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SIO,OOO FOR 100 WORDS.
“The Million Dollar Mystery ” story
V)iU 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 by the Thanhouser
Film corporation.
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 icritten by Harold
MacGrath.
Solutions may be sent to the Than
housar Film corporation , either at Chicago
or Now York, any time up to midnight,
Jan. Vi. 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 MacGrath, Lloyd Lonergan, and
, Miss Maa Tinee. The judgment of this
\'icard will be absolute and final. Nothing
a literary nature will bo considered in
list decision, nor given any preference in
the\talection of the winner of the SIO,OOO
prize. The last two reels, which will give
the most acceptable solution to the mys
tery, &dll be presented tu the theaters
having t'his feature as soon as it 4s pos
sible to /»’’ oduce the same. The story corre
sponding t\‘ these motion pictures will ap
pear in t,%s newspapers coincidentally, or
as soon af>e. r the appearance of the pic
lures as pr.ystieablc. the' last two
reels will be s'h'ovn the pictures of the win
ner, his or her ts-ome, and other interesting
features. It is understood that the news
papers, so far at* practicable, in printing
the last two chap Ob-s of the story by Har
old MacGrath, show a picture of
the successful contestant-
Soltutions to the mfrztory hm tM not he
more than 100 words ItKig- Here we some
questions to be kept in mind in connection
with the mystery as an aiE to a solution:
Ho. I—What becomes of*.the millionaire. f
Ho. 2 —What becomes of the SIJMM),OOOT
No.S —Whom does FlorcnW marry]
Ho. h —What becomes of the Russian
countess]
Nobody connected cither dtrorOdf or tn
directly with “ The Milßon Dakar Mys
tery ” will be considered as a contestant.
SYNOPSIS OfF PKEVKHJS CHAPTHBS.
Stanley Hsrgresre, mlfWoimtrr, sftena
miririilouN riViMK- from the don of the
gaifg of hrtVxanl thieve knotvn as the ■
Black Hundred, live* the life of s *r
elnsr for elghtnn yean, fiaigiesve ac
cidentally meets Brillne. leader of the
Black Baadrcd. Knowing limine wfH
try to get him, be escapes from his own
* home by a balloon. Before cacaptng he
writes a letter to the girls’ school where
efghtreu years before he mysteriously
i left oa the doorstep bis baby dangbtr-r,
Florence Gray. That day Hargrraw
also draws S3,OUCMKK> from the hank, bait
It is reported that this dropped Into the
Sen trben the balloon he escaped in was
1 punctured.
Florence arrives from the girls’ school.
| Countess (Ham, Itrirtne's compswfon, vis
it* her and elates* to be a n'laflw. Two
bogus detecttxes can. Wit their plot in
foiled by Norton, it newspaper man.
By bribing fbe captxdn of the Orient
Norton lays a trap for Bratne and his
gang. Camrtm (Hga also vtslfa the Art.
enthi eapfntn. and she easily Mh fate
’.-fbe reporter's snare. The pten proxies
abortive (hi iisgh Rndnd’s good hn* and
otrty bin Tings MI Ista the hands of
the police.
! After sassing to tfetfr first aftempt the
Bhtrk Hundred-trap Flaw nee. they ask
| her for money, hot she maps, agate
sassing them.
Norton and dhe esnatess rdl oa Flaw
etxrr the next dap. omen mane sate nt
hvror. The vislfms harvteg gone, .tones
I removes a seetton of flooring and from
i a cavity tafcr* a box. Pursued by mem
bers of the Black Hundred, be rntdn-s to
fbe water front and sneered* in drop.
* ptng the box into the sea.
Fountrss Olga succeed* la breaking
the engagement existing between Flor
ence Haegreave and Norton.
Accomplice* of Brulae sneered In kid
imping Florence while she Is shopping
and harry her off to sea. She leaps tote
the sea and Is picked op In a dared con
dition by a party of Ssbeemen. The
Black Hundred locate her. and Bradne.
disguised as bee father, sneeeeda In tak
ing brr bark to sea with him. Florrnrr
sets Are to the boat and la reseat d by a
ship on which Norton has beta shang
haied.
Norton and Florence, safely ashore
and with no longer say mlsnnderstand-
Ing hi SI i« them, take the train for
home. The-train I* wrecked and -watting
member* of the Hlaefc Hundred carry
the Injured Florence to a deserted hot.
