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SIO,OOO FOR 100 WORDS.
“ The Million Dollar Mystery ” story
wRI run for twenty-two consecutive weeks
in thin paper. By an arrangement i oi'.h
the Thanhoueer Film company it has been
made possible not only io r:ad the story
in this paper but also to see it each week
in the various moving picture theaters.
For the solution of this mystery story
(10,000 will be given.
CONDITIONS GOVERNING THE
CONTEST.
The prize of (10,060 will be won by the
man, woman, or child who writes the most
acceptable solution of the mystery, from
which the last two reels of motion picture
drama will be made and the last two
chapters of the story writte by Harold
ilacGrath.
Solutions may be sent to the Than
houscr Film corporation, either at Chicago
or New York, any time up to midnight,
Dec. I’/. They must bear postoffice mark
not later than that date. This allows four
weeks after the first appearance „f the last
film releases and three weeks after the last
chapter is published in t>.. paper in which
to submit solutions.
A. board of three judges will determine
which of the many solutions received is the
most acceptable. The judgment of this
board will be absolute and final. Nothing
of a literary nature will be considered in
the decision, nor given any preference in
the selection of the winner of the SIO,OOO
prize. The last two reels, which will give
the most acceptable solutic to the mys
tery, will be presented in the theaters hav
ing this feature as soon as it is prac
tical to produce same. The story corre
sponding to these motion pictures will ap
pear in the newspapers coincidentally, or
as soon after the appearance of the pic
tures as practical. With the last two
reels wilt be shown the pictures of the win
ner, his or her home, and other interesting
features. It is understood tax the news
papers, so far as practical, in printing the
last two chapters of the story by Harold
MdGrath, will also show a picture of the
successful contestant.
Solutions to the mystery must not be
more than 100 words long. Here aro
some questions to bo kept in mind in
connection with the mystery as an aid
to a solution:
No. I—What1 —What becomes of the millionaires
Vo. 2 What becomes of the $ 1,000.000 f
Vo. S —Whom does Florence marryt
Vo. 4 —What becomes of the Russian
countessf
Vobody connected either directly or in
directly with “ The Million Dollar Mys
tory ” will be considered as a contestant.
SYNOPSIS OP CUAPTIUtS ONii A.NU
TWO.
Stanley Hargrrenve, millionaire, after a
mlraeuloua escape Iron the lieu us the
gong of brilliant thieve* known uo the
Uluck Hundred, live* the life of a reciuee
for eighteen yearn, iiartfreave one nigin
a Broadway rentauraut ami there
com*< face to face with the Kuoit 1 *
leader, iiraine.
After .tie meeting, during which
neither man apparently recognize* the
other, Horgreave hurrie* to bin magnifi
cent Kiverdale home and lay* plan* lor
making hi* escape from the country, lie
write* a letter to the girl*’ acliuul in
New Jerney where eighteen year* before
he hud myaterioualy left ou the dooratep
hi* baby daughter. Florence tiray. Ha
also pay* a vinit to the hangar of a
daredevil aviator.
Braine and members of his band sur
round Hargreave** home at night, but an
they enter the house the watebera out
side see a balloon leave the rout. the
safe Is found empty*—the million vvbieh
Hargreave wan known to have drawn
that day gone. Then some one an
nounced the balloon bad been punctured
and dropped to the bottom of the sea.
Florence arrives from the girls’ school.
J'riucess Olga. Bralue’s companion, vis
its sad claim* to be a reluUve. Two
bogus detective* call, bat tbeir plot Is
lolled by Norton, a newspaper man.
ICopyrlght: Ull: By Harold HacGruaui
CHAPTER 111.
