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About The Augusta herald. (Augusta, Ga.) 1914-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 11, 1914)
MILLION DOIIAP MYSTM^lkddfeGkh; SIO,OOO FOR ONEHUNDRED WORDS. " Tie Million Dollar Hfyutery" ttnry v.ill run for twenty-two consecutive weeks in this paper. Hu nti arramf/ement 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 thts mystery story SIO,OOO wilt he given hy the Thanhousrr Film corporation. cofditiofs oovFßxixa the CONTEST. The prize of SW.OOO will he won hy the man, woman, or cMd who writes the most acceptable solution of the mystery, from vhich the last tsoo reels o 1 motion picture drama will he made and the last two thaplers of the story written by Harold U act! rath. Solutions may be sent to the Than ho user Film corporation at 5 South Wa lnut avenue. Chicago. 111., nr Thanhousrr Film corporation, 7/ Il'clf Twenty-third street. Few York City, X. V., any time up to midnight, Jan. I'/. 1015. This allows several weeks after the last chapter has l,ren published. ' A board of three judges will determine » ehir-h of the many solutions reumi ed Is the most acceptable. The judge, are to be Harold MacGrath, Floyd Lotnrgan, and Hiss Mae Tinee. The judgment of this ■<■lll*7 Ilnrgrrarf. millionaire:, niter n nlMcnlm rKapr from »hr den at <hn gang of brilliant Iblrvrn knona a* «h* Blnrk Hundred. Ilvra ikr Ilf* of a re cluse tor eighteen yearn. flurgreave »o* (lilrnlallr air*ta flralnr, leader of <he Blnrk Hundred. baimlag Hrnlnr mill * r 7 to ffl kin. h<> m«pe» from til* own kome by a balloon. Before mcaiiing ho ivrltf* a letter to Ibe fflrla* ackonl wbera yritm before he m .rate rloualy left on lh<* door*tep lila baby «|auiKbter» F*lf»renee iirmj. That «lny Ilar*reaeo al«o fravra $1,000,000 from (kr bank, but It la reported (bat Ihln dropprd Into the •rn when the balloon lie escaped In era a p nurtured. Florence arrive* from the glrla' school. Count*** Olga, llrnlne'a companion, vla flta her and clnltii* her an n relaflxe. Teen hoiKua detectlv r* call, but their plot In foiled bp Norton, a nreeapaper anna. After faltlnn In tliefr flrnt attempt, the Black Hundred trap Klateace. They aak her for ptonry, hut ake escapea, nfcnln foiling them. Norton and the eonnteaa call oa Flor ence the neat day, once more aafe at home. The elaltora having gone, Jones remove* a aectloa of flooring and from g caMt.tr take* n boa. I'uraucd by in em ber* of the lllack Hundred, he rushes to the water front and aueeerda la drop ping the bug into the ooa. (Copyright. 1814 by Harold Mac Qrath.) CIIArt'ER XVI. TBK\Clliai' IV Tltr HorsrHOLD. THU maid stole Into tin- house, wondering i/ (she I; id tern »cm. She wanted to If' 1 }-*! to this sill, but ah* was t d .if t'.ie life; r‘.» wanted to bo her on .1 n. oi> i. aril tLe small for tune "Hi red lier would p t her on the way to reaike her aon iflon. VThst had she not seen and been of life since she Joined the great detective’ll for-' l.adjr'a mnid, cook, ship atewardesa. fliu-li woman, nctrcßs, clerk, and a duaen other employment*. Her pay, until she •SCured some fat reward, was but twelve hun dred the year; and here wna five thouannd in advance, with the premia* of five thousand more the minute her work »u done. And it w*a simple work, without any real harm to ward riorenc* as far as ah* was concerned. Tl.e wholo lliiug rested upon on* difficulty: would Joins permit the girls to leav* the bou**? One day Florence foul'd Susan sitting in a chair, her bead in her band*. “ Why,'Biioan, wbat'a th* matter?" crl*d Florence, " 1 don't tnpw what is the matter, dear, but I baien't felt well for two or thr** daya. I'm ditty nil the time. I can't road or a*w or oat or sleep. "Why didn't you tell me?" said Floranc*, reproachfully. She rang for the detective maid. "Ella, 1 don’t know anything about doctora hervaliouta." " l know a good ona, Miss Floranc*. Shall I »end for him?" “Do; Suaan U M." Jon*» waa not prepared for treachery in bla own houaekod; *o when he beard that a doctor bad been called to attend Suaan L* waa without tba leaat auapicion that he had b**n betrayed Mor* than thla, there had loon no occaalon to aummon a doctor tn th* aevco yaara Mr. Hargreav* had lived bar*. So Jones want about his petty household affairs without more thought upon the matter The maid had been rei-ommandad to him aa cm of th* ahrewdeat young women in tba detective buai nea*. Th# doctor arrived Ha waa a real doctor; no doubt of that. Hr investigated Suaan’* con dition—brought about by a subtle though not dangrroua poison—and instantly reconmicudel