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1" slo. ooo FOR om;
“The lllllios Dollar Mystery" story
will run lor twenty-tsro oonsecutive wccln in this paper. By sn arrangement with the Tlianhouser Film company it has bien made possible not only to read the story
_ in this paper but also to see it each week
in the various vnooiny picture theaters. For tho solution of this mystery story
, $10,000 will be given hy the Thanhouser | Film corporation. ~
. CONDITIONS GOVERNING THE
CONTEST. _ The prize of $10,000 will he won by the
stan, woman, or child who writes the most
‘ acceptable solution nf the mystery, /rom
aohioh the last two reels of mation picture drama will bs made and the "last two chapters of the story written by Harold llacGrath.
Solutions may be sent to the Than~
llouser Film corporation at 5 South Wa- bash avenue, (lnicayo, lll., or Thanhousor Film corporation, 71 West' Twenty-third street, New York City N. Y., any time up to midnight, Jan. 14, 1915. ’1'his allows several weeks after the last chapter has
I hen published.
A board of three iiulyes will determine
which o/ the many solutions received is tha most ac|:¢‘_t:tal>!c. The iuflyes are to be Harold `.l!ac(lrath, Lloyd I-oneryon, and Miss .llae Tince. The iudyment of this
H UNDREID WORDS. '
_~_a-¢ -u-aux P
board wil be absolute and final. Nothing of ¢ litgsrary nature will bs considered in :he decision, nor given any prderonoe in tha selection of the winner ol the $10,000 pn:e. The last two reels, which will give the most acceptable solution to the mys- tery,- will be presented in the theaters liauonp this /eaturo as soon as it is pos- sible to produce tho same. The story carro< sponding to these motion pictures will up- veor in the newspapers coincidentally, or as soon a/'er the appcnrance of the pio- tures as practicable. With tho l/nt neo reels will be shown the pictures of tho win- , ner, his or hor hamc, and other interesting ‘ features. lt is understood that the ncurs- papcrs, so /ar as practicable, in printing: »` the last two chapters ol tho story by /Inf- old MacGrath, will also show a picturc o_
the successful contestant.
Solutions to the mystery must not bu ,
more than 100 words long. Haro arc some questions to be lrcpt in mind in coum.'¢~liu.-| with the mystery as an aid to a solution:
No. 1-What becomes of the nlillionuiri-.V No.2-What becomes of the 81,000,003/
No.5-Whom does Florence marry!
No.4-~I’i'lrat becomes of the Russian
countcssl
Nobody connected either directly or in- ,
cirectly with "The Million Dollar .I!y.v~ tory" will lie considered as a oontcstunt.
1,
SYNOPSIS 0F PREVIOUS CHAPTERS.
ltanley Ilsrgreave, lnllllonslre, after
Q mlraculous escape from the dcl ol the gang or brlllfant thlcvrs known as the Black Hundred. lives thc llfe of a recluse for eighteen years. I-Isrgresva accidentally raccts Bralne, leader of the Black Hundred. Knowing Ilralnc vvlll try to get hlrn, he escapes from hls own home by s balloon. Before csca|»lnK bo vvrltes a letter to the glrls' school where eighteen years before he mys. terloouly lcft on the doorstep hls baby dass Hof. Florence Gruy. That day llarguare also drsvva $1,000.00!! from fha bask, sg' lt ls reported that thll dropped lata be sen when the balloon he oscapsl La mas punctured.
Phrase asvlvwss fiona the glrls'
school. Cannons' Olga, lh-alnc's com- gaalrls clash ab and clnlaus bor as s Nlsdn. fha Maul: Hundred then see I menus ot Salina' Florence a tsrlet hr their sztaalu They are after the llsassllro. and lsalne. their leader, sets trssv f-r Flassoasa. 'l‘h¢ Black Hun- dred. sl-cr a nnuber of attempts, fall, due to thu srbluu of Jones. the liar- Srolvc ha|.ls` 'Ai Norton, s scvvsvlper Kill.