THE SAFE IN' THE LONELY WAREHOUSE
THE princess did not remain long after
the departure oi the police with the
bogus detectives. It had been a very
difficult corner to wriggle out of, aU
because Braine bad added to bis plans after
she had left the apartment. But for the ad
vent of the meddling reporter the coup would
have succeeded, herself apparently perfectly
innocent of complicity. That must he the
keynote of ail her plans: to appear quite
innocent and leave no trail behind her. She
bad gained the confidence of Florence and her
companion. And she was rather certain that
■be had impressed this lazy-eyed reporter and
the stolid butler. She had told nothing hut
the truth regarding her relationship. They
would find that out. She was Katrina Push
kin's cousin. But blood with her counted as
naught She had room in her heart but for
two things, Braine and money to spend on
her caprices.
" How long has your highness known Mr.
Braine?" asked the reporter idly, as as
smoothed sway all signs of ids recent con
flict.
M O, the better part of a year. Jlr. Har
greave did not recognize me the other night
That was quite excusable, for when he last
taw me I was not more than IJ. My child,"
she said to Florence, “ build so hopes regard
ing your mother. B’ue is doubtless dead. Cpoa
sou-e trivial matter —I "do not know wbut it
was —she waa confined to the fortreaa. That
was seventeen years ago. IVhen you enter
the fertres* at at Petersburg, you cease to
be."
" That l* true enough."
“ 1 did not rfetrtl myself to your father.
I d.d not care at that moment to abock him
with the remembrance of the past la not Mr.
Eraiue a remarkable man?" Ail this io her
charming broken English.
“He is, indeed, ’ affirmed Norton. “ He's
s superb linguist, knows everybody and has
traveled everywhere. Kt mat er what iul>-
Ject you bring up he seems well informed.”
“ Come often,” urged Florence.
" I shall, my child. And any time you
need me, call for me. After all, 1 am nearly
your aunt. You will find li f ? In the city far
different from that which you have been ac
customed to.”
She limped down to he- limousine. In trip
ping up Norton he had stepped upon her foot
benvily.
" She is lovely ! ” cried Florence.
” Well, 1 must be on my way, also,” said
Norton. “ I am a worldly wise man, Miss
Florence. As Jones here. Never go any place
without letting him know; cot even to the
corner drug store. I am going to find your
father. Some one was rescued. I'm going to
find' out whether it was the aviator or Mr.
Hargreave.”
Jones drew in a deep breath and his eyes
V SHE. SAID.
closed for a moment At the door be spoke
to the reporter.
" What do you think of that woman?"
“ I believe that she has told the truth. She
is charming.”
“ She is. But for all her charm and truth
I cannot help distrusting her. 1 have an
idea. J shall call up your office at the end
of each day. If a day ccmes without a call,
you will know that something Is wrong."
“ A very good idea.” Norton shook hands
With every one and departed.
*'What a brave, pleasant yonng man 11
murmured Susan.
“I like him, too; .nd I’d like him for a
friend,” said the guileless girL
” It is very good to have a friend like Mr.
Nortou,” added Jones, and passed out into
the kitchen. All the help had been discharged
•r.u upon his shoulders lay the burden of tbs
cooking till such time >. hen he could rein
state the cook.
There was a stormy scene between Braine
and the princess that night.
"Are you in your dotage?” she asked
Vehemently.
"There, there; bring your voice down s
bit. Where’s the girl? ”
"In her home. Where did you suppose she
would he, after that botchwork of letting me
go to do one thing while you hud in mind
another? And an ordinary pair of cutthroats,
at that! "
"The thought came to me after you left.
1 knew you d recognize the men and under
stand. 1 sec no reason why it didn't work.'
“It would have been »1! rigtt if you had
consulted a clairvoyant.”
" IVhat the deuce do ;’ou mean by that?”
Braine demanded rough!.-.
" 1 mean that then you would have learned
your friend the reporter waa to arrive upon
the scene at its most vital moment.”.
"What, Norton?"
“ Ves. The trouble is with you, you have
been so successful all these years that you
bave grown overconfident. 1 toll you that
tber' is a desperately shrew, man somewhere
back of all this. Mark me. I do not believe
Hargreave is dead, ire Is !a hiding. It mar
be near by. He may bave *• oppeu from the
balloon before it -eit land. The man th-y
picked up may be Orta, the aeronaut. The
five thousand might have beep his fee for
rescuing Hargreave. Here is the greatest
thing we’ve ever been up against; and you
■tart in with every day ne.hodsi"
" Uttlo woman, don't let your tongue run
•way with you too far.”