tba aearbors. Suaan waa not uaed to being confined to the bouse; she w*a eaarntU'ly an out of door* little body. The seashore wouid bring her about in no time. The doctor sug gested Atlautie City bes-auso of its mildness throughout the year and it. neararan to New York, “I’m afraid aiie’ll i. to to ... ... , iid Jon**, gravely. mrorin of pmviovi chaptbm. hoard t&ill he absolute and final, yothlng cf a literary nature, xriU he considered in the decision, nor given any preference in the selection of the winner of the SIO,OOO prize. The last two reels, which trill give the most acceptable solution to the mys tery, trill be presented in the theaters having this feature as soon as it is pas sibls to produce *he same. The story corre sponding to These motion pictures trill ap pear in the newspapers coincidentally, or as soon after the appearance of the pic tures as practicable. With the last two reels trill be shown the pictures of the win ner, his or her home, and other interesting features, ft is understood that the news papers, so far as practicable, in printing the last two chapters of the story by Har old AJacfJrath, trill also show a picture of the successful contestant. Solutions to the mystery must not be more than 100 words long. Here are some questions to be kept in mind in connection with the mystery as an aid to a solution: No. 1 Wliat becomes of the millionaireT 7/o. 2 What becomes of the $1,000,0001 7f0.1t Whom does Florence marryf A T o. { —What becomes of the Russian countessT yobody connected either directly or in directly irith “ The Million Dollar Mys tery ° will bn considered as a contestant . Accomplice* of Braine kidnap Florence and hurry her off to aea. Ike leaps over board and la picked up In a dazed con dition by flnbernien. Ilrnlnr, illngulaed a* her father, taken her bark to aea with him. Florence acta tire to the boat and la rescued by a ahlp oa which Norton has been shanghaied. Concealed above the rendezvous of tho lllack Hundred, a man learns of the re covery of the l»o* from the aea by a sailor and of Itn subnequeat return to the bottom of the aea, and he quickly communicates the fact to done*. A dupli cate box la planted and Inter secured by the band, but before It* contents aro ex amined the box mysteriously disappears. Finding himself checkmated at every turn, Hralne endeavors to enmesh tho Ifhrgreave household la the law In or der to gain free aceeaa to the house. The timely discovery of the plot hy Nor ton acta tho police at the heela of the pack and results In a raid oa the gung*a rendezvous, which, however, proven to bo barren of renulta. Following a telephone message Jones received from a mysterious person whom he addressed u* air,'* Florence Is again lured from her home and taken out to sea. Through Norton's daring and skill as an aviator she Is rescued and returna to her homo In time to confront an agent of the fllack Hundred* " I shan't stir! " declared Susan. " I shan't leave my girl even If I am sick.” Busan caught Florence's hand and pressed it. “ Would you like to go with her, Florence? ” asked Jones, with a shy glance at the strange doctor. The shy glance was wasted. Ths doctor evinced no sign that it mattered one way or the other to him. “ It Is nothing very serious now," he vol unteered. “ But It may turn out serious If It Is not taken car* of at once.” “ What la the trouble? ” Inquired .Tone#, who was growing fond of Kuean. “ Weak heart. Sunshine and good sea air will strengthen her up agsin. No, no! ” as Jones drew forth his wallet “I’ll send in my Mil the first of tl„i month. Sunshine and aea air; that’s all that’i necessary. And now, good-day." All very businesslike; not the least ranso In the world for any one to suspect that a new trap was being set by the snarers. The maid returned to the sewing room, while Florence coddled her companion and made much of her. Jones was suspicious, but dig in hla mind as he would he could find no earthly reaaon for this suspicion save that this attribute waa now instinctive, that It waa always near the top. If Susan was 111 she must be given good car*: there wa* no getting around this fact Later, he telephoned several prominent physicians. The strange doctor was recom mended as a good ordinary practitioner and in good etanJing; and so Jones dismissed hla sus picions as having no hook to hang them on. Hla hair would have tingled at the roots, however, baa he known thet this same physi cian was one of the two who had signed the document which Lad accredited Florence with Insanity and had all but succeeded In making a supposition a tact