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The Million Dollar Mystery By HAROLD MAC GRATH Illustrated from Scenes in the Photo Drama of the Same Name by the Thanhouser Film Company (Copyright, 1914, by Harold MacGrath) 14 SYNOPSIS, Staaley Hargreave, millionaire, after a miraculous escape from the den of the gang of brilliant thieves known as the Black Hundred, lives the life of a re cluse for eighteen years. Hargreave ac cidentally meets Braine, leader of the Black Hundred. Knowing Braine will try to got him. he escapes from his own borne by a balloon. Before escaping he writes a letter to the girls' school where eighteen years before he mysteriously left- on the doorstep his baby daughter, Florence Gray. That day Hargreave also draws $1,000,000 from the bank, but It is reported that this dropped into the sea when the balloon he escaped in was punc tured. Florence arrives from the girls’ school. Countess Olga, Bralne’s compan ion, visits her and claims her as a rela tive. Two bogus detectives call, but their plot is foiled by Norton, .a newspaper man. By bribing the captain of the Ori ent, Norton lays a trap for Braine and bis gang. Countess Olga also visits the Orient’s captain, and she easily falls into the reporter’s snare. The plan proves abortive through Braine’s good luck artd only hirelings fall into the hands of the police. After failing in their first attempt, the* Black Hundred trap Florence. They ask her for money, but she escapes, again foiling them. Norton and the countess call on Florence the next day, one? more safe at home. The visitors having gone. Jones removes a section of flooring and from a cavity takes a box. Pursued by members of the Black Hundred, he rushes to the water front and succeeds in drop ping the box into the sea. Accomplices of Braine kidnap Florence while she Is shopping and hurry her off to sea. She leaps overboard and is picked up In a dazed condition by fishermen. The Black Hundred locate her. and Braine, disguised as her father, takes her back to sea with him. Florence sets fire to the boat und Is rescued by a ship on which Norton has been shanghaied. Norton and Florence, safely ashore, take' the train for home. The train is wrecked. Norton, who tries to rescue her, is tied to the railroad tracks. Florence saves him and finally Jones comes to the rescue of both. Con cealed above the rendezvous of the Black Hundred, a man learns of the recovery from the sea of the box of jewels by a sailor and of its subsequent return to the bottom of the sea, and he quickly com municates the fact to Jones. A duplicate box is planted and later secured bv the band, but before its contents are exam ined the box mysteriously disappears. Owing to the falling off of contributions to the parent organization in Russia, an agent arrives and assumes the leader ship of the American branch of the Black Hundred. Through the connivance of the countess and Braine the new' head Is thoroughly humiliated. Finding him self checkmated at every turn. Braine en deavors to enmesh the Hargreave house hold in the law In order to gain free ac cess to the house. The timely discovery of the plot by Norton sets the police at the heels of the pack and results in a raid on the gang’s rendezvous, which, how ever, proves to be barren of results. CHAPTER XV—Continued. “For what?” the men askpd. “For sending that paddle around a few times." “Get Into that seat, but don't touch any of those levers.” one of them warned. “Twenty is twenty. Jack, and the boss is a sorehead today anyhow. Give her a shove for the fun of it.” It was a dumfounded aviator who saw his hydroplane skim the water and a moment later sail into the air. These swift moving days a reporter of the first caliber is supposed to be able to run railroad engines, subma rines, flying machines, conduct a war; able to shoot, walk, run, swim, fight, think, go without food like a python, and live without water like a camel. Norton had flown many times in the Took Florence Aboard. last four years. At the moment he called out to Florence to Jump he dropped to the water with all the skill of an old timer and took her aboard. And he could not use a line of this exploit for his paper! • •••••• Jones heard the bell. It was the agent from the Black Hundred He smiled jauntily. "Well, old fox, we've cornered you at last, haven't we? I want that money, or Hargreave's daughter takes another sea voyage, and this time she will not Jump overboard. A million; and no more nonsense." "Give