" I'm not the least bit afraid of you, Leo.
Tou need me, und it has never been more
apparent than at this moment.’’
"All right. 1 fell by the wayside this trip.
Truthfully, 1 realized it five ninutea after
the men were gone. The only clever thing
I did was to keep the mask on my face. They
can’t como back at :ic. but the thing looked
so easy; and it would have worked but for
N'crton'a appearance.
" You all but compromised me. That butler
worries me a attic." Her expression lost ,U
anger and grew thoughtful. “ He’s always
about, somewhere. Do you think llnrgresvs
took him into his confider.es?"
"Can’t tell. He’s been watched straight
for forty hours. H. hasn’t mailed a letter
or telephoned to any place but the grocery.
There have been no telegrams Some one tn
that house knows where the money is, and
it’s ten to one that it will bo the girL"
" She looks enough like iiatrina to be her
ghost”
Braine went over to the window and stared
up at the stars.
“ You have made a good impression on
the girl?” with his back still toward her.
“ I had her in my arms.”
*' Olga, my hat is off to you,” turning, now
that his face was again in repose. “ Yonr
very frankness regarding 70ur relationship will
pull the wool over their eyes. Of course,
they’ll make inquiries and they’ll find out
that you haven’t lied. It’a perfect. Not even
that Dewapaper weasel will see anything
wrong. Toward you they will eventually east
up and you can act without their even dream
ing your part ’a the business. We must not
be seen in public any more. This butler may
know where 1 ctand evr though h« cannot
prove it. Now, I’m going to tell you some
thing. Perhaps you’ve long sin.ro guessed
it. Katrina was mine till Hargreave—never
mind what bis name was then —till Hargreava
came into the fold. So sure of her was (
that I used her as a lure to bring him to u*.
She fell in love with him, but too late to warn
him. I had the satisfaction of seeing him
cast her aside, curse her, and leave her. In
one tiling she fooled us all. I never knew of
the child till you told me."
He paused to light a cigaret ’
Hargreave was madly in love with her.
He cursed her, but he came back to the houso
to .orgive her, to find that she had been seized
by the secret police and entombed in tha
fortress. I had my revenge. It was I who
sent in the information, (radically bogus.
But in Russia they never question; they act
and forget. So he had i> daughter I ”
Hu began pacing the floor, bis hands be
hind his back; and the ~oman watched him,
oscillating between love am', fear. He came
to a halt abruptly a-d looked dowu at her,
"Don't worry. Tou have x. rival. I'll
leave the daughter to your t-nder mercies.
"T he butler,” she sait, " has full powers
of attorney to act for Hargreave while ab
sent, up to the buy ;ko girl becomes of legal
age "
’’ I’ll keep an eye on our friend Jones.
From now on, day and right, there will be
a cat at the knothole, and 'were mouse! Could
}cu make up anything l.ke this girl?" sud
fltnly.
” A fair likeness."
“Do it. Go to that ship which picked up
the man at sea and quiz the captain. Either
the aviator or Hargreave is alive. It is im
portant to learn which at once. Be very care
ful; play the game us only you know bow to
play it. And if Hargreave is alive, we win.
Tomorrow morning, early. Tears of anguish,
and ail that. Sailors are easy when a woman
weeps. No color, rcmemOcr; just the yellow
wig and the salient features. Now, by-byl’J
"Aren't you going to kiss me, Leo?”
He caught her hand- “There is a species
of Deliiah about you, Olga, a kiss tonight
from your lips would snip my locks; aud I
need a clear hoatj. Whether we fail or win,
when this game is played you shall be my
wife." He kissed .hs hand* anti strode out
Into the balk
The woman gazed down at her small white
Lands and smiled tenderly. (The tigress ho*
her tender moments!; He meant it]
Kbe went into her dressing room and for
an hour or more worked over her face nnj
bair, till she was certain that if the captain
of the ship described her to any one else he
could not fail to give a fair description of
Florence Hargreave.
