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v* MILLION DOLLAR MYSTIC
WOO FOR iOO WORDS,
* The Million Dcilci hlysicry" sisry
«t'il tr» /•-r iwenly-rtcc eanseeutire weeks
' n this pep tt. By an .wrasigemmt with
the Thanhouser Film ntmpany it has
lava e passible not only to read the storp
ia this paper but oh o to see it each week
in the curious Rioting picture ihcc.tvr*.
the eolation cf this mystery story
SIO.OOC still be given by the Thanhouser
l'at corporative.
I CON Dir: OX S GOVERNING THE
CONTEST.
The prize of SIO,OOO will he icon by the
icon, ir<jtu<in, or child who w* r cs the most
acceptable solution of the mystery, from
which the last two reels of motion picture
dr-MM will be made and the last two
chap lets of the story written by Harold
1 hiacGrath.
Solutions may be sent to the Than
housvr Film corporation, eif'er at Chicago
or Netc York, any time up to midnight,
Jan. 14. This allows several weeks after
the last chapter has been published
•A board of three judges will determine
which of the many solutions received is the
; most acceptable. The judges are to be
Harold UacGrath, Lloyd Lonergan, and
Hiss Mae Tinee. The judgment of this
1 board will be absolute and final. Nothing
of a literary nature tcill be considered in
• the decision, nor given any preference in
the selection of the winner of the fIO,OOO
price. The last two reels, which will give
1 the most acceptable solution to the mys
tery, will be presented in the theaters
i honing this feature as soon as it is pos
| sible to produce the same. The story corre
sponding to these motion pictures will ap
pear in the newspapers coincidentally, or
as soon after the appearance of lae pic
tures as practicable. With the lest two
reels utill be shown the pictures of the win
ner, his or her heme, and other interesting
; features. It is understood that the news
papers, so far as practicable, in printing
the last two chapters of the story by Har
-1 old IfaoGrath, will also show a picture of
the successful contestant.
1 Solutions to the mystery must not be
1 more than 100 words long. Here are some
\ questions to be kept in mind tn connection
toith the mystery as an aid to a solution :
No. I—What1 —What becomes of the millionaireT
No. S —What becomes of the $1,000,0001
No. S—Whom does Florenoe morryf
No.i —What becomes of the Russian
countess?
Nobody connected either directly or in
directly with “ The Million Dollar Mys
tery " will be considered os a contestant.
SYNOPSIS OP PREVIOUS CHAPTERS.
Stanley Hargreiive, millionaire, after a
miraculous eacape from the den of the
gang of brilliant thieves known as the
Black Hundred, lives the life of a recluse
for eighteen years. Hargreave acci
dentally meets Dralne, leader of the
Black Hundred. Knowing Rralne will
to get him he escapes from his own
home by a balloon. Before escaping he
writes a letter to the girls' school,
where eighteen years before he mysteri
ously left on the doorstep hla baby
daughter, Florence Gray. That day
Hargreave also draws one million dol
lars from the bank, but It Is reported
that this dropped Into the sea, when the
balloon be escaped In was punctured.
Florence arrives from the girls’ school.
Countess Olga. Bralnc’s companion, vis
its her and claims to be a relative. Two
v bogus detectives call, but their plot Is
foiled by Norton, a newspaper man.
By bribing the captain of the Orient
1 Horton lays a trap for Bralne and hla
gang. Countess Olga also visits the Ori
ent’s captain and she easily falls Into the
reporter’s snare. The plan proves abor
tive through Bralne's good luck, and
only hirelings fall Into the hands of the
police.
After falling la their first attempt the
Black Hundred trap Florence. They ask
her for money, but she escapes, again
. dolling them.
i Norton and the countess can on Flor
ence the next day, once more aafe at
home. The visitors having gone. Jones
removes a section of flooring, and from
a cavity takes a box. Pursued by mem
bers of the Black Hundred, be rushes to
the water front and auceeeda In dropping
j the box Into the sea.
| Bralne conceives the Idea of giving a
< coaching party, to which Florence la In
{ vrtted. Jones and Norton both go along
and are ffetunately on hand to save
Florence from being Imprisoned In the
country house to which she Is lured.
( Florence goes horseback riding and la
captured by one of Bralne’s men along
the roadside. Norton rescues her. They
err pursued, however, aad the pair make
"their complete escape only after Norton
has exploded a tire on the fast approach
ing machine with a bullet.
, CHAPTER VIII.
:
c**" THE WILES OF A WOMAN.