Nor was Jones aware of the fact that the telephone wire had been tapped recently. So when he finally concluded to permit Florence to accompany Susan to Atlantic City he telephoned to the detective agency to send up a trusty man. who wa* shadowed from the moment he entered the Hargreave home till he started for the railway station, lie became lost In the shuffle ami was not heard from till week* later, in Ha vana. The Black Hundred found a good profit In the shanghai ing business Busan began to pick up, as they say, ths day after the arrival at Atlantic City, due, doubtless, to the cessation es the poison she had been taking unawares. The two young women began to enjoy life for the first time » n-e they bad left Miss Farlow’e. They were up with the sun every day and went to bed tired but happy. No on.* bothered them. It si me at-ay reporter encountered their signa tures on tie hotel register, be saw nothing to excite but tepartori&l souses. AU this, oj court!*, was due to Norton’s policy of keeping the affair out of the papers. Following Jones’ orders, they made friends with no one. Those about the hotel—especial ly the young men—when they made any ad vance, were politely snubbed. Every nigLt Florence would write to her good butler to report what had taken place during the day, and he was left to judge for himself if there was anything to arouse nis suspicions. He, of course, believed the two were covertly guarded by the detective he bad sent after them. When Brain, called upon Olga he found Lis doctor there. " Well, what’s the news? ” he asked. “ I had better run down and inquire how jjjjj <he young lady is progressing," said the doctor, who wns really a first rate surgeon and who had performed a number of skilled operations upon various members of the Black Hundred enent their encounters with tl.s police. “I’ve got Miss Florence where you want her. It'e up to you now.” “ Bhe ought to be separated from her com panion. W* have left them alone for a whole week, so Jones will not worry particularly. A mighty curious thing has turned up. Be fore Hsrgreave'g. disappearance not a dozen persons could recollect what Jones looked like. He was rarely ever in sight. What do you suppose that signifies?” “ Don’t ask me,” shrugged the man of medi cine. “ I shouldn't worry over Jones.” “ But we can’t atir the old fool. We can’t get him out of that house. I've tried to get that maid to put a little something in his coffee, but she stands off at that. She says that she did as she agreed in regard to Flor ence, but her agreemeut ended there. We have given the Jade five thousand already and *L* is clamoring for the balance.” “Have you threatened her?" asked Olga. Braine smiled a little. “My dear woman, It is fifty-fifty. While I have a hold on her. It Is not quite so good as she has on me. We ar* not dealing with an ordinary servant w* could threaten and scare. No, indeed: a shrewd little woman who desperately wanted money. And she wijl ho paid; no getting out of It. She will not move another step, one way or the other, after she receives the bal ance. Hargreave will have a pretty steep bill to pay when the time cornea.” “ She has no Idea where the million is? " “ If she had. she’s quite capable of lugging It off all by herself," said Brains. The doctor laughed. “ Olga," went on Braine, “ you must look at It aa I do: that It la atill iu the middle of the game, and we have neither lost nor won." - “ How do you know that Hargreave may not have at bit heck and call an organisation quite as capable if not as large aa our*?" suggested the physician. "That Is not possible,” Braine dedared without hesitation. “Well, It begins to look that way to me. We’ve n*T*r mad* a move yet that hasn't keen blocked." “ Pure luck each time, I tell yon; the devil’s own luck always at the critical moment, when everything seems to be in our hand*. Now. w# want Florence, and we've tried a hundred ways to accomplish this fact end failed. The question is. how to get her away from her companion? ’’ “ Simple enough," said the doctor com placently. “ Out with It, If jou have an idea.” The doctor leaned forward and whispered a few words. “ Well, I'm hanged! ” Braine laughed and slapped the doctor on the shoulder. “ The simplest thing in the world. Mad deg wouldn’t be in it. I always said that you had gray matter if you cared to exert yourself.” “ Thanks,” replied the doctor dryly. “ I'll drop down there tomorrow, if you say so, ostensibly to see the other patient. It will make a deuce of a disturbance." “ Not if you scare the hotel people.” “ That is what I