But Norton reached the captain first. Other
reporters had besieged hi.j, but they had suc
ceeded in gathering the vaguest kind of in
formation. They had no description of Har
greave, while Norton had. Before going down
to the boat, however, be had delved Into the
pas! of the I’riucesa Olga Perigoff. It cost
kirn a pocketful of money, ml the cul justified
the means. The princess had no past worth
mentioning. By piecing thia and that together
be became assured that she had told the sim
ple truth regarding the relationship to Flor
ence’s mother. A cablegram had given him
all the facts in her history; there were no
gups or discrepancies. It read clear and frank.
Trust a Russian secret agent to know what
he was talking about.
So Norton’s suspicions—and he had enter
tained some—were completely lulled to Bleep.
And be wouldn’t have doubted her at all ex
cept for the fact that Brains had been with
her when he had introduced Hargreave. liar
gteave had feared Brains; that much the
reporter had elicited from the butler. But
there wasn’t the slightest evidence. Brains
had been in New York for nearly six years.
Tho priuceas had arrived in the city hut a
year gone. And Braine >vos a member of
BMKS 4 ; **';>, fl| j
mot the least bit afcaidofvoj, leo.
several fashionable clubs, never touched cards,
and seldom drank. Ho was an expert chess
player «nd a wonderful amateur billiard Ist.
Perhaps Jones, the taciturn and inscrutable,
bad not told him ail he -new regarding his
master’s past. Weil, well; he had in his time
untangled worse snarls. The office had turned
him loose, a free lunce, to Handle the case as
he kiw tit, to turn in the story wheu it was
complete.
But what a story It was going to ho wbea
he cleared it up! The more mystifying it
was, the greater tip zest and sport for him.
Norton was like u gambler who played for
big stakes, and only big stakes stirred bis
cravings.
The captain of the tramp steamer Orient
told him the same tale he bad told tho other
reporters: he bad picked up a man at sea.
Tho man had been brought aboard totally
exhausted.
“Was there another body anywhere? 1
" No.”
“What became of him?”
“ I sent a wireless and that seemed to bother
him. It looked to me that he did not want
anybody to learn that be had been rescued.
The moment the boat touched tbe pier he lost
himself in the crowd. Fifty reporters cam*
aboard, but he was gone. And 1 could only
tell them just what I'm 'elling you.".
"He buil money?”
"About five thousand.”.
" Please describe him.” • 1
The cuptain did so. It van the same de
sciiption be bad given to ail thu reporters.
Norton looked over the lull at tbe big ware
house.
" Win It an ordinary ’ alloon?"
"There you’ve got me. My Marconi man
says tbe balloon part wur. like any other bal
loon ; but tbe passenger rar w'us u new busi
ness to him. It could be duveu against tbs
wind."
“ Driven against the wind. Did you tell
this to the other chaps?”
"Don’t think I dIX Just remembered It.
Probably some new Invention; end now it’e
at the bottom of tb • sea. Two men, a* L
understand it, went off in this contraption.
One is gone for good."
“I or good,” echoed the reporter gra rely.
Gone for good, indeed, poor devil! Norton
took out u roll of bills, "'zbere’s two hundred
in Mila roll.”
“Well?” said tho captain, vastly aston
ished.
“ It's yours If you will d* me a small favor."
“ If It doesn’t get me mixed up with tb*
police. I'm oniy captain of a trump; and
some of the harbor police have taken a dis
like to me. What do yon want me to do? ”
" The police will not bother you. Tbla mao
Hargreave had some enemies; they want
either his life or his money; maybo both. It
is -a peculiar cuso, with Russia in the back
ground. He might have laid the whole busi
ness before the police, but he chose to fight
It out himself. And to tell the truth, I don’t
believe the police would have done any good.”