Norton, who tries to rescue her. Is tied
to the raitruwd track*. Florence saves
Mm and IHmfly Jones emaes to the ren
ter of both.
The Black Hundred recover the hat
Jones dropped In the ocean. By a clever
m*r Norton sad Jones regain It.
' FVeyibtflt: Oil: By HaroM UxcGrath.l
CHAPTER Xm.
AN AGENT TOO If BtTBBTA.
THE Black Hundrol. not ft* individual*
but as an anwnizatioo, Sevan to worry.
Powerful, anti often reckless and d.ur
ine because It was powerful, it heron
to look a bunt for some basic cause for afl these
failures against Hargreaves 'laughter ami
Ha-rgreave’s gbost. They bud tried to put the
inquisitive reporter out of the way: they had
laid every trap they could think of to.catch
th<* mysterious visitor at the Harm-cave home;
they bad thrown out a hundred lure® to bring
Hargreave oot of his liar, and foiled* and
they had lost a down valuable men and several
thousand’ dollars. This most end somewhere,
■>od quickly.
HORTON WANTED TO A 7SS HEQ.EUf THE ETERNAI JONES MIGHT BZ'mOUMQ
The one ray of hope tor the conspirators tay
in the fact that Florence bad never seen her
father and knew not in the least what he
looked like. They determined to try again to
this direction.
“ Give it ail np,” said the countess to
Brainc. “ I tell yon, whatever ia back of all
this is stronger than we. are. He knows the
organization, and for ail we know he may be
a ghost.”
‘ I never go back,” smiled Braine. “'There's
something more than the million. There’s the
sport of the thing. We’ve been bested in a
dozen bouts, and nearly always by a fluke.
They have the* breaks, as they say out at the
PcSo grounds."
“ But the time, and expense when we might
be getting results -elsewhere? I tcil yon, Lea,
I’m afraid. IFs like always hearing sane one
you and never finding anybody when
ytyd:-tnrn. I have tofd yim my dnnbte. I have
aisp-asked yon to trap that batter, but yoa*w
always-' laughed’.”
“ Yaw are seeuig, ghxwta, Olga- A new man
from Imiy Russia,” sbrugglng, “’tecoming to
nigtit. FSridraitly fte bead ower there thinks
our eoutrffiatioms of late have not -been op to
the mark, and. 4htw an-going to stir ns up. I
am willing to wager my soul, boweya-, that
first box is t-imply a hoax to befuddle us.
EWher- that <ir -iLtirAds ttm key. Rut the rest
of fbem insist that fire box mast he--recovered.
When I leave this roam tonight I am going
over to ItriumWe and stalk all by myself.
Pm goteg to gefc-a gtempse of thnl. -inyte.rin as
stranger. He carries a sear of mine some
where, fur T Irilr him that night.”
The door .«pened,'*xitJ'-tke executive chamber
heroine silent.
“■Ccaait Farofi’”’barwmyf the anirr of Vroon.
“ He wffl present Tils credentials^”
This formaffiy was executed as prescribed
by ti*e rules-, and Count PirrofF was given his
ehair. He spdtr- for a while, rather pom
pously.
“ The head •organizaSon is not satisfied with
fti offspring to this Hargreave affair,” he safd
to, condusion. “ You arc slow.”
“Then you have come with some suggestion*
tor the betterment of our business?” asked
Braine ironically. \
“ Sir, this is not the hour for flippancy,”
said the agent coldly.
Braine made a sign with his hand, a sign
not observed by every one. fnstontfy Paroff
bent lowly. He recognized that the speaker
was the actual, not the nominal, head of the
American branch.
“ Wbat are your suggestions?" inquired the
nominal bead from Ms chair, anxious to avoid
a clash between the newcomer and the trucu
lent master of them aIL
“ I have been informed that nargreave’s
daughter has never seen her not even
a photograph of him," said Paroff, more amia
'bly.
“ We are absolutely certain that this is fno
case,” said the nominal bead, who was known
*n the president. “ But we tried one play in
that direction, and it failed miserably.”
“ I have the story," replied Paroff. “ft
was clumsily done. The ruse was an old one.”
Braine was frank enough to admit the truth
of this statement, however much he disiikej
the aumisfdon. Tie nodded.
" I hkve authority to take a hand in this af
fair. We cannot waste all summer. Thom
govern trek! plans of the fortifications of the
Panama are waiting. There's your millions.
But the fact remains that it i* the law of the
Black Hand red never to step down till abso
lutely defeated. The hidden million i* but
buff; we must find and break this renegade
Ilan-grcave.”
