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BOILAP MYSTlPY^flaroldMacGith
SIO,OOO FOR 100 WORDS.
' “The Million Dollar Mystery’’ story
Kill run for twenty-two consecutive weeks
in this paper. By an arrangement with
the Thanhouser Film company it has been
made possible not only to read 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
SIO,OOO will be given.
CONDITIONS GOVERNING THE
CONTEST.
The prize of SIO,OOO 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 written by Harold
MacGrath.
Solutions may be sent to the Than
houser Film corporation, cither at Chicago
or New York, any time up to midnight,
Dec. 11). This allous four weeks after the
first appearance of the last film releases
and three weeks after the last chapter is
published in this paper in which to submit
solutions.
A board of three judges will determine
whichtef 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 solution to the mys
tery, will be, presented in the theaters
having this feature as soon as it is pos
sible to produce the same. The story corre
sponding to these motion pictures null ap
pear in the newspapers coincidentally, or
as soon after the appearance of the pic
tures as practicable. With the last two
reels will be shown the pictures of the win
ner, his or her home, and other interesting
features. It is understood that the news
papers, so far as practicable, i t printing
the last two chapters of the story by Har
old MaeGmth, trill also show a picture of
the succesiful contestant.
Solutions to the mystery must not be
more than 100 words long. Here are
same questions to be kept in mind in
cunnectiot with the mystery as an aid to
a solution-.
No.l —IVhat becomes of the i illionairef
No. 2 —’That becomes of the st,ooo,ooot
No. 3 —Thom does Florence marry t
No. 4 —Vhat becomes of the Russian
countess?
Nobody connected cither directly or in
directly with “ The Million Dollar Mys
tery” will be considered as a contestant.
SYNOPSIS (.F PREVIOUS CHAPTERS.
Stanley Hargreave, millionaire, after a
miraculous escape from the den of the
gang of hrillhnt thieves known as the
Black Hundred lives the life of a recluse
for eighteen yours. Hargreave one night
enters a Broadway restaurant and there
cornea face to face with the gang's
leader, Brain*
After the meeting, during which
neither man tpparently recognizes the
other, Hargreae hurries to his magnifi
cent Rlverdale home and Inys plans for
' making his escipe from the country. He
writes a lette* to the girls’ school In
New Jersey wbtre eighteen years before
he had mysterloisly left on the doorstep
his baby dnughcr, Florence Gray. He
also pays n vllt to the hangar of a
daredevil aviatoV
Braine and raftnbers of his hand sur
round Hargreaves home at night, but as
they enter the h>use the watchers out
side see a hallcxs leave the roof. The
safe is found emtty—the million which
Hargreave was Is own to have drawn
that day was gont Then some one an
nounced the halloo had been punctured
and dropped Into he sea.
Florence arrives rom the girls* school.
Countess Olga, Brane’s companion, vis
its her and claims i be a relative. Two
bogus detectives c«l, but their plot Is
foiled by Norton, a Newspaper man.
By bribing the c*tnin of the Orient
Norton lays a trap 'or Braine and hIN
gang. Countess Olgaalso visits the Ori
ent's captain and shc*nsily falls into the
reporter's snare. Thdplan proves abor
tive through Hralui J good luck, and
only hirelings fall int the hands of the
police.
After falling In thel first attempt the
Black Hundred trap Flrenee. They ask
her for money, but *b escapes, again
foiling them.
Norton and the countss call on Flor
ence the next day, one more safe at
home. The visitors hnvlg gone, Jones re
moves a section of flooing, and from a
cavity takes a box. Pursed by members
of the Black Hand who hve been watch
ing his movements, he rushes to the
water front. A thrllllngrace In motor
boats ensues. Jones drofc the hox Into
the sea and with bis nuttnntlc sets five
to the pursuing boat.
[Copyright: 1914: By Haro MacQrath.]
CHAPTER VI
in you get the rane?” asked the
•* 1 | countess, when he that night
limine recounted 1* adventure.
“ Range! ” he larled. “My
girl, haven’t I just told you iat I had to
fight for my life'/ My boat tis in flames.
We had to swim for it till w were picked
up by n Long Island barge tug. r don't know
wbat became of the motor ma He must
have headed straight for shore, nd I'm glad
he did- Otherwise he'd be hoitng for the
price of another boat. Olga, for (e first time
I've had to let one of the b< vs h*. a look at
my face. Doesn't know the ramehut one of
these days he’ll stumble across , and the
result will be blackmail, unless lpush him
off into the dark. It was acciden'l.”