"Heave her over; what do you want me
to do for that handsome roll of money?”
“ If any man or woman who is not a re
porter comes to pump you tell them the man
weut ashore with a packet under hia arm.”
*’ Tie a knot in that.”
“ Say thut the man was gray haired, dead
shaven, straight, with a scar high up on hia
forehead, generally covered up by bis hair.”
** That's battered down, my lad- Ho pa.’*
" that you saw him enter yonder ware
house, and later depart without his packet,l
” Easy as dropping my mudbook.”
'ibuts aIL” Norton gave the enptuln tha
money. ** Good-by und utuuy thunk***!
” Don’t mention it."
Norton left tbe slip and proceeded to the
office of the warehouse, lie upproached the
manager’s desk.
" Hello, Grunnis, old top I ”
Ibe man looked . p from his work surlily.
Then bis facu brightened.
Norton? What’s brotigi t you here? O,
yes; that huiloou business Bit dowu."
*’ What kind of a inn •• 1, the csplaia 4
that old booker In the slip?”
“Shifty in gun runmn>„ but otherwise as
equare as a die. ixioks funny to see an old
tub like that fixed up with lreiess; but that
has saved bis neck a dozen times when ua
was running it into a noose. Not going u»
interview me, are you ? ”
"No. I’m going to ask you to do me g
little favor.”
"They always say that. But spin her out.
If It doesn’t cost mo my job, It’s yours.".
” W ell, there will bj persons making In
quiries about tbe uiystcriou.. aerouuuL Ail
1 want you to say is, that be left a packet
with you, that you’ve put It in that sat* till
b« calls to claim it."
Grunnis nibbled tbe end of bis pen. “Sup
posing some one should come und demuud thul
1 open the sufe und deliver?”
’’ All you ve got to do is to tell them to
shew the receipt signed by yoi."
The warehouse manager laughed. " Got a
lot of sense In tbnt Ivory t’oiue of yours. All
right. But if anything happens you’ve gjt
to come arounJ anil back uie up. Wbat’a it
•bout'/”
"That I dare not tell you. Thle much,
I’m iuylng a trap and i want sum* one 1
don’t know to fall Into it.”
"On your way, James. But If you don’t
send ms some prize Agbt tickets next week
for this. I’ll never do you another favor."
In reply Norton took from his pocket two
bits of pasteboard and laid them on tbo desk.
" I knew you’d bs wuatiug something likq
tbU."
"Ringside!" cried Grar.nl*. "Tou report
ers are Idcky devils 1 "
"At U o’clock this afternoon I wont yoa
to call me up. If no one baa called, why
the game is up. But If some one does com*
•round und make Inquiries, don’t fail to let
me know.”
“ I’ll be here till 5. I’d better call you up
then.”
Then Norton returned Vo me and Idled abont
till afternoon. He went over to Riverdale.
Five times he walked up and down the front
of the Hargreave place, finally plucked ap
his courage and walked to the door.
He chatted with -.'iorcnce for a while and
found that, for all she might be guileless to
the world, she was a good linguist, a fine
musician, and talked with remarkable keen
ness about books and arts. But unless he
roused her, the sadneas of her position al
ways Iny written in her face. It was not
diOicult for him to conjnre up her dreams la
coining to the city and the blow which, like
a bolt of lightning from c clear sky, had
shattered them ruthlessly.
"You must come every day and tall me
bow you have progressed,' she said.
" I’ll obey that order gladly, whenever II
can possibly do it- Al;; visits will always be
* l * ort ’" a.Umuul-JKI
" That Is not necessary.”
” No,” said Norton in his heart, “ bat It Id
wise.”
Always he found Joner waiting fog bin at
(bo door, always In tho shadow. |
’’Well?” the butler whispered.