AFTER the affair of the aoto bandits—
three of whom were killed—a lull fol
lowed. If you're a sailor you know
what kind of a 101 l I mean: bio e-black
doudu down the southwest horizon, the water
crinkly, the booms wabbling. Suddenly a series
of “ accidents ” began to happen to Norton.
At first he did not give the matVr much
thought The safe which fell almost at Ua
feet and crashed through the sidewalk merely
induced him to believe be was lucky- At an
other time an automobile came furiously
ground a corner while he waa crossing the
street, and only amazing agility saved him
from bodily hurt. The car was out of sight
when be thought to recall the number.
Then came the Jolt in the subway. Only a
desperate grab by one of the guards saved him
from being crushed to death. Even then he
thought nothing. But when a new box of
cigareta arrived and be tried one and fonnd It
strangely perfumed, and. upon further analy
sis fonnd it to contain a Javanese narcotic, a
alow but sore death, he became wide awake
•nough. They were after him. lie began to
walk carefully, to keep in public places as
oft’n as he possibly could.
TTc was not really afraid of d«ath. but be
did nbbor the thought of its coming up from
behind. Except for the cigar ct* they were ail
" accidents "; he could not have proved any
thin? before a jury of his intimate friends.
He never entered an elevator without scru
pulous care. He neTer passed under coverings
over the sidewalks where construction was
going on. Still, careful as he was, death con
fronted him once more. It was his habit to
have his coffee and rolls—he rarely ate any
thin? more for his breakfast —set down out
side his door every morning. The coffee, being
in a silver thermos bottle, kept its heat for
hours. When he took the stopper out and
poured forth a cup it looked oddly black, dis
colored. It is quite probable that had there
been no series of “ accidents ” he would have
drunk a cup—and died in mortal agony. It
contained bichloride of mercury.
Very quietly he set about to make inquiries.
This was really becoming serious. In ths
kitchens downstairs nothing could be learn d.
The maid had set the thermos bottle before
the door at 10:30. Norton had opened the
door at I:3o—three hours after. The outlook
was not the cheerfulcst. He knew perfectly
well why all these things “ happened ” : he had
interfered with the plans of the scoundrels who
were making every possible move to kidnap
Florence Hargreavc.
One afternoon he paid Florence a visit. Of
course he told her nothing. They had become,
secretly engaged the day after he had rescued
her from the auto bandits. They were secretly
engaged because Florence wanted it so. For
once Jones suspected nothing. Why should
he? He had troubles enough. As a matter of
fact, Norton was afraid of Jones. He was
afraid of him in the same sense as a boy is
afraid of a policeman.
But on this day, when the time came, he
accosted the butler and drew him into the
pantry.
I.NEVER. W THATRJNQBEFORE*
“ Jones, they are after me now."
“You? Explain.”
Norton briefly recounted the deliberate at
tempts against his life.
“ You see, I'm not liar enough to say that
Fm not worried. I am, devilishly worried.
I'm not worth any ransom. I’m in the way,
and they seem determined to put me out of it”
“To any other man I would say travel. But
to you I say when you leave your rooms don’t
go where you first thought you would—that is,
some usual haunt They’ll be everywhere, pear
your restaurants, your clubs, your office.
You’re a methodical young man; become er
ratic. Keep away from here for at least three
days, but always call me tip by telephone some
time daring the day. Never under any cir
cumstance, unless I send for you, eorae hefk> at
night Only one man now watches the bouse
daring the day, but five are prowling around
after dark. They might have instructions to
shoot you on sight 1 can’t spare yon jost at
present Mr. Norton. You’ve been a godsend ;
and if it seems that sometimes I did not trust
you fully it was because I did not care to drag
yon in too deep.”
Deep? Norton thought of Florence and
smiled inwardly. Oould anybody be in deeper
than he was? Once it was on the tip of his
tongue to confess his love for Florence, but
tbe gravity of Jones’ countenance was an ob
stacle to such move; it did not invite It.
T*o be sure, Jones had no real authority to
•ay what Florence sbonld or should not do
with her heart. Still, from all points of view,
it was better to keep the affair under the rose
till there came a more propitious hour in
which to make the disclosure.
Rove, in the midst of all these alarms!
Sharp, desperate rognea on one side, millions
on the other, and yet lore could enter the
scene serenely, like an actor who had missed
his cue and came on too soon.