Canaan!-4 al the rendesvous of tha
Blasts lnntraa. a man learns ot the rc- loovery ol the bax from the sea by s
snllor and of Its subsequent return to the bottom of the sen. and he quickly omansunlcstcs thc fact to Jones. A du- pllcste box ls planted and later scoured by the hand, but before tts contents are examined the box mystcrlonsly dlsap- pears.
Flndlng hlnsself chcckmatcd at every
turn. Bralne endeavors to cnmcsh tha Hsrlrcsvc household ls the lsvv is order to Isla frcs access to the honsh The timely dlaoovery of the plot h7 Norton sets the pollce at tho heals oi tho Dick and results In n rald on the gang’s rendesvous. vvhleh, however. proves to be bsrrrn of results.
The Black Hundred begin to fear Nor-
ton and plan to dlsposc of ht-. Agaln the unnotlccd butler shovvs hls hand by rescuing Norton and defeating Brains.
llralae and Countess Olgn plan dar-
ing attempt to capture Florence and Norton at s masked ball given by Prlu- ccss Parlova. They detest their ovva plan by oversuxlcty.
By chance Florence dlscuvers a cave
used by the Black Hundred. Being sur- prised by members of the band. sbc con- ceals hcrsclf and then learns of a mys- terious paper which ls of vltal Impor- tance to her father’s safety, and st great rlak to herself secures the paper.
(0»pyr1ght: 1Dl.lx By Harold llncGvsth.] CI-IAPTEI1 XX. nuns: -rails Alloc-urn wnlron.
UAT I want naw," said Bmlue.
‘ 6 so ha pnced the living room of
; If :Le apartment of the couutess,
“is revenge. I've been check-
azacd cnuug'n, Olga; they're playing with haf
" That is nothing new," she replied, shrug-
gtng. "At the beginning I warned you. I never liked this ufiuir after the lirst two or three failures. But you would have your way. You wuutod revenge ut that early dats; but I cuuuot see that you've gone for- ward. Has it ever oc-urrod to you that the asgnni»a\i»u may br- gcttlu; tired, too? Tucy dapeud s:lc'y' upon your i::\~cn\\cn, and cfich time your iuvcutiou hu~ ;~¢'s-zltcl iu touching
_lathiug but zero."
“ Thanks!"
"O, I'm not chldlng you. I`ve failed, too." “Asa you luruiug nguiust mc'."’ he de-
mssdsd bitterly.
“Do ny u.tlous point that way?" she
souslarod. “ .\`o. But the more I view what has pnusd the more disheurteued I grow. It has been u series of blind alleys, and ull as have succeeded in doing is knocking our llssds. I can nee nuvv that all our failures are due to one mistake."
“And what the devil is that?" ho asked.
lrrltnbly.
"We were lu too much ot_n hurry at the
beginning. Hnrgreave prepared himself for quick action on your part."
" And it I had not noted quickly he would
have started successfully ou one of his world tours again, and that would have been the last of him, and we should never have learned of the girl’s existence. So t'nere‘s your argument."
“Perhaps you are right. But for ull that
we lmvf- not played the game with nn; da- gxve of lluesse."
" Bah!" Ilrslna lit a cigarette and
smoked nervously. “I cnn't even get rid of that meddling reporter. He has becn ns much to blame for our faxluvcs as either Jones or Hargresvs. I admit (oat In his case I judged hustily. I believed him to be just an ordinary newspaper man, sud ha was clever Qvugh to lull my suspicious. 'But Pm rolls to get him, Olga, even if I lmve to rdnrt ls ordhary guumau tricks. If there's any Isa! rvebaolng. U tla Lord IIorry» |\9 ahan't gal s ahaaea Is the witness stand."
“And I bsgh to Hal that that liulc chit
of n gill bu bleu. ivosddizlfag 11'.: all along, By the war. 4-d you and aol what that lst- ta: unto?" else asked after s psuoe.
“I.eN»'l What Idler?" Mn sprsag isa: lsr chair. “Do you
mean to ss: that boy have nat told you about that!" &s aeaana sssally sxclt-d.