me fifteen minutes to decide,’’ begged Jones, hoping against hope. "Fifteen seconds!” "Then we can't do business. What! Give you a million, knowing you all to be a pack of liars? Bring Miss Flor ence back and the money is yours. We are tired of fighting.” As indeed Jones really was. The strain had been terrific for weeks. “The money first. We don’t lie any better than you do. Fork over. You'll have to trust us. We have no use for the girl once we get the cash." “And you'll never touch a penny of it. you blackguard!" cried Norton from the doorway. The agent turned to behold the re porter and the girl. He did not stop to ask questions, but bolted. He never got beyond the door, however. "Always the small fry,” sighed Jones. "And if I could have put my hands on the money I'd have given it “Why, Susan, What's the Matter?” Cried Florence. to him! Ah, girl, it doesn't do any good to talk to you, does it?" "But they told me he was dying!” Jones shrugged. CHAPTER XVI. Treachery in the Household. The maid stoie into the house, won dering if she had been seen. She wanted to be loyal to this girl, but she was tired of the life; she wanted to be her own mistress, and the small fortune offered her would put her on the way to realize her ambition. What had she not seen and been of life since she joined the great detective force! Lady's maid, cook, ship stew ardess, flash woman, actress, clerk, I and a dozen other employments. Her pay, until she secured some fat re ward, was but twelve hundred a year; and here was five thousand in advance, with the promise of five thousand more the minute her work was done. And it was simple work, without any real harm toward Flor ence as far as she was concerned. The whole thing rested upon one diffi culty; would Jones permit the girls to leave the house? One day Florence found Susan sit ting in a chair, her head in her hands "Why, Susan, what's the matter?" cried Florence. “I don't know what is the matter, dear, but I haven't felt well for two or three days. I’m dizzy all the time, I can’t read or sew or eat or sleep. "Why didn't you tell me?" said Flor ence, reproachfully. She rang for the detective-maid. "Ella, 1 don’t know anything about doctors hereabouts." "1 know a good one. Miss Florence Shall 1 send for him?” “Do: Susan is ill.” Jones was not prepared for treach ery in his own household; so when he heard that a doctor had been called to attend Susan he was without the least suspicion that he had been be trayed. More than this, there had been no occasion to summon a doctor in the seven years Mr. Hargrenve had lived here. So Jones went about his petty household affairs without more thought upon the matter. The maid had been recommended to him as one of the shrewdest young women in the detective business. The doctor arrived. He was a real doctor; no doubt of that He investi gated Susan's condition—brought about by a subtle though not danger ous poison—and instantly recom mended the seashore. Susan was not used to being confined to the house; she was essentially an out-of-doors ' little body. The seashore would bring her about in no time The doctor sug gested Atlantic City because of its mildness throughout the year and its nearness to New York. "I'm afraid she'll have to go n.’one," ■aid Jones, gravely. "I shan't stir;’’ declared Susan "I shun t leave my girl even if 1 am sick." Susan 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. The doctor evinced no sign that it mattered one way or the other to him. “It is nothing very serious now,” he voluntered. “But it may turn out serious if it is not taken care of at once.” “What is the trouble?” inquired Jones, who was growing fond of Su s&n. “Weak heart. Sunshine and good sea air will strengthen her up again. No, no!” as Jones drew forth his wal let. “I’ll send in my bill the first of the month. Sunshine and sea air; that’s all that’s necessary. And now, good-day.” All very businesslike; not the least cause In the world for any one to suspect that a new trap was being set by the snarers. The maid re turned to the sewing room, while Florence coddled her companion and made much of her. Jones was suspicious, but dig in his mind as he would he could find no earthly reason for this suspicion save that this attribute was now in stinctive, that it was always near the top. If Susan was ill she must be given good care; there was no getting around this fact. Later, he telephoned several prominent physicians. The strange doctor was recommended as a good