Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

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