“ Explain," ha uid. “Wl»y, I vas at tls garden day before
yesterday. and a asa apps¢&sd and asked 1 I was -Miss Ilargrsave. Bsesmlng at once auspicious that something very important v_rss about to happen; I algnllled that l was lllas Hsrgteavs. Tha msn slipped s paper Intl my 'sand and hurried aI. I took a
_ . sua THESE RIQIPURES AT P5QPl>E$’ ..
thought some joke had been played on me, thou I chunced to remember the invisible iuk letters you ulwuys wrote me. Understanding that you were to visit the cave in the morn- ing, I had one u:uu nt the garden take tue note. And you never got lt!"
“ Some one shall puy for this carelessness.
l'Il cull up Vroon und .lucksou ut oucc. Wait just u moment."
He went to the telephone. A lou' mutter-
ing conversation took plzivo. (H_;u 1-o'.:1\l incur little or uoue of it. Whi-u Bruizzc put the vccei\'er buck ou the hook 'nie fare wus not pleasant to see.
"That girl!" “ What now?" “lt seems she had been out lmrschnck
viding that morning. She had sci-u unc ot the boys cross the Held nud suddculy llisuppcur; and she was curious lo learn what had bc- nome of him. With her usual luck she s\um» bled on to the method of opening the door of tbc cavc and went in. She must have been nosiug about. She didu't have much time. though, as the boys came up to await me. I~Ividcntly sho crnwlcd into that old cnest und in some inexplicable manner purloiucd the letter from .Inc-ksun`s pocket. They left to recouuoitcr; and it was then that Jackson discovered his loss. Y\’heu Florence honrd them rcturuiug she jumped into the well. And lived through that tunnel! The devil is in it!"
“Or uut of |t,`siuce we consider him our
friend.”
“And I had her in my hands, note and
ull!"
“But with all (nut wutor there will not
be nny writing left ou the li-tier."
“Invisihlc Ink is gl-ue-rully indelible and
impervious to the action of water: at least the kind I use is. I‘d give n thousand for s sight of that letter."
“And it might be worth a million," Olga
suggested.
"Not the least doubt of it ln my mind.
Olga, old girl, it docs look as if my star wus growing dim. Wi-'ll never get our hands on that million. l feel it in my bones. S0 let's settle down to o campaign nf revcngc. without any furbelovvs. I want to twist IIargreave‘s heart bc-fora the game winds up."
“You vvish really to injure her't’ "I do not wish to injure her. For from
tl." he replied, smiling evilly.
"You wnut hcr . . . dead?" whis-
pered Olga, pnling.
"Exactly, I wnut her dead. And so If
all my edorts here come to nothing, so shall Hurgtcave's. Ilis millions will bccoxnc vvuste paper to him. 'l`lmt's reverq-_ The I‘cr- sian peach method."
“I’olson7 You shall not!` Tau x. " not
kill her!" vehemently. ‘
“Tender hearted? " “.\’o. If I must in the end Ito iv. prison.
so be lt; but I refuse tu dis lnnths chair."
“Very well, thou. We sha..'L `...|| her,
but we'll make her wish sho was dead. I was only trying to sos how lar you would go. Toe basket of peaches Is in the hall- way. Every peach ls poisoned. No mnn in the country knows more about subtle poisons than I do. Have I not written books cs lbs ssbjsctlf’ ironically, _fy
I I 3 I'
Bv |-|Ar=ao|_b |v|a°onA-r|-|
“And they will trace It back to you in n
straight line," she warned. -“1 will not have It!"
“I can go elsc\vheve,"`he replied cnldly- “ You would leave mv-`t" . “The moment you cross my will," cm-
phnticully.
It became hcr turn to pace. Torn he-
t\vcon hcr love of the man and the dnngcr \vhi¢h starr-d hor in the fucc, vhu wus for thi- tfuu- bring distructed. Ai! thc time he \\':\t<-hcd her with malevolent curiosity, kno'.\in;_: tlmt in the end she would concur \\-Lth his :wil plans.
“ \'|--qv \\-ull," che said finally. “But lis-
t'uc way up to hor room.