Oddly enough, there was no real lovemaking
such as you often rend about. A pressure of
tbe band, a glance from tbe eye, there was
seldom anything more. Only once—that mem
orable day on the river road —bad he kissed
her. No word of love had been spoken on
either side. In that wild moment all coriv. n
ttonalities had disappeared like smoke in the
wind. There bad been neither past nor future,
only the present in which they knew that they
loved. With her he was happy, for he had no
time to plan over the future. Away from her
he saw the inevitable barriers providing
against the marriage between & poor young
man and a very rich younf woman. A man
who has any respect wants always to be on
equal terms with his wife, financially more
than in any other thing. It's the way this
peculiar organization called Society has writ
ten down it rules. Doubtless a relic of tho
stone age, when Ab went out with his club to
seek a wife and drag her by the hair to his
den, and there to care for her and to guard
her with his life's blood. It is one of the few
primitive s nsntions that remain to us, this
wanting the female dependent upon tire male.
Perhaps this accounts for man's lack of inter
est on the suffraget question.
Only Susan suspected the true state of af
fairs, being a woman. Having had no real
romance herself, she delighted in having a sec
ond hand one, as you might sny. She Inter
cepted many a glunce and pretended not to
see the stolen hand pressures. The wedding
was already full drawn in her miud's eye.
These two young people should be married at
Susan Farlow’s when the roses wore climbing
up the sides of the house and the young robing
were boldly trying their fuzzy wiugg. It
struck her as rather strange, but she could
not conjure up (at this wedding) more than
two men besides the minister, the bridegroom,
and the butler.
By forsaking his accustomed haunts, under
the advice of Jones, the hidden warfare ceased
temporarily. You can’t very well kill a man
when you don't know where to find him. lie
ate his breakfasts haphazardly, now here, now
there. He received most of his assignments by
telephone and wrote his stories and articles in
his club, in the writing rooms of hotels, and
invariably dispatched them to the office by
messenger. The managing editor wanted to
know wbat all this meant; but Norton de
clined to tell him.
It irked him to be forced to rearrange his
daily life—bis habits. It was a revolution
against his ease, for he loved ease when he
was not at work. He had the sensation of
having been sudd'nly robbed of bis home, of
having been cast ont into the streets. And on
top of all this be had to go and fall in love!
, There was no longer a shadow opposite the
apartments of the Princess Perigoff. I’ralne
came and went nightly without discovering
any one. This rather worried him. It gave
him the impression that the shadow had found
out what he had been seeking and no longer
needed to watch the coming and goiDg of
cither himself or the Countess Perigoff.
“ Olga, it looks as if we were at the end of
our rope,” he said diseouragcdly. “We have
failed in ull attempts so far. The devil watches
over that girl.”
“Or Cod," replied the countess gloomily.
“In nearly every instance their success has
been due to chance. Somehow I’m convinced
that we began wrong. We should have let
llargreave escape quietly, followed him, and
made him fast when the right opportunity
came. After a month or so his vigilance would
have relaxed; b» would have arrived at the
belief that he bad eluded us.”
“ Indeed!" ironically. “He wasn’t vigilant
all these years In which he did elude us. now
about the child he never sought but guarded?
Vigilance! He never was anything else all
these seventeen years. The truth is, success
has develop'd a coarseness in our methods.
And now it b. too late for finesse.. We have
tried every device we can think of; and there
they are—the girl free, Norton unharmed, and
the father as secure in his retreat as though
he wore an invisible cloak. My head aches.
I have ceased to be inventive.” ,
“The two are In love with each other.”
” Arc you sure of that?"
“ I have my eyes. But I begin to wonder.”
“ About what?"
“ Whether or not Jones suspects me and is
giving me rope to hang myself with. Not ones
have the police been called in and told what
has really happened. They are totally at sea. ,
And what has become of the man over the
way?”
“By the Ix>rd Harry!” exclaimed Brnine,
clapping his hands. “I believe I've solved
that. We shot a man coming out of nar
greave’s. Since then there's been no one
across the way. One and the same man !”
“ But that knowledge doesn’t get us any
where.”
“ No. lon sny they are in love?”
" Secretly. 1 don't believe the butler has
an inkling of it. It is possible, however, that
Susan has caught the trend of affairs. Rut,
being rather romantic, she will in no wise
interfere.”
Brnine smoked in silence. Presently a smile
twisted his lips.
.twos* A' bit tv .
“Yon have thought of aomethlng?” sb»
asked.
“ You might try it,” he said. "They havs
accepted your friendship; whether with ulte
rior purpose remuins to he learned. She has
been to yonr apartments two or three times to
tea and always got home safely."
“ No,” she said determinedly. Nothing
shall happen here. I will not take the risk.”
“ Wait till I’m through. Break up the ro
mance in such a way that the girl will liar
Norton from the house. That's what we’ve
been aiming at; to get rid of that meddling
reporter. We’ve tried poisons. Try your
kind.”