“ If-be lives,” sail Brains.
*” Who can say one way or ftp other 7”
brusquely asked PhrufL “The fact that afl
> our plans and schemes Inxve come to naurht
should prowe to you that you are not -fighting a
ghost. There in but one way to bring out the
truth.”
” And that is to make a captive of his daugh
ter,” supplemented Braine. “ And we have
worked toward that end ceaselessly. We are
quite ready to listen to your suggestions,
count”
“ And ro am I,” thought tin; man with Ms
ear to the little bole in the ceiling above.
“ And some day, my energetic friend, I’m going
i
to pay you bark for that bullet.”
Count Paroff cleared his voice and laid bla
plans before Ills audience.
“To act frankly and to tbe open, to go
boldly to the Hargreave borne and I, ro'daim
myself Hargreave. I can disguise mjxeff in a
manner that will at leant temporarily fool the
butler.”
“ Who has been with his master for fourteen
years, knows every move, habit, gesture, inflec
tion,” interposed Braine. “ But proceed, count,
proceed. You will remember the old adage:
too many rooks.”
* Ah,” flashed back tbe count, “ but a new
cook?"
Olga touched Braine’* trm wamingly.
“ Yon mean, then, that there ha* Mien talk
in St. Petersburg of disposing of some one?”
“ A good deal of talk, sir,” haughtily, for
getting that he had bent humbly enough but a
few moment* gone.
“ Very well; go on."
Thought tbe man at the peephole above;
“ Tliw'h another adage. When thieves fall
act, then honest men get their dues. Yes,
yes; proceed, proceed!”
Paroff went oti. “ 1 shall, tlien, go frankly
to the Hargreave house and claim my own.
Meantime I have to you the busmen* of luring
the butler away. Half an hour is all I need to
bring that child here, to break tbe wall that
stands between us and what we seek."
03JN5X CVWaoPP- PRESENTS MIS CREOENTHAIJS
“ ho tin tt'uoff" murmured'lSraiae. “ Olga, I
want you to play a trick on this handsome
ddtegate at targe. Pm not very eutfiuadastic
ower his talk. I want bhn lmarilfoted. Afl
you have to do, ha-says, is to walk into tbe
Tlargrcave bouse. «md walk out aystbi. Well,
let's you and 1 sec- that be Joes that arid noth
ing else. I’ll have no one m-ddling with rny
own game.”
Some one sneezed, and everybody looked at
his neighbor. The sneeze was repeated, but
muffled, as if some one was desperately aux
ious to avoid sneezing.
“It came from above!” whispered Olga
“ Don’t look up!”
Braine worn cool, lie walked idly across the
room to where Vroon sat. “ Very well, Paroff;
we give you free rein.” To Vroon he said:
"Some one is wati-hing us from the rooia
overhead. I thought thnt room belonged to us.”
“It docs,” said Vroon stolidly.
“ Then how Is It that some one U watching
from up there? No excitement. I’m going to
bid every one good-night, then I’m going to
investigate. When I leave you will quietly
•and men to ail the exit* to the building. I
want flic man who sneezed, and I want him
badly.”
Olga departed with Braine, only she imme
diately sought the taxi that brought her mid
was driven home. It was always understood
that wb-n any serious exploit was under way
hereabouts she wag to make her departure at
•nee.
V roan stationed his men at the several exit*
and Braine went upstairs. The man who had
cm-ozed, however, had vanished ns rompieteiy
as if be bad worn that invisible cloak on*
roads about in the Persian tales. As a matter
of fact, after the second sneeze lie had gone up
to the roof, got oat by tie- trap, and jumped
rather risky business, too to tin- n"Xt roof
and hod clambered down the fire escape of tbe
second building, lie was swearing inandiidy.
After nil these days of care and planning,
after all his cleverness in locating the ren
dezvous of the Black Hundred, and now to lose
hi* advantage because of an uncontrollable
sneeze! He would never dare go back, awl
just when he was beginning to pick up fine bits
of information! Bo Floreore Harp:reave was
geing to have a new father in a day or so?
There were some clever rugma among this
biwwl of the tea; but their etevernesn was well
offset by art equal number of fowls.