propose to do. They will not want such a thing known. It would scare every one away for the rest of the season. But of course this depends upon whether they "SMALLPOX!" EXCLAIMED THE DOCTOR are honest or In the hotel business to make money.” Again Braine laughed. " Bring her back to New York alone, -Esoulapius, and a fat check is your*. Nothing could be simpler than an idea like this. It’s a fact; no man can think of everything, and you've just proved it to me. I’ve tried to do a general'! work without aids. Olga, does any one watch me come and go any more?" “ No; I've watched a dozen nights. The man has gone. Either he found out what he wanted or he gave up the job. To my mind he found out what he wanted.” “And what’s that?" “Heaven knows!" discouragedty. “ Come, doctor, suppose you and I go down to Daly’s for a little turn at billiards? • “ Nothing would suit me better.” ** All abbard. then 1 Good-night, Olga. Keep your Lair on; I mean your own hair. We're going to win out. don’t you worry. In all games the minute you begin to doubt you begin to lose." That same night Norton sat at his desk, in his shirt sleeves, pounding away at hla type % c* Np; .. M. ' 5 . * ‘ ■ -•- h ' ' -- - ' ~,. ” \ - - -r / v % ■ x n fo\~ • ~=^ ;: FLORENCE. FALLS IWO A BED OF QUICKSAND writer. From time to time he paused and teetered his chair and scowled over his pipe at the starlit night outside. Bang! would go his chair again, and clickity-click would sing the keys of the machine. The story he was writing was in the ordinary routine; the ar • rival of a great ocean liner with some political notables who were not adverse to denouncing the present administration. You will have noticed, no doubt, that some disgruntled poli tician is always denouncing the present ad ministration, it matters not if It be Repub lican or Democratic. When you are out of a good job you are alawys prone to denounce. The yam bored Norton because his thoughts were miles southward. He completed the story, yanked out the final sheet, celled for a copy boy, rose and saun tered over to the managing editor’s door, be fore which he paused indecisively. The “ old man ” had been after him lately regarding the Hargreave story, and he doubted if his er rand would prove successful. However, he boldly opened the door and walked in. “ Humph 1 ’ said the " old man,” twisting Hs cigar into the corner of his mouth. “ Got that story? ” Norton sat down. “ Yes, but I have not got It for print yet. Mr. Blair, when you gave me the Hargreave job you gave me carte blanche.” “ I did.” grimly. “ But, on the other hand, I did not give you ten years to clear it up in.” “ Have I ever fallen down on a good story?” quietly. “ M\ can't remember,” grudgingly. " Well, if you’ll have patience I’ll not fall down on this one. It's the greatest criminal story I ever handled, but it's so big that it’s going to take time.” “ Gimme an outline.” “ I have promised not to,” with a grimness equal to the “ old man's.” “If a line of this story trickles out it will mean that every other paper will be moving around, and in the end will discover enough to spoil my end of It. I’ll tell you this much: The most colossal band of thieves this country ever saw is at one end of the stick. And when I say that counterfeiting and politics and millions are all involved, you’ll understand how big it is. This gang has city protection. We are run nlng them all into a corner; but we want that corner so deep that none of them can wriggle out of it. " Uhm. Go on." “ I want two months more." The “ old man ’’ beat a tattoo with bis fat pencil. “ Sixty days, then. And If the yarn isn’t on my desk at midnight, you " “ Hunt for another job. All right. I came in to ask for three days’ leave.” “ You’re your own-boss. Jim. for sixty days more. Whadda y’ mean counterfeiting?" “Those new tens and twenties. If I stum ble on that right, why, I can turn It over without conflicting with the other etory." “ Well, go to It.” “ I'm turning in my regular work, day in and day out, and while doing it I’ve gone through more hairbreadth escapes than you erer heard of. They have been after me. I’ve dodged falling safes; I’ve been shanghaied, poisoned; but I haven't said a word.” “ Good Lord ! Do you mean all that 7" “ Every word, air." “ I’U make it ninety days, Jim ; and If this story comet In I'll see that you get a corking bonus." “ I'm not looking for bonuses. I’m pre of my work. To get this story is all I wa That’ll be enough. Thanks for the extens. in time. Good-night.” 