ordinary practitioner and in good standing; and so Jones dismissed his suspicions as having no hook to hang them on. liis hair would have tingled at the roots, however, had he known that this same physician was one of the two who had signed the document which had accredited Florence with insanity and had all but succeeded ■ in making a supposition a fact Nor was Jones aware of the fact that the telephone wire had been tapped re cently. So when he finally concluded to permit Florence to accompany Su san to Atlantic City he telephoned to the detective agency to send up a trusty man, who was shadowed from the moment he entered the llargreave home till he started for the railway station. Me became lost in the shuf fle and was not heard from till weeks later, in Havana. The Black Hundred found a good profit in the shanghai ing business. Susan began to pick up, as they say. the day after the arrival at Atlantic City, due, doubtless, to the cessation of the poison she had been taking unawares. The two young women be gan to enjoy life for tho first time since they had left Miss Carlow's. They were up with the sun every day and went to bed tired but happy. No one bothered them. If some stray re porter encountered their signatures on the hotel register, he saw nothing to excite his reportorial senses. All this, of course, was due to Norton's policy of keeping the affair out of the pa pers. Following Jones’ orders, they mado friends with none. Those about the hotel—especially the young men— when they made any advances were politely snubbed. Every night Flor ence would write to her good butler to report what had taken place dur ing the day, and he was left to judge for himself if there was anything to arouse his suspicions. He, of course. "But we can’t stir 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 hia coffee, hut she stands off at that. She says that she did as she agreed in regard to Flor ence, but her agreement ended there. We have given the jade five thousand already and she is clamoring for the balance.” "Have you threatened her?” ashed Olga. Bratne 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 are not dealing with an ordinary servant we could threaten and scare. No, indeed; a shrewd little woman who desperately wanted money. And she will be paid; no getting out of it. She will not move another step, one way or the other, after she receives the balance. Hargreavo will have a pretty steep bill to pay when the time comes." "She has no idea where the mil lion is?” "If she had, she's quite capable --I Had No Suspicion That She Was Be ing Hoodwinked. of lugging it off all by herself,” said Braine. The doctor laughed. "Olga,” went on Braine, "yon must look at it as 1 do; that it is still in the middle of (he game, and we have neither lost nor won.” "How do you know that Hargreave may not have at his beck and call an organization quite as capable if not as large as ours?” suggested the physician. "That i3 not possible.” Braine de clared without hesitation. “Well, it begins to look that way to me. We’ve never made a move yet that hasn’t been blocked.” •Pure luck each time, 1 tell you; the devil’s own luck always at the critical moment, when everything seems to be in our hands. Now, we want Florence, and we’ve tried a hundred ways to accomplish this fact and failed. The question is, how to get her away from her companion?” "Simple enough,” said the doctor complacently. "Out with it, if you have an idea.” The doctor leaned forward and whispered a few words. "Well, I'm hanged1!" Braine Ihughed and slapped the doctor on the shoulder. “The simplest thing in the world. Mad dog wouldn't bo in it. 1. -v . ~ „ -v ' v-. ... ~ I Encounter With One of the Gang. believed the two were covertly guard- I always said that you had gray mat ed by the detective he had sent after ter if you cared to exert yourself." tbem- "Thauk8," replied the doctor dryly. When Braine called up Olga he «n, Urop doWu tht,re tomorrow. If found his doctor there. you say so, ostensibly to see the other "Well, what s the news?" he asked. patient. u wil, make a deuce 0f a dls "1 had better run down and inquire turbance " how the young lady Is progressing," „KJ„, ,, „„„ ... . . , , „ ...... . . Not If you scare the hotel people. said the doctor, who was really a llrst „ , ... . . rate surgeon and who had performed ... a 8 " a propose to do. They a number of skilled operations upon no* want 8Uch a ,hin« known various members of the Black Hun- would ,8iare ev*ry one