldt mixed his solution and bleached both counterfeit bills, of which he had some in his pocket, and a genuine dollar bill Murg- son furnished at his request. After that Murgson paid over the price he demanded— a hundred thousand dollars—”’ ** A hundred thousand dollars!” Eddie’s exclamation sounded both involuntary and excited. Marvin smiled more broadly than at any time during the conversation. ‘Yes, Mr. Harmon. They paid it, and he started to write out the formula for them, and we intervened. We got Murgson and Irak and Welter, but we failed to get Blumefeldt, as you possibly are aware. Blumefeldt went out of the window, taking both his formula and the other people’s hun- dred thousand along. He works quick, and thinks quick, too, I guess. He took time even after we were smashing in his door to throw the counterfeit bills he’d been using in demonstration and had returned to his pocket, into the bowl of bleach he had concocted, and smash the bowl on the floor—” ‘“What’s that?” cried Harmon. All at once it seemed to him that he was seeing something if even dimly, as though some- thing were trying to make itself evident to him through a jumble of clouding detail— as though if that detail were brushed aside it would be plain. “‘ Hold on—wait,” he said again and sat staring at Marvin, who had checked his speaking, and was once more regarding him. ‘“'You—you say he’d been bleaching coun- terfeit bills and had put them back in his pocket and—that he took them out and threw them into the bowl after you were breaking into the room?” “Exactly.” Marvin nodded. He was watching—watching. But Eddie didn’t mind. Because one by one he was sorting over details. Blumefeldt EO DOO (©