The countess leaned forward, er hands
tightly clenched.
*5 But the box 1 ”
Braine made a gesture of despair.
“ Leo, are rou using any drug tbestrfays?”
“ Don’t make fun of me, Olga,” imftiently.
“Did you ever see me drink more tbn a pint
of wine or smoke more than two in
an evening? Poor fools! What! let «brain
go into the wastebasket for the aak4,f an
hour or so of exhil .rwtlon? No, antfiever
will I, I'm k' »n a ft the gray matttl'v,
lot, and by the Lord Harry, I'm going tfci ep
s/ysr <sst >■ svjssts yscuuyssss- stums'-
It. There's only one dope fiend in the
Hundred, and he's one of the best decoys we
have ; so we let him have his coke whenever
he really needs it But tiiis man Felton has
seen my ftice. Some day he’ll see it again,
ask questions, and then . .
“Then what?”
“ A burial at sea,” he laughed. The laugh
ter died swiftly as it came. “ Threw it into
eight hundred feet of water, on a bar where
the sands are always shifting. lie'll never find
it. even if he took the range. He could not
have got a decent one. The sun was drop
ping and the shadows were long. He threw
the chest into the water and then began peg
ging away at us, cool as you please, and fired
our tank.”
“It looks to me as if lie had wasted his
time.”
“ That depends. Between you and me and
the gate post, I’ve a sneaking idea that tills
man Jones, whom nobody lias given any par
ticular attention, is a deep, clever man. He
may have been honestly attempting to find
a new hiding place; the advertisement in the
newspaper may have drawn him. He may
have thrown the box over in pure rage at see
ing himself checkmated. Again, the whole
thing may have been worked up for our bene
fit, a blind. I tut if that's the case, Jones
has us on the hip. for we can’t tell. But we
can do what in all probabilities he expects
we’ll cease to do—watch him just as shrewdly
as before.”
Olga caught his hand and drew him down
beside her. “ I wasn’t going to bother you
tonight, but it may mean something vital.”
“ What? ” alertly.
For reply she ros' 1 and walked over to the
light button. She pressed it and the apart
ment became dark.
“ Come over to the window, quick ! ” She
dragged him across the room. “ Over the way,
the house with the marble frontage.”
A man emerged, lit a cigarct, and walked
leisurely down the street.
“ No! ” she cried, as Blaine turned to make
for the door, doubtless with the intention of
finding out who this man was. “ Every night
after you leave he appears.”
“ Does he follow me ?”
“ No. And that’s what bothered me at first.
I believe,] he was watching some apartment
above. But regularly when I turn out the
lights he comes forth. So there’s no doubt
that he watches you enter and takes note of
your departure.”
“ But doesn't follow me. That's odd. What
the devil is his idea?”
“ I’d give a good deal to learn.”
Tlie shadow and the glowing eigaret disap
peared around the corner, and the lights in
the apartment were turned on again.
“ He’s gone. You rmlly think be’* watch
ing me?”
“ He is watching this apartment, I know
that much.”
And even at that moment the watcher was
watching from bis vantage behind the cor
ner.
“Suspicions!” he murmured, tossing the
eigaret into the gutter. ‘ They’re watching
me for a change. , I'll drop out. I know what
I know. It's a great world. It’s fine to be
• live and kicking on top of it." He went on
without hnste and took the subway train for
downtown.
“ Is there any way I could get near him?”
asked Bra I ne.
“ Tomorrow night you might leave by the
janitor’s entrance. I'll keep‘the lights on till
you're outside. Then I’ll turn them off and
you can follow and learn who be is.”
“ It's mighty important.”
" Don't scowl. At your age a wrinkle is
apt to remain if you once get it started."
He laughed, “Wrinkles!” She could talk
of wrinkles!
" They ure more Important than you think.
Every morning I rub out the wrinkle I go
t, he*l with.”
“%wi»h yon could rub out the general
stupidity which ia wrinkling my brain. I’ve
made three moves and failed in each. Wbat'a
come over me? ”
” Perhaps you've bad too many successes.
The wheel of chance is always turning
around.”
“Ma.v I ainoke?"
«'m.-nim. At leaat it prove* you atiU haw
some consideration for me. You would smoke
whether it waa agreeable or not. But 1 like
tlie odor of a good cigar. And it always help*
you to think.”