away for dred anent their encounters with the ,bf r«st of „,he 8eason Hut of cour8° police. I've got Miss Florence where !hl8 depends u^n "lather they are you want her. If. up to you now." ho,'e8t or ,n. the hotel bu8l,,<?88 to "She ought to be separated from her ,na e money companion. We have left them nloue Again Braine laughed "Bring her for a whole week, so Jones will not hack to New York alone, Esculaplus, worry particularly. A mighty curious alld a *at check Is yours. Nothing thing has turned up. Before liar- could be simpler than an idea like greave's disappearance not a dozen this. It s a fact; no man can think persons could recollect what Jones °f everything, and you've just proved looked like. He was rarely ever in 11 to n,e 1 ve trled ,0 do “ general's sight What do you suppose that work without uids. Olga, does any one signifies?" watch me ci :ne and go any more?" "Don't ask me," shrugged the man "No; I've watched a dozen nights of medicine. "I shouldn't worry over The man has gone. Kither he found Joues." out what be wanted or he gave up the Job. To my mind he found out what he wanted.” "And what’s that?" "Heaven knows!” dlscouragedly. "Come, doctor, suppose you and I go down to Paly’s for a little turn at billiards?" "Nothing would suit me better.” "All aboard, then! Good-night, Olga. Keep your hair on; I mean your own hair. We’re going to win out, don’t you worry. In all games the min ute you begin to doubt you begin to lose.” That same night Norton sat at his desk, in his shirt sleeves,, pounding away at his typewriter. From time to time he paused and teetered his chair and scowled over his pipe at the starlit night outside. Rang! would go his chair again, and clickity-cllck would sing the keys of the machine. The story he was writing was In the ordinary routine; the arrival of a great ocean liner with some political notables who were not adverse to de nouncing the present administration. You will have noticed, no doubt, that some disgruntled politician is always denouncing the present administra tion, it matters not if it be Republican or Democratic. When you are out of a good job you are always prone to denounce. The yarn bored Norton because his thoughts were miles emit h \v rrl He completed his story, yanked out the final sheet, called for a copy boy, rose and sauntered over to the man aging editor’s door, before which he paused indecisively. The "old man” had been after him lately regarding the llargreave story, and he doubted if his errand would prove successful. However, he boldly opened the door and walked in. “Humph!” said the “old man,” twist ing his 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 llargreave 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.” “1 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 1 say that counter feiting and politics and millions are involved, you'll understand how big it is. This gang has city protection. We are running them all into a cor ner; but we want that corner so deep that none of them can wriggle out of it.” “Uinhm. Go on.” "1 want two months more.” The "old man” beat n tattoo with his fat pencil. "Sixty days, then. And if the yarn isn't on my desk at mid night, you—” "Hunt for another job. All light. 1 came in to ask for three days' leave.” You're your own boss, Jim, for sixty dnys more, Whadda y’ mean counter retting. “Those new tens and twenties. If I stumble on that right, why, I ran turn it over without conflicting with the other story." ’ Well, go to It.” “I'm turning In my regular work, day iu and day out, and while doing it I've gone through more hairbreadth escapes than you ever heard of. They have been after me. I've dodged fall ing safes; I've been shanghaied, poi soned; but 1 haven't said a word.” “Good Lord! Do you mean all that?” "Every word, sir." ‘‘I'll make it ninety days, Jim; and if this story comes In I'll see that you get a corking bouus." “I'm not looking for bonuses. I'm proud of my work. To get this story Is all I want. That’ll be enough. Thanks for the extension In time. Good-night." So Florence received a long night letter in the morning. And the doctor arrived at about the same time. And called promptly upon his patient. “Fine!” he said. "The sea air was Just the thing. A doctor always likes to find his advice turning out well." He glanced quizzicully at Florence, who was the picture of glowing health. Suddenly he frowned anxiously. “You need not look at me,” she laughed. “1 never felt hotter in all my life." "Are