The mnid passed on into the librnry. “\\'!\ul's th.`.~i‘t" Iuquired Florence, as the
nmid hold out the basket. She sclectcd a pouch und wus about to set ber white teeth into it \\-hen .lim lutorpased. ' ‘ "\\':\it u mums.-ut, dear.” Florence low- ered the peach. Jim turned tn' thc mold. “\\'ho sent lt?"
"l d.>u’t know, sir. A nxcstieuger brought
it, s;|_viu;,' it was for Miss IInrg’rszxve.°'
“ Let me see if there is o card." But Jlm
senvcbcd in vuiu for the card of the donor. At once all his suspicious oroe. “Don't touch them. Better let the maid throw them
1'o_vIzI°.|5'ét2l°liNc 'Ar§b'\~l\e§"AclcomDL\cEo. .ga »¢~
ten; we shall be found out. Never doubt thot. Your revenge will cost us both our livcs. I feel it."
“Bnhl The lnw will have no hnnd iu my
cud. I uivvuys curry u pcnct; and (hut ring at yours would sutllce u rcglmcut. She will not die. Sue will mcrcly become n kiud of paralytic; the kind that can move u lit- tle but not enough; ul\\in_\'s whcclcd about in a clmir. I'l| bring in the pcuchcs; F05? und do\vu_v. One bile, ufier n given time, will do thc trick. If they suspect und throw them out we have lost nothing but tho |:<\ucl\cn. A tvu:;tcd mc;=s<!:1_;cl' will curry them to thc IIuv;1'l‘:1\‘i- house. And tint-:1 \\'c’ll sit do\vu :mil wail."
!\Ic:mtiu|i-_ in tho lihmvy ut' the I`inrgrcav»
house, I\`luxr:uc2 :ml Jizu vrcvr puzzling; ovcv
so/s:ro*»
nut. Fruit from uutuowu persons might not be the healthiest thing in the world."
“What do you think?" “’l`l\ut in ull probability it is poisoned.
But tht-|~c'.< no uccd trying to provc my theory right or wrun`_c. "}\sl; Joucs. IIe`Il tcll you to throw tllifzu u\\'uy,"
“1Io\(l'ibIc!" I-`lorcu<‘c shuddered. _"But
they do nut want tn poison me. I'm too vul- uuble. They want me nlivc."
“ Who cun say?" returned .lim glonmily.
“They may 'nuvc lcurucd that they cunuot bout us, no mntlcr \vI::\t cuvd they turn up. l may bc wr\mg, but take my udvice und tln'u\v thcm :\\\‘:\_v. . . . Good L,oI'i.I, \vhut's that?" startled. . .
“ Souue one cri(-11!" ' "0, Mies I"lorc-noe!" cxclnlmcd the maid.
' va
the blank sheet of paper. .
“I'll wager," snid Jim, "tho' vvutor
washed ull the writing nwuy. Thi- [Ira docs
not sec-m tu du uny_gonu. \\'r-'ll turn il over to .lonr-s. .Ioncs'|l (Ind u wny to solve li. Trust him." ` ~
“ \YI1uL are you two chatlcvlug about?"
unkcfl Susan, who wnu urr|\n;:iug some t1o\v~ ers on the table.
"Secrets," snid Jim, smiling.
" Ilumphl " Susan puttcred about for n few minutes
longer, then crossed to the reception room. intending to go upstnlrs. At. that momcut_ the maid was admitting n messenger with a basket ot fruit.
" I~`nr Miss I~Iorgre.'\vc.” said he. IIe gave
the basket to the maid, touched his cup awkwardly, and mvung on his heel, olosin,z the door behind him. Ile was in a hurry to dcllver nuother message.
“ 0, what lovely fruit!" cried Salon. pnusf
lsr. “ I'm going to stool one," she laughs). Ike selected a peach and began _eating lt an
terror stricken as she recalled Sunnah act. "Miss Susan took a pouch from tho bnl- lzet and wus cutlng it an the vvty to her room!"
“Good 'nc-uvens!" gnspcil .Iim. "I was
right. The fruit was p-ii..-ancd."