“ What do you mean V
“ Lisa."
“Ah! I understand. You want me to wlo
him away from her. It cannot be done.”
“ Pshaw! You have a bag full of tricks.
You can easily manage to put him into an
equivocal position out of which he caunot pos
sibly squirm so far as the girl is concerned.
A little melodrama, arranged for the benefit
of Florence. Fall into Norton's arms at tho
right moment, or something like that.”
“ I snppose T could. But it I failed ..."
“ You're too damnably clever to fall In your
own particular work. Something has got to
be done to keep thoae two apart. I've often
thought of raiding tho house boldly and carry
ing off the whole family, Susan and nil. But
a wholesale affair like that would be too noisy.
Think It over, Olga; we have gone too far to
back down now. There's always Russia; and
while I'm the boss over here they never cease
to watch me. They'll make me answer for a
failure like this.”
Sbe eyed him speculatively. “ You bavis
money.”
“O, the money doesn't matter. It's the
game. It’s the game of playing fast and loose
with Society, of pilfering it with one band and
making it kow-tow with the other. It’s the
sport of tbe thing. What was your thought?”
“We could go away together, to South
America,”
“ And tire of each other within a month,”
he retorted shrewdly. “ No; we are in the
same boat. We eonld not live but for this
never ending ncilem- nt. And, more than
that, we never could get far enough away
from tbe long arm of the First Ten. Well
have to stick it out here. Can’t you see?”
“Yes, I ran a**.”
But in her heart »he knew that she could
have lived in a hut with tliie. man till the end
of her days. She abhorred the life, though she
never, by tbe sligbleat word, let him becous
aware of it. ‘There was always that abiding
fear that at the first sign of weakness he
would desert her. And she was wise in her
deductions. Braine was loyal to her because
she held his interest. Once that failed, he
would be off and away.
The next afternoon the conntess, having
matured her plans against the happiness of
the young girl who trusted her, drew up be
fore the llargreave place and a lighted. Her
welcome was the snme ns ever, and this
strengthened her confidence.
The countess was always gesticulating. Her
hands fluttered to emphasize her words. And
the beautiful diamond solitaire caught the
gill's eye. She seized the hand, liming an
affair of her own, it was natural that she
should he interested in that of her frieod.
“ I never saw that ring before.”
“ A gift of yesterday.” The countess as
sumed a shy air which would have deceived
St Anthony. She twisted the ring on her
finger.
“ Tell me 1” cried Florence. “ You are en
gaged r
“ Mercy, no!” (
“ Is he rich?”
“ No. Money should not matter when your
heart is involved.”
As this thought was In accord with her
own, Florence nodded her head Hagcly.
“It is nothing serious. Just a fancy. I
shall never marry again. Men are gay de
ceivers; they always have been and always
will be. Perhaps I'm a bit wicked; but I
rather like to prove my theory that ail men
are weak. If I had a daughter I'd rather
have her be an old man’s darling than a
young man's drudge. I distrust every man I
know. I came to ask yon and Susan tn go to
the opera with me tonight. You will come to
my apartments first You will come?”
“To be sure we will! "
“Simple little fool!" thought the Russian
on the way home. “ Sbe shall see.”
“ 1 believe the countess Is engmged to be
married,” said Florence to Jones. , » /
“ Indeed, miss?" d f
“ Yes. I couldn't get anything definite ont
of her, hut she had a beautiful ring on her
finger. She wants Susan and me to go to
the opera with her tonight Will that be all
right?”
Jones gnus! abstractedly nt the rug. Wh-n
--ever a problem bolhered him he seemed to find
tbe solution in the delicate pattern* of the
Persian rugs. Finally be nodded. “ I see no
reason why you should not go. Only, watch
out."
“ Jones, there la one thing that will make
me brave and happy. Will you tell me if you
.Are In direct communication with my father?"
“ Yes, Mis* Florence,” he answered prompt
ly. “ But do not breathe this to a single soul,
neither Susan nor Norton.”
“ I promise thnt. But, ah! hasten the day
when he can come to me without fear."
“That is my wish also."
“ You need not call m» miss. Why shonld
yon?"
“It might not he wise to have any one
hear me call you thus familiarly,” be objected
gravely.
*" Please yourself about that Now I must
telephone Jim.” ~ -
HAROLD
MCGRATH
“Jim?” the butler murmured.
1
He caught the word which was not intended
for his cars. But for once Jones had been
startled out of himself.
“Is it wrong for me to call Mr. Norton
Jim?” she asked with a bit of banter. ;
“ It is not considered quite the proper thing,
Miss Florence, to call a young man by his
first name unless you are engaged to marry
him, or grew up with him from childhood.”