1 So Florence received a long night letter - the morning. And the doctor arrived at about the sat time. And called promptly upon his patien “ Fine! ” Le said. “ The sea air was jyis the thing. A doctor always likes to find hit advice turning out well.” He glanced quizzically at Florence, who was the picture of glowing health. Suddenly he frowned anxiously. “ You need not look at me,” she laughed. “ I never felt better in all my life.” ‘‘Are you quite sure?” he asked gravely. “Why, what in the world do you mean?” He did not speak, but stepped forward and took her by the wrist, holding his watch In his other hand. He shook his head. He looked very solemn, indeed. “What is it?” demanded Snsan, with grow ing terror. “ Go to your own room immediately re main there for the present,” he ordered. •! must see Miss Hargreave alone.’ He opened the door and Susan passed out bewilderedly. He returned to Florence, who was even more bewildered than her companion. The doctor began to ask her questions; how she slept, if she was thirsty, felt pains In her back. She answered all these questions vague ly. Not the slightest suspicion entered her head that she was being hoodwinked. Why should she entertain any suspicion? This doctor, who seemed kindly and benevolent, who had prescribed for Susan and benefited her, why should she doubt him?” “ In heaven's name, tell me what la the matter?" she pleaded. “ Stay here for a little while and I’ll be back. Under no circumstances leave your room till I return.” He paced out into the hall, to meet the frantic Susan. “ We must see the manager at onoe,” he replied to her queries. “ And we must be extremely quiet about it. There must be no excitement. You had better go to your room. You must not go into Miss Hargreave’s. Tell me, where have you been? Have you been trying to do any charitable work among the poorer classes? ” " Only once,” admitted Susan, now On tilt verge of tears. “ Only once is sufficient. Come; we’ll go and see the manager together.” They arrived at the desk, and the manager was summoned. “ I take It,” began the doctor lowly, " that a contagious disease, if it became kuown among your guests, would create a good deal of disturbance?” “ Disturbance! Good heavens, man, it would ruin my business for the whole sea son ! ” exclaimed the astounded manager. " I am sorry, but this young lady's com panion has been stricken with smallpox ’’ The manager fell back against his desk, his jaw fallen. Busan turned as white as the marble top. “ The only way to avoid trouble Is to have her conveyed Immediately to some place where ■he can be treated properly. Not a word to any one now; absolute secrecy or a panic.” The manager was glad enough to agree. “ She is not dangerous at present, but it is only a matter of a few hours when the disease Will become virulent. If yon will place a porter before Miss Hargreave’s door till w make arrangements to taks her away, that will simplify matters." Smallpox! Susan wandered aimlessly ■bout, half out of her mind with terror. There wee no help egainst such a dread dis ease. Her Florence, her pretty rosy cheeked Florence, disfigured for life . • ,1 “ Miss Susan, where is Florence? ” Susan stopped* abruptly and looked Into the friendly eyes of Norton. “ O, Mr. Norton 1” she gasped. “ What’s the trouble? ” instantly alert “ Florence has the smallpox! ” “Impossible! Come with me.” But the porter, having had the strictest orders from the manager, refused to let then \ into Florence's room. J Never mind, Susan. Come along.” Out of earshot of the porter be said: *My room Is directly shove Florence’s. We’ll see whet can be done. This smells of The Black Hun dred a mile off. Smallpox 1 Only yesterday ale wrote me that she never felt better. Have yon wired Jon*e?” “ I never thought to! " Then I (hall. Our old friends an at work again.” “ But It’s the same doctor who sent me down here.” Norton frowned. What followed all appeared la the re porter’* story, as written three months later. He and Susan went up to hla room, raised the flooring, cot through the celling, and with ths fire escape rope dropped below. One glance •t Florence's tear-stained face waa enough for him. Norton'* subsequent battle with the doctor and bis accomplice* made very inter esting reading. Their escape from the hotel, their flight, their encoonter with one of the (ang In the road, and Florence's blunder Into the bed of quicksand, gave a succession ol thrills to the readers of ths Blade. And all this while the milllor .OTmnlafd l dust, layer by layer. Perhsp- JB hardy roach scrambled over tnw packets, ne. doubt attracted by the peculiar odor of ths J- Ink. [TO BS CONTINUED ]