Jim lmd head 1-uuu;:h tr. smut for n special-
ist he knew. Thi' spv<'i|\list n|~t\vo=| about tvvcnty mlulitcn ulier S1uun\'s= (Irst cry. To his kceu cye it looked llkc a ccrtniu poison which had for its basis the venom of the cobra.
"Will she live?" "0, yes. But shc'll he a wreck for some
mouths. Bond hor to the hospital where I can visit ber frequently. And I'll take that peach along for analysis. .\`o police affair?"
_"lin, We dare not cnll them ln," said
Jim.
“Ti\st's your ninlr. I’II 'loud down the
amlmlnnce. Keep her quiet. Sne'|l have s
'species of paralysis; Cn: ¢hat'll work oi
under the treatment. A strange business." "Bo it ll," agreed Jim lllllllh ' _
Florence knelt beside her frlend'e bud Ind
cried softly. ‘ '
“You culled mt* Ill" |“ time- A” hm"
later, nothing would have saved hor- 3|!! would have been paralyzed for life.”
Jlm accompanied the doctor to the door
and ww; In scarab ol Jones. He found me tacituru butler cying the fruit basket. his fuce gray and drawn, though his eyes blnll with fury.
“ Poison!" "A pi-any had poison, too," laid Jlm. “ We
cnn't do anything. We`ve IUBI I0! I0 'lt still. But In the cud we'll get them. That she devil . . . ."
" _\`o, my friend; that 'ne devil. The woman
l.= mud over him and would commit any crime at his bidding. But this is his work. We want htm. He wusn't without c0\|rAlt° to send this fruit, knowing that I would Instantly suspect the sender. Yet, I have no detlnlto proof. I could not hold him In court in law. He will have bought the fruit piece by piece, theoblnket in I bnlkei shop. He will have injected the poison himself when alone. Poor Susan! That messenger was without doubt some one over whom 'oc holds the threat of the death chair. 'l‘hnt'| the wny he works."
Jim tramped the room while Jones car-
ried the fruit to the kitchen. The butlar returned utter s while.
"What about that blnuk sheet of paper!" “ It has to be dipped into u solution; sfbar
that you can read It by heating. I have nlrcsdy dipped It into the solution. Tha moment the heat leaves the sheet the writ- ing disappears again. Too ink is waterproof. I'll show you."
Jones got xl candle from the mantle, lit lt,
and held the sheet of paper ve`ry close to the flame. Gradually, almost imperccptibly, letters began to form ou the blank sheet. At length the message was complete.
“Dcnr Hargrenvc--'I`he Russian minister
of police is at the Blank hotel under the nnmc of Henri Scrvuu. llc is investigating the work of the Black Hundred in this coun- try und can tree you from \l1c`r vcngcuuco il' you supply tho evidence needed.”
“1\'ow, what evidence can hc want?"
nsked Jim.
“Such ns will prove I`1:'aiuc un unde-
sirnble citizen."
"And then.” “Quietly pack him oil tu [Tow - ' "u
he is* badly wanted.”
“\\'ho scut this Im-ss:\;.'c'."` “One of our xuysu~:~iu\:.» f.-L, » 'fe
have a few, us you ulx'c:\.!y !:;:.».\‘ ltr.: I'il go and make this nznu S<»r\':|'.» n visi\.- I have seen the real mllfstcr. :nz-.! .t this man is the,sam'c cnc, soxzzciliixtg of Importance may turu un. I shall wuut you somevvhcre about. Ilcrc. I'll lot you have this letter. Remember, 'ncut brings it out cud cold air makes It vanish. .\'u\v I'li go up for ll mo- ment to see bow that poor girl is getting along. We are lucky; therc‘s no gniusayiug that."
“You’x-e a clever man, Jones," said Jim. Jones turned upon him, his fuce grave.
The two men looked steadily into each othcx-'s eyes. Jones was hrs: to turn aside his glance, as he had something to conceal uud Jim had nothing.
When the ambulance took the tortured
Susan away, Jones addressed Florence gravely. .
"I nm guvng out and so is Mr. Norton.