“ Well, supposing I were engaged to him?”
haughtily,
f
“ That would be a very grave affair. What
have you to prove that he may not wish to
marry you for your money?”
“ Why, Jones, yon know that I haven't a
penny in the world I can call my own! There
is nothing to prove, except yonr word, that I
am Stanley Ilargreavc’s daughter.”
“ No, there is nothing to prove that yon are.
his daughter. But hasn’t it ever occurred to
you that there might be a purpose back of
this? Might it not be of inestimable value
that your father's enemies should be left in
doubt? Might it not be a means of holding
them on the lensh? There is proof, ample
proof, my child; and when the time rrnnri;
these will be shown you. But meantime put
all thought of marrying Mr. Norton out 0 1
your head.” i
"That I refuse to do,” quietly. “I am at
least mistress of my heart; and no one rimtl
dictate to me whom I shall or shall not marry. 1
I love Mr. Norton and he loves me, knowing
that I may not be an heiress after all. And
some day I shall marry him." ‘|
Jones bowed. This seemed to appear <lw«f j
to him, and nothing more was to be said. i
Norton did not return to his rooms till
He found the telephone call and also a note
in a handwriting nnfsmilrar. He tore off the
envelope and found the contents to be from
the Countess Perigoff. m
) "Call at 8 tonight,” he read. “I bar* an
important news story for yon. Tell no one,
as I cannot be involved in the case. Cordially,
Olga, Countess Perigoff." .j
ITnraph! Norton twiddled the note tn his
fingers and at length rolled it into a ball and
threw it into the wastebasket He. too, made
a mistake: he should have kept that note. He
dressed, dined, and hurried off to the apart
ments of the countess.
He arrived ten minutes before Florence and
Susan.
And Jones did some rapid telephoning. 1
“ How long, how long! ” the butler mur
mured. How long would this strange combat
last? The strain was terrific. He slept but
little during the nights, fpr his ears were
always waiting for sounds. He bad cast the
chest into the sea, and It wonld take a dozen
expert dlvere to locate it And now, atop of
all these worries, the child most fall in love
with the first comer! It was heartbreaking.
Norton, so far as he had learned, was cool
and brave, honest and reliable in a pinch ; but
as the husband of Stanley Uargreave's daugh
ter, thnt was altogether a different matter.
And he must deviae some means of patting a
stop to it but y
But be was saved that trouble, ' . J
Mongoose and cobra, that wan tbs game bo
ing played; the cunning of the ons tee*,
the deadly venom of the other. If ho forced
(natters be won hi only lay himsalf open to tho
strike of the snake. Ho must hove pothanoo.
Gradually they were breaking tho organiza
tion, lopping off a bfanch here and there, but,
the peace of the future depended upon getting
a grip on the spine of the cobra himself. 1
The trick was simple. The countess had
news; tmst her for that. She exhibited a
cablegram, dated at Gibraltar, in which the ;
British authorities stated definitely that no
such a person as William Orta, aviator, had j
arrived at Gibraltar. And then, an he rna* :
she rose also and gently precipitated herself
into his arms, just at the moment IfT rrngs 1
appeared in the doorway. ■
Very simple, indeed. When n woman fa Urn
toward a man there is nothing for him to (Iqß
but extend his arms to prevent her from faD-4
ing. Outwardly, however, to the eye which ]
saw only the picture and comprehended not
the cause, it bad all the hallmarks of an
affectionate embrace. j
Florence stood perfectly still for a moment,
then turned away. * J
I “I te* your pardon!" said the coantes*
" but a sudden fainting spell seized me. My,
heart is a bit weak." J
“ Don’t mention It," replied the gallant Nor
ton. H« was as innocent as s babe as to what
had really taken place.
Florence went back home. She wrote a
brief note to Norton and inclosed the ring
which she bad secretly worn attached to a
little chain around her neck.
When Norton came the next day she refused
to see him. It was all over. She never wished
to see him again.
" He says there has been pome cruel mis
take," said Jones.
“ I saw him with the counmsa In his arm*
Ido not sec any cruel mistake in that I saw
him. Tell him so. And add that I neves
wish to sec him again.” f
Then she ran swiftly to her room, where
she broke down and cried bitterly and wonld
not be comforted by Busan.
“ In heaven's name,” demanded the frantic
lover, “ what has happened?”
The comedy of the whole affair lay in the
fact that neither of the two suspected the
ceuutess, who consoled them both,
-V [TO BE OOPTirtCEDj ) s 4