Braine lit the cigar and began his customary
pacing. At length he paused.
“Suppose we hare a real old fashioned
coaching party out to the old mansion nxj
know about?”
“And what shall we do there?"
“Make the mansion an enchanted castle
where sometimes people who enter can’t get
out. Do you think you could get her to go?”
“ I can try.”
“Olga, 1 must, have that girl; and I must
have her soon. Sometimes I find myself
mightily puzzled over the whole thing. If
Hargrenve is slive, why doesn’t he turn up
now that it’s practically known that his
daughter presides over his household? I
might understand it if I didn’t know that
Hargrenve is really afraid of nothing. Where
is tlie man with tlie five thousand, picked
np at sea? What was the reason for Jones
carrying that box out in broad daylight?
Who is the chap watching ucross the street?
Sometimes I believe in my soul—if I have
one! —that Hargreave Is playing with us,
playing! Well,” flinging the hnlf consumed
cigar into the grate, “the Black Hundred al
ways goes forward, win or lose, and never
forgets.”
“We are a fine pair!” said the woman
bitterly.
“ We are exactly what fate intended us to
be They wrote you down in the book ns a
beautiful body with a crooked mind. They
wrote me down as tlie devil, doomed to roam
earth’s top till I’m killed.”
“Killed?”
“ Why, yes. I’m not the kind of chap who
die* in bed, surrounded by the weeping mem
bers of the family, doctor, nurse, and priest.
I’m a scoundrel ; hut it has this saving graea,
I enjoy bring n scoundrel. Now, I’m going
up to the club. There's nothing like a game
of billiards or chess to smooth that wrinkle
which seems to worry you.”
In the great newspaper office there was a
mighty racket. Midnight always means pan
demonium in the city room of a metropolitan
daily. Copy boys were rushing to and fro,
messengers and printers with sticky galleys
in their hands; reporters were banging away
at their typewriters, and intermingling you
could hear tlie ceaseless clickety-click from tbs
telegraph room.
The managing editor came out of his office
and approached the desk of the night city
editor.
“ Editorial page gone down ? ”
“ Twenty minutes ago,” said the night city
editor.
“ I wanted a stick on that Panama rumpus.”
“Too late.”
“Where’s Jim Norton?”
“At the chamber of commerce banquet. The
major Is going to throw a bomb into the
enemy's camp.”
“Nothing on the Hargreave stuff?”
“ No. Guess I’d better put that in the
cubbyhole. lie's dead.”
“No will found yet?”
“ Not a piece as big as a postage stamp.”
“ That will leave the girl in a tough place.
No will, no birth certifksite; and worst of all,
no photograph of the old man himself. 1 don't
see why Jirn sidestepped this affair. He the
only man in town who knew anything about
Hargreave."
“He hasn't given It up; but he wants to
cover it <m his own, turn the yarn over when
he's got it, no false alarma."
“Ah ! So that's the game? "
“Yes; and Jim Is the sort every paper
needs. When the time come* the story turns
up, if there is one. Here he Is now. Hooks
like an actor in the fourth act of s drama.
Hood looking chap, though.”
Norton came in through the outer gates. He
was in evening clothes, top hat. A dead
eigaret dangled between hia lips.
“ How much do you want? " asked the night
city editor.
“Column and a half.”
"Off with your gjad rags!”
“Anything good?" asked the managing ed*
itor.
” " v * lid bas beeu jammed on tight. No
?
Z/StfS'jr
wine In nny restaurant after 1 o’clock. There'll
be a roundup of every gunman in town.”
“ Good work ! Go to it.”
It was 1 o'clock when Norton turned In
his last sheet of copy and started for home.
Just outside the entrance to the building a
man with a slouch hat drawn down over his
eyes stepped forward.
“Mr. Norton?”
“ Yes.” Norton stepped hack suspiciously.
The other chuckled, raised and lowered his
hat swiftly.
“ Good Lord ! ” murmured the reporter.
"Will you take a ride with me in a taxi?"
“All the way to Syracuse, if you say so.
Well, i’ll ha tinker damned!"
“No names, please ! ”
What took place in that taxicab was never
generally known. But at 10 o’clock the next
morning Norton surprised the /levator boy
by going out. Norton proceeded downtown to
the National bank, where lie deposited $5,000
In hills of large denominations. The teller
had some difficulty in counting them. They
stuck together and retained the sodden ap
pearance of money recently submerged In
water.