Do not leave the house: not even if you have u telephone cull from me or Norton. Bofn of us will return; so don't let anything bother ur confuse you.”
“I promise," said Florence, struggling
with s sob.
Jones went downstairs again, paused by
\ vvludovv as lf cogitnting, and suddenly threw it \\p and looked abroad. A rustle among the Illucs csuscd n smile to dit across bls facu So they had seut some one lo lcnrn the elI'ect'of the poison? Or to fol- low him should 'ae lonvo the house? Ho retired tu the kitchen and gave sums explicit “dere to the chct, orders which (td not In any way refer tu cooking. Than .Tones and t|»~ rcnortcr li-ft thc hnuxto, each quite aware lu--~ lhoy were being fullovvcil. .\`cnr the Blur-'~' hotel they ncpnmtcd in order to con- f=-'ic the stalker. I~Ic miuht :Indoor uud fol- low if-e \\‘rnn|l mnn. llut ‘t was eviden; tba* tl-i-I times ho hud l.-on dlrvvtcd to fol- low Joann; for he cuter:--I irc hom! a mln- ute tufts: Jones.
Mcuntlme u xv:-(md .<j-,\', ~.-.Munn .lungs had
not seen, had obscv-vo.l il* t.r;::u4fcr of tho invisible writing uzul had 1:umodlutc.; in~ formed Braille, who was not far n\\'ny. Thu! his poisoned fruit. had str'ckeu down nu out- sider iroublcd him uonc ut' all. But that mysterious message ho meant. to have; it might be s life and dsnih ulfnlr, It might be n view to the treasure. or the n-hero :bouts of Hnrgresve. I
Thus, while only one mon followed Jones
sevcrnl kept s far eye ou Jim.
Jones scribbled his unme on n blnuk card
and hnd it taken to the IIu§l|an'a room. The page eyed that card curiously. It was .llllerent from anything he had ever seen lbctora. In ont corner hvvcre written far" oi four words which resembled | gr", 5,. tween Hebrew and Greek.
“Humphl” muttered the bay. "WMM,
y’ know about that? Chicken scratches; but
I gang the ball rings Rooslan. On you wmv. ovtenne." he sued ia me han mud. who wanted a look at foe cud. when sh. boy returned to Jones, ha said: *Up ¢' ¢h' room, slr. I{a'lI us yuh!" Th, 5,, gem H10 lilvit salvsr extended expsctastly, has Jonas want past without sppugqy g@p,
the bint. '~ I I
The :ss stsadlns by a 'mug
‘sin c .
ali-7 __V‘ ` 'f.
' - . .1
when Jones knocked and was hlddanh an@~
"You sre.not Harriman," .. ,- _ ,'
nxelzhcr are you an pug.; mmm'
nt police/3 urbsnely. -- » . .
"\\'oo sro yon?" -. .' .=, f , _- °‘I'sm Bai-|reavs‘s eoaldsnllsl .nan ||,_a The two men sysdaesob other cautiously.
"f\’ou speak- f»Rnsslan).~". ».,-,_ .. ,. I ,, , .
No. I am sbls ta, scribble a -fat tvorlq,
that ls all." _ , _
The Russian lit a clgsrsnq ¢m|_.|~_,h¢
leisurely. He' was ln no hurry. . -
“Nm I am not the mlslmr; but I an
bla accredited agent. I sm smpswsnq _,Q bring back to Russia s man who ll known here by the usms of Brains, another' by the 1111110 of Vl'°°I1. and a woman who calls herself a counters and unfortunately is sag, _-Ill I desire ls some damaging proof agslps them that they are outlaws ln this eaagq. The rest will be simple.” ”
“ They have all t:'nres taken out lali
lzstlou papers.” , . . , `
The Russian waved his band alrlly. “Ossa
they are in Russia thou documents "will never coma to light. This msn Brains, I has been learned, has long been ln Cha pay of Prussia, and has given the general sta! of that country many plans ol’ our"’fro`ntt'sr fortilcstlons. I do not know what any ions of the three looks llks. That ls why I sought Hsvgreave." _
“I will gladly point them out bo yon," said
Jones, rubbing his hands together, a"sl¢a that 'ne was greatly pleased. ' V
“That will be very good of you, Pm
sure." ln s rum-bling but perfectly legible English. '
“And suddenly they All thros will dis
appear?"