Yes, flier-■ were some otever rogurs, and to
prove litis astiertinn Rnuuc wienred a taxteub
and drove - furiously asratE, Ms dintrrartion tlie
home of hin itiK-u-ut enemy. lie dropped the
cab a blorh or two away imd prr.smfFy at owed
hSmtieir away to fin- sununer hwuae nt the left
of tbe town. It would l ave hrn a capital
Idea—that ia, ff the other man hud nutthougfat
of and nutiriimted this very thMig. 80-be imod
a public pay station telephone; and Braine
waited to vain, waited till tile lights to the
Hargreave bn»a:e went out one by our and it
become wrapped in Jarlcmsm within and
irjoonalrhre witfiomt.
Braine won a tfitilosopher. ne rrtnrued to
his wiitring taxirtib, drove home, paid file bfli,
sutritog grindy, and went to lied. It was going
to be n wonderful game of Wind umn’s huff,
and it was orator to be sport lo watih-ffttH fnoi
I*uroff Minuter into a pit.
The next.afternoon Plorence and Norton sat
in the Klim Bier bouse t alking of the fntirre.
Imsiers are prone to talk of that . As if oay
thirig else in fire world ever eqiuih; the pciment.!
Tt'cy taftedofutee fltfte jrpartmerito and vara
Onus in tbewnmtner and how much ttwy, would
*awe mil-of Itin rntay, and a tiusisand itlMf one
ofiurr filings wbiHi wunM not interest you at
all if I recounted them in detail. But ttiry
dM leree each other, ax»l they were gotog to be
married; .w«i may he certain of that. They
did not <rarre u snap of the finger what .tones
thought. They were going to be married, and
that was ail there was to it Of course, Flor
ence couhln’t touch a F’Uiiy of her father’s
money. If i«p, Norton, eoirlffn*? take core of
her without ladp, wliy, he wouldn’t be wmfh
tlie piHvder to Mow Mm up with.
“ But, my dear, you mnni be very eareful,”
hi- said. “ Jones aiul I will always be about
somewhere. If tiny really get hold of you
once, God alone knows what wilt happen. It
is not you, it is your poo- father they want to
bring out into the open. If they knew where
he was they would not bother you in the least.”
“ Have I realty a father? Sometimes f
doubt. Why couldn’t he steal into the house
arid see me, juKt on ne?”
“ I’erhaps he dares not. This house is al
ways watched, night and day, tiioogh you’ll
look in vain to discover any one. Your saltier
knows best what he is doing, my dear girl.
Ymt see, 1 root him years ago in Chinn ; and
when he started out to do a certain thing lie
generally did it. He never botched any of hi*
plans. Bo we all must wait. Only I’m going
to marry you all the same, whether ho like* It
or not. The rogues will try to Impose upon
you again; but do not pay any attention to
notes or personals in tbe papers. You've been
through enough. And it was n lucky thing
that I was on that freighter that picked you
up at sea. I shall always wonder how that
yaeht took fire.”
“Ho shall I,’’ replied Flnrenee, her brow*
drawing together in puzzlement. “ Sometimes
I think I muxt have dotu- it. You know, peo
ple out of their heads do strange things. I
worn to see mysidf as in a dream. And thl*
man Braine is a scoundrel!”
“Yfes; and more than that, he is the dear
friejid of tbe countess. lint understand, you
must never let her dream or suspect that you
know. By lulling her Into overconfidence some
day ahe will naturally grow careless, arr.l then
we’ll have tlie in all. I think I understand
whut your father’s idea in: not to have them
arrested for blnekmail, hut practically to ex
terminate them, put them in prison for such
term* of years that they’ll die there. When
you sec a snake, a poisonous one, don't let it
get away. Kill it. Well, I must be off to
work."
“ And yon be careful, too. You are in more
danger than 1 am.”
“ But I’m a roan and can dodge quick,” T»
laughed." picking up his hat.
“ What a horrid thing money is! Ts I hadrfl
any money, nobody would bother me.”
“ 1 would,” he smiled. He wanted to ltisa
liar, but the eternal .Tones might he watching
from the windows; and so he putted her hand
instead ai.d walked down the graveled path to
the street.
It was difficult work far Florence to play at
friendship. She was like her father; she did
not bestow it on every one. She bad given her
friendship to the Itusniim, the find, seal htg
friendship in iter life, and she had been roughly
disillusioned. Bat if the countess onirid act,
so could she; and of the two her acting was
the most consummate, ‘.he could smile and
laugh and jest, nil the while her heart was
burning with wratli.