you sure?" he asked gravely. "Why, what In the world do you mean?” He did not speak, but stepped for ward and took her by tbe wrist, hold ing his watch in his other hand He shook his head. He looked very solemn, indeed. “What is it?" demanded Susan, with growing terror. "Go to your own room immediately and remain there for the present." he ordered "1 must see Miss Hurgreave alone." He opened the door and Susan passed out bewilderedly. He returned to Florence, who was even more bew il dered than her companion. The doc tor began to ask her questions; how she slept, if she was thirsty, felt pains in her back. She answered ail these questions vaguely Not the slightest suspicion entered her head (hat she was being hoodwinked. Why should she entertain any suspicion? Thi* doctor, who seemed kindly and benev olent, who had prescribed for Susan and benefited her, why should ahn doubt him? I “In heaven’s name, tell me what is the matter?” Bhe pleaded. "Stay here for a little while and I'll bo back. Under no circumstances leave your room till I return." He paced out Into the hall, to meet the frantic Susan. “We mu«t see the manager at onee.” he replied to her queries. “And we must be extremely quiet about ii. There must be no excitement Yo* had better go to your room. You must not go into Miss Hargreave’a. Tell me, where have you been? Haxo you been trying to do any charitable work among the poorer classes?” “Only once,” admitted Susan, now on the verge of tears. “Only once is sufficient. Come; we'll go and see the managev to gether." i They arrived at the desk, and this manager was summoned. “I take it,” began the doctor lowly, “that a contagious disease, if it be came known among your guests, would create a good deal of disturb ance?" “Disturbance! flood heavens, man. it would ruin my business for tbe whole season!” exclaimed the astound ed manager. “I am sorry, but this young lady’s companion has been stricken with smallpox—” The manager fell back against hisr desk, his jaw fallen. Susan turned as white as the marble top. “The only way to avoid trouble is to have her conveyed immediately to some place where she 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 you will place a porter before Miss Hnrgreave's door till I make arrange ments to take her away, that will simplify matters." Smallpox! Susan wandered aimless ly about, half out of her mind with terror. There was no help against ■ .•xsx-:*-*:* •' V.S-J.----VV- ... ■ i— ■ 1 Florence Falls Into a Bed of Quids* sand. such a dread disease. Her Florence,, her pretty rosy cheeked Florence, di»- ( figured for life . . .! “Miss Susan, where is Florence?” “O, Mr. Norton!" she gasped. “What's the trouble?" instantly alert. "Florence has the smallpox!" 'Impossible! Coino with me." Hut the porter, having had the.' strictest orders from the manager, rt« fused to let them into Florence’s room. "Never mind, Susan. Come along.” Out of earshot of the porter ho said: • My room is directly ubove Florence’*. Well see what can be dono Thus smells of the Hlack Hundred a mite off. Smallpox! Only yesterday she wrote me that she never felt better. I Have you wired Jones?” "I never thought to!” "Then I shall. Our old friends are at work again." "Hut it s the same doctor who sent mo down here.” Norton frowned. What followed all appenred in tba reporter's story, as written throe months later. He and Susan went up to his room, raised the flooring, rat through the celling, and with the fir* escape rope dropped below. Owe glance at Florence's tear-stained face was enough for him. Norton's nubuy quent battle with the doctor and hie accomplices made very Interesting reading. Their escape from the hota^, their flight, their encounter with one of the gang in the road, and Flop ence's blunder into the bed of quick sand, gave a succession of thrills tsc the readers of the Blade. And all this while the million ac cumulated dust, layer by layer. I*«sr haps an occasional hardy roaefe scrambled over the packets, no douM attracted by the peculiar odor of Use Ink. (TO HE CONTINUED.) All Mutt tie wen uone. Nothing is done well enough feu the present which is not well enougft for all time. The Idea that lmperfeo tlons are of no consequence now. auk that the crooked lines can be straight rued, and the rough corners smootbwt off by and by has put many a workers in the failure class Uncle Eben. "Do young man dat has a good |* an‘ a good mu." said Uncle Stmt "don't need to go no furder in brwK gin' bout his ancestry.”