“B1xddenly; and you may believe ms that
from that time on tbey'll be beard of naval more." »
“All this sounds extremely agreeable to
me. Mr. Hargreave will be happy to hear that his long enforced hiding will soon coma' to an end."
“All you have to do, slr, ls to point thsll
out to me." '
"It may take a week or ten days.” ‘_‘ My government has waited for ten years
to gather in this delectable trio. A month, if you like." , -
“ The sooner the better. I shall call this
cvculng after dinner. \Ve shall begin with Mr. Bruiue; and generally where ha is ls the woman. Vroou will bs the most dll~ cult."
“After dinner, then, since you know souls
of his haunts. '1_‘here is s reward."
Jones laughed shortly. “ Keep it yourse`If,
slr. Mr. Hargresve would willingly double whatever this-reward is to eliminate tbeso despicable creatures from his athlrs."
“ Thanks." ' " ) While this conversation was taking placo
Norton idled about: and feeling tho craving for s cigarette, prepared to roll one. only to tind that he hadu't the “ makings." Ss fate urged him to step into the nearest 80- bnccoulsfs. He asked for his fsvorlte brand and passed over the silver. _
Brains and his companions ssvv Nortoh
enter the shop. It agreed with their plans perfectly. The tobacconlst happened to -bs utllllated with the older. Bo they 'hurried into the shop. Jim lustantly' realised that he was ln a trap.
“How can I get out ot hero!" ha will
percd to the tobacconlst. '
The latter smiled. “I have to obey thats
gentlemen. I don't know what they want you for; but it I made s move to help you
`I should llud my own throat cut without
snvlng yours." I “Tae devil!" " `Jim made a duh tor tha rasr door, to and It locked. Even as he fumbled with the key, Brains and his companions dun( themselves upon the reporter and ovarpoff ared him. ~ » "Ah, my friend Brains!" ha said. “My friend Norton!" jeerod the victors “And what do you want; some peséhos?" “A paper, my friend, a little sheet 'ol
paper with lnvlslbla vvrltlng on It. Wa -prom Ile to glvs you something in exchange for lt."
"Whntl" asked Jim with as llvll “aan-
chalancs as he could sssums.` ` '
“I.lfe." ' ' “ Search." said Jim. " You won’t object to
my smoking?" Hs beran to roll a clgarotta while they passed over 'alm. Hs strscl A match; the pleasant aroma at tobacco looted about hls bead. »
"He's got lt on htm somewhere. I asvv
him take lt. Ha's got his nerve with ~bll.’°
Too cigarette alowed. Jim slnobid hur-
riedly. `
'1`hw\1sh__-srsrx.,pa¢k¢t they went. 'rho
contents ot his wallet lay scattered at his trot; his watch dangled from- the ebals. lbs cigarette gran shorter and s’sorter.' . Bild- denly one of the men stretched out s hand and whisked the cigarette from Jlm’s llpl. Ho threw It za the aoor and stamped aurtha coal.
"I thought sol " hs exclaimed,-lsoldlag out
tba scrap-of burnt paper towards Bi-sine.
The words “'Desr'l!ar|rssva"-‘ sms all
that remained of -the mesn|a.» Witii awnsll of rags Brains vlhllilwil out ‘lull nvolttr.
“I will glvs you ons minute to ttllfll
what that paper confused*
‘land 'after fast mlnnto ls Q7'
“A ballot In your stas\aob.?9~" ‘ '- ' Qalek ss a lub Ilnrs hand su-T! WB
min: on meet; bold melvsr.-11" it I wma, ns braasht li down uvssvir ml Bralna’s bead.. Than. ha If *"5 new mms mont amass. ' .. -“ora mah. till vss~a|_at,t-,lift-,llllilf asal” . 1;.. , _,Myra-_..
or I ~' .<.
‘ f‘r.f_ "““ ` ,;.'1 . I """' 'U' '