" I have laid a neat trap. Whether this
balloon was the one that left the top of thia
house 1 don’t know. But if there were two
men in it, one of them liee at the bottom <4
the sea.” , 1
’’ And the man found? ” The butler's voice
yras tense. I
"It was not Hargreave. I met Orta bad
once, and as he wore a beard then, the cap
tain's description did not /ally with my recol
lection.” jjj
“ Thank God I Bnt what V this trap?”
* I propose to find oat by It who is back
•f all this, who Ilargrcave’a real enemies are. 1 !
Norton returned to bis rooms, there to await
the call from Grannia. He was sorry, bat If
Jones would not take him into hia fullest
confidence, he must ho>d himseU to blame fog
any blunder he (Norton) made. Of coarse,
be coaid readily understand Jones' angle ot
vision. He knew nothing an’ the general rna
of reporters; he had beard of them by rumoe
and distrusted them. He was not aware ot
the fact that the average reporter carries
more secrets in Ms head than a prime min
ister. It wur, then, up to him to set about
to allay this distrust and gain the man's com.
plete confidence.
Meanwhile that sar# morning a pretty
young woman hoarded the Orient aad asked
to be led to the captain. Her eyes were red;
she bad evidently been weeping. When the
captain, susceptible like all sailors, aow her
his promises to Norton tool: wings.
"This is Copt. Hagan?” she asked, balling
the handkerchief she held la her hand.
" Yes, mins. What cun Ido for you?" ll*
put his bunds embarrsssadly into bis pocket*
—and felt tho crisp bilk. But for that rnagio
touch he would bave forgotten hk lines, lie
squared bis shoulders.
" 1 have every assurance that the man yoa
picked up ut sea is my father. I am Flor
ence Hargreave. Tell me everything."
The captain’s very blundering deceived her,
“ And then he bustled down the gang-plank
and headed for that warehouse. He hod •
package which he was os bender of ai it U
bad been dynamite."
" Thunk you 1 ” Impulsively.
“ A man has to do hk duty, miss A tailor’d
always glad to rescue a man at sea,. awk
wardly.
When she finally went down tbe gang-plank
tbe sigh tbe captain heaved was almost as
loud as the exbuuat from the donkey engine*
which were working cut tbo crates of jemoaW
from the hold.
"Maybe she Is hk daughter; but two hun
dred is two hundred, and I’m a poor sailor*
man."
Then Grannie came In for bk troubles.
What was a chap to do when a pretty girt
appealed to him?
” 1 am sorry, miss, but I can’t give yon
that package. 1 gave tbe man a receipt and
till it U presented to me tbe package must
remain in yonder safe. Tou understand
enough about business to reallza that I dU
not solicit tbe Job, 1: waa thrust upon mo.
I’d give a hundred dollars If tb* blame thing
wua out of my safe. You say it i* your for
tune. That hasu’t been proved. It may ba
gi.npowder, dynamite. I’m sorry, bot yoa
will have to find your father and bring tka
receipt,"
The young wounn left tb* warehouse, dab
bling her eyes with tha sodden handkerchief.
" I wonder,” mused Grannls, as be watched
her from tbe window, " 1 wonder what the
deuce that chap Norton ia up to. Tb* girl
might have been tbe man’s daughter. . . ,
Good Lord, wbat an aaa I am! There wasn’t
auy maul" And so he tcached over for the
telephone.
Immediately upon receipt of the measaga
the reporter set hk machinery in motion.
On tbe morrow tbe newspapers bad scare
beads about an attempt to rob the Duffy
warehouse. It appeared tbai the polica bad
beet Upped beforehand and wera on tba
grounds in time to gather io several notorious
gunmen, who, under pressure of the third
degree, vowed that they bad been hired and
paid by a man in a mask and had not tb#
slightest idea wbat be wanted them to raid.
Norton was in u fine temp*?. After all
bk careful planning, he In-’ gained nothing,
absolutely nothing. But wait; ba had g&invd
something: tb* bitter enmity of a cunning
and desperate man, who hac been forced ta
ttrnaln hidden under the pier till almost dawa,
[TO ME CONTINUED.]
•* • _l