Odc day, a week or so after her meeting
with Norton in the summer house, Olgu ar
rived. benottfnlly gowned, handsome as ever-
Thrrc was not the least touch of the adven
turess in her makeup. Florence had jnst re
ceived some mail, nnd site had dropped ti«e tet
ters oil tile library table to greet the ootmUs®.
She bad opened them, but had not yet looked
at'their contents.
They were chatting pleasantly ahont in
consequent things, when the maid came in and
asked Florence Co come to Miss Susan's room
for a moment. Florence excused herself,
wondering wlmt. Susan could want. She for
got the mail.
As soon as sloe was gone the cormtess, cer
tain that .lone* was not lurking shout, ptakad
up the letters and calmly examined thetr con
tents ; and among them she found this re
markable itnrimirrit : “Tte.ir Hit ugh tor 1 haws
never seen ; I most torn the treasure -oxszr
to von. Mart me st Shi file summer honse.
Tell no one as my life is hi danger. Ytmr
loving (after.”
The cmmtroh cmtM have htnghcd /Joint. Wi*
saw this man ■Fa/off’s hand; and hire warn
the chance to botool and humiliate him a/id
send Mm off packing to bis retd and mm
erahto eonntry. Kite frail made np once as
Fhwewc, nnd site eoufd easily do so ugatai
The only thing ttrnt trnnWrd her was the
feet ffmt idle did not know whether IHorence
had rend the letter or not. Thus, she did not
dare destroy ft. She first thought of chang
ing the Hock ; then site roneliitVd to drop the
letter exnefly where she had fonnd ft and
trust to tue.ll. ,
When Florence returned mho explained that
her aiisemx- had liren due to some trifling
household affair. v
Skid the rtussfon- " 1 mine primarily to
not ymt to has tomorrow, where they dance,
ts ymr ffke. yon may ask Mr. Norton to go
a-Joag. I tic—in to Observe that you two are
rtrflrer food of one another*'
“O, Mr. Norton is Just a valuable friend.'**
returned Florence wlffn a smife that quite
deceived the. other woman. “1 stnrll he glad
to go to the tea. But I shrfl not promise
t» dance;"
“ Not wltli Mr. Norton"?” archly.
“ Beporters never dance themselves: they
uralte other* donee instead!”
“I Shull have to tell that,” declared tire
countess; and she laughed quite lie neatly.
“Then f have sirM Koihefliing witty'?”
“ hi deed yon have; and It l* not only witty
hot truthful. Pm afraid yon*re deeper than
the rest of ns 'nave any idea of.”
“Perhaps I jm;" tbought Fhrrenee; “~irt
least, dec. pur than yon heflev*.”
When the ismntess fluttered down to her
rtmoiiHitie Florence hated the siglit of it—
and drove away Florence remembered her
letters. And when i/oe esme to the one pur
porting to f>- from her father, ahe read it
rarefnffy. lieut her head in thought, and final
ly destroyed the missive, absolutely confident
that it was only a trap, nnd not very well
onneeived nt that. Norton hnd given h"r
plenty of reasons for believing all such let
ters to be forgeries. Her father, if he really
wished to see her, would enter the house; be
would not write. Ah, when would she see
fust father of hers, so mysterious, always
hovering near, nlwnys unseen?
it must have l>een an nmttslng adventure
for the countess. To steal Into the summer
house and wait there, not knowing if Flo
rence had advised .Tones or the reporter. If
caught, she had her excuses. Payoff, tlie
confident, however, appeared shortly after.
"My child!” whispered the man.
And Olga stifled a laugh; hut to him it
sounded like a nob.
“1 am worn out,” he said. “1 am tired
of the game of hide nnd seek.”
“ Vou will not have to piny the gsme long,”
thought Olga.
“The money ia hidden in my office down
town. And we must go there at onee. When
we return we will pack up and leave for
Europe. I’ve longed to see you so!"
“ You poor fool! And they sent yon t®
supersede Leo!” she mused.
She played out the farce to the rery end.
She permitted herself to be pinioned and
jogged; nnd for what urineecaimry roughness
she suffered at the hands of Paroff ho would
presently pay. He took her straight to the
executive chamber of the Black Hundrrel and
pushed her into tho room, exclaiming tri
umphantly;
"Here Is Hargrenve’s daughter!”
“Indeed!” snid Olga, throwing hnck her
veil and standing revealed in her mask.
“Olga!” cried llrninc, laughing.
And that was the inglorious end of th®
secret agent from Itusaia.
[TO UK 005TI.MJHJ.)
“ I am tired