Florence was delighted at the i/lea of a
coaching party. Often during her school
girl days she bad seen the fashionable
coaches g/i careening along the road, with tho
sharp, /dear note of the bugle rising above
the thunder of hor/fs and rattling of wheels.
Jones was not enthusiastic; neither wo* he
a killjoy.
“But you are to go along, too," said
Florence.
“I, Miss Florence?”
“The countess invited yon especially. You
will go with a hamper.”
“Ah, In my capacity ns butler; very good,
Miss Florence." To her he gave no sign of
Id* secret satisfaction.
Tlie hour arrived, and the gay party
howled away. Tory wound in and out of tlie
streets toward the country to the crack of
the whip and the blare of the born.
Florence’s enjoyment would have been per
fect had It not been for tlie absence of
Norton. Why hadn't he been invited? She
did not ask been use *’ne <ll/1 not care to dis
close to the countess her Interest In the re
porter. They were tieuring the limit* of th*
city, when the coach was forced to take a
sharp turn to avoid an automobile in trouble.
The man puttering at the engine raised his
head. It was Norton, and Florence waved
iter hand vigorously.
“ A coaching party,” he murmured ; “ and
your Uncle Janies was not invited! O, very
well!" He laughed, and suddenly grew seri
ous. It would not hurt to find out where
that coach was going.
He set to work savagely, located the
trouble, righted it, and set off for the Har
greave home. II" found Susan and bombarded
her with questions which to Susan came with
tlie rapidity of rain upon the roof.
“So Jones went along?”
“ In hia capacity of butler only.”
Norton smiled. “ Well, I’ll take a jaunt
out there myself. You are sure of tlie lo
cation?”
“ Yes.”
“ Well, good-by. I'lt go as n waiter, since
they wouldn't invite me. I'm one of y»e
best little waiters you ever heard of; and all
things come to him who waits."
What a pleasant, affable young man lie
was! thought Susan as she watched him
jump into the car and go flying up the street.
Jones was a good deal surprised when
Norton turned up at the old Chilton manor.
“ What made you come here dressed like
this?” the butler demanded.
“I’m a suspicious duffer; maybe that's the
reason.”
“Do you know anything?”
“Well, no; I can't, say that I do, But,
hang it, I just bud to come out here.”
“ Maybe it's just us well you did,” said
Jones moodily.
“ I know lids place. The housekeeper used
to he my nurse, and If she is still on the
Job she tnay tie of service to us You don't
think they'll question or recognize me?”
“Hardly. I’ll put in a word for you. I’ll
say I sent for you, not knowing if we had
enough servants to take care of the
luncheon.”
“And now I’ll go nnd hunt tip Meg.”
Bure enough, his old nurse was still in
charge of the house; and when her “baby”
disclosed liis identity she all hut fell upon
his neck.
“ But what are you doing here, dressed up
as a waiter? "
“It's a little secret, Meg. I wasn't in
vited, and the truth is I'm very desperately
in love with tne young lady In whose honor
this coaching party is being given. And
. . . maybe she's in danger.”
“ Danger? What about?”
“Tlie Lord only knows. But show tne
about the house. I’ve not been here in so
long I’ve forgotten tho run of it. I remem
ber one room with the secret panel and an
oiner with a painting that turned. Have
they changed them?”
“No; it is Just the same here as it used
to lie. Come along and I'll show you.”
Norton Inspected tlie rooms carefully,
stowing away In his mind every detail. He
might he worrying about nothing; hut so
many strange things Imd happened tnat It
was better to he on the side of caution than
on the side of carelessness. He left the
house and ran across Jones carrying a basket
of wine.
“ Hers, Norton; fake this to the party. I
want to reconnolter.”
“ Ail right, m’iud ! Kay, Jones, how much
do you think I'd earn at this job?” ivxnically.
“Get along wdth you, Mr. Norton. It
may he the time to laugh, and then it may
not.”
“ I’m going hack Into the house and hide
behind a secret panel. I've got my revolver.
y.f ll> 'he sUblea and take a try st »»-
car; see ts site works smoothly. We may
have to do some hiking. Where is tha
countess in this?”
“ Heave that to me, Mr. Norton.” said th#
butler with his grim smile. “Be off; they
are moving back toward the house.”
So Norton carried the basket around to the
lawn, where it was taken from his hands by
the regular servant. He sighed as he saw
Florence, laughing and chatting with a man
who was a stranger and whom lie heard ad
dressed as count. Some friend of the countess,
no doubt. Where was all this tangle going
to end? lie wished he knew. And what a
yarn he was going to write some day! It
would lie read like one of (iaboriau’s tales.
He turned away to wander Idly about the
grounds, when beyond a clump of cedars he
saw three or four men conversing lowly. He
got as near as possible, for when three or
four men put their bends together and
whisper animatedly, it usually means a poker
game or something worse. He raught a
phrase or two ns it came down the wind, and
then lie knew that the vague suspicions that
had brought him out here had been set in
motion by fate. He heard “Florence” and
“the old <1 rawing room”; and that was
enough.
He scurried about for Jones. It was pure
luck that lie had had old Meg show him
through the house, otherwise he would have
forgotten nil about the secret panel in the
wall and tlie painting. Jones shruggej
resignedly. Were these men of the countess’
party? Norton couldn't say.
Norton made Ids hiding place in safety;
and by and by lie could hour tlie guests mov
ing about in the room. Then all sounds
ceased for a while. Norton strained his ear
against the panel. A door closed sharply.
“ No: here you must stay, young lady,”
said a man's voice.
“ What do you mean, sir?” demanded the
beloved voice.
“ It means that no one will return to this
room and that you will not he missed until
it is too late."
Tlie sound of voices stopped abruptly, and
something like scuffling ensued. Hater Nor
ton heard the back of a chair strike the
panel and some one sat heavily upon it. He
waited perhaps five minutes; then he gently
slid back the panel. Florence sat hound and
gagged under his very eyes! It waa but the
work of a moment to liberate her.
“It Is I, Jim. I»o not speak or make the
least noise. Follow me."
tirontly astonished, Florence obeyed; and
♦he panel slipped hack Into place. The room
behind the secret panel had barred windowa.
To Florence it appeared Ui be a real prison.
“How did you get here?” she asked
breathlessly.
“ Something told me to follow you. And
something is always going to tell me to fol
low you, Florence."
She pressed his hand. It was to her aa
if one of ilioso book heroes had stepped out
of a hook ; only hook heroes always had tre
mendous fortunes and did not have to work for
n living. < tdifly enough, she was not afraid.
“ Win/ was the man?” he asked.
“The Count Norfeldt. Some one has im
posed upon the countess.”
“ Do you think so?” with a strange look
In his eves.
i
“ What do yon mean?”
“Nothing just now. The idea Is to get
out of here Just as quickly as we can. Bse
this painting?" lie touched a spot on fns
wall and tlie painting slowly swung ont like
a door. “Come; we make our escape to tha
side lawn from here.”
At the stable they were confronted with
tlie knowledge that Norton's car was out of
commission; Jones could do nothing ‘-with If-
Then Norton suggested tost he make an ef
fort to commandeer the limousine of the coun
tess; hut there were men about, so the lim
ousine was out of the question.
"Horses!” whispered Jones. “There are
several saddle horses, already saddled. How
about these people, the owners?”
“O, they are beyond reproach. They bars
doubtless been imposed ii|Min. But let ui get
aboard first. There will he time to talk
later. I’ll have to do some explaining, tak
ing these nogs off like this. We won’t hare
to ride out in front where the picnicker! are.
There's a lane back of the stable, and a
slight detour brings us hack Into the mala
road.”
Tne three mounted and clattered
To Florence It had the air of a prank. She
was beginning to have such confidence In
these two inventive men that she felt aa If
she was never going to he afraid any more.
When the Countess Olga saw the three
'norses it was an effort not to fly Into a rag*.
But secretly she warned her people, who
presently gave chase in the limousine, while
she prattled and Jested and laughed with her
company, who were qnlte unaware thst a
drama wa* being enacted right under their
very noses. The countess, while (he acted
superbly, tore her handkerchief Into shred*.
There whs something sinister la the way all
their plans fell throutfn at the vary moment
of consummation; and that night she deter
mined to ask Braine to withdraw from this
warfare, which gradually decimated their
numbers without getting them anywhere to
ward tne goal.
Jones shouted that the limousine was tear
ing down the road. Something must be done
to stop it. He suggested that he drop be
hind, leave his horse, and take a chance at
potting a tire from the shrubbery at the
roadside.
" Keep going. Don’t stop, Norton, till you
are back In town. I’ll manage to take g*o4
care of myself.” n
(To ba jf H