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PATRIA by Louis Joseph Yance NOVELIZATION OF THE-MOTION PICTURE PLAY OF THE SAME NAME. PRODUCED FOR THE INTERNATIONAL FILM SERVICE. INC, UNDER THE DIRECTION OF copyright; star compahy THE CAST. MRS. VERNON CASTLE Patria Channing. MILTON SILLS aa Donald Parr. WARNER OLAND aa Baron Hurokl. DOROTHY QREEN aa Fanny Adair. BYNOPBIS. Baron Hurokl, chief of the Japanese se cret service, conspiring to embroil the United States with Afexico, and desiring control of the great Channing munitions plants owned by Patria—last of the "Fight ing Channings"—schemes to cause the death of the latter, and substitute in her ' place Elaine, a notorious dancer and Pa tria's physical counterpart. As it falls out. It is Elaine who dies, Patrla surviv- ■ ing accepted as Elaine by Hurokl and his confederates. SEVENTH EPISODE. Red Dawn. 1 COUNTERPLOT. In a band at once feminine and of < decided character, the envelope was ' superscribed: ORSON BERTRAM, Esq., 1 General Manager, 1 Channing, Inc., Introducing 87 Broadway, New York. 1 Capt. Donald Parr. The addressee accepted It from the ( hands ot Capt. Donald Parr with a , slightly bored air which was swiftly dissipated once he had scanned the , dozen or so lines composing tile body of the note. , With a somewhat startled expres- j slon Mr. Bertram peered over his desk at this Captain Parr —a brief scrutiny j which Donald endured with composure until Mr. Bertram (with the manner of | one challenging the testimony of his own senses), returned undivided at- ( tentlon to a second reading of the | note. Then a twinkle of amusement . showed In Donald's eyes, he communl rated this emotion In n swift glance to his companion, and again masked It with a semblance of impassivity. Having verified his first Impression of the sense of the communication, Mr. Bertrum clicked his tongue against , his teeth meditatively—“Tch I Tch!” “Miss Channing reposes a—pardon me—surprising degree of confidence In you, Captain Parr,” he commented. “I hope to prove worthy of her 1 trust,” Donald declared with all due 1 humility. “I used the term surprising In view of the fact that It has been my mis fortune never to have heard of you as a friend of Miss Channlng's." “Don’t apologize,” said Douald calm ly—and let It go at that. “Of course,” Mr. Bertram amended hastily, “I am Miss Channlng’s serv ant Her will la my law. Pray ad vise me In what way I may serve you.” "Permit me first,” Donald suggested, “to Introduce my friend, Mr. Bdwnrd W. Ryley, late of the United States Secret Service, now associated with me In the private bureau of Informa tion which I lmve organized for Miss Chnnnlng at her suggestion." Mr. Bertram looked. If possible, more than ever startled. “I know nothing of that,” he said, mechanically shaking hands with Mr. Ryley. “It Is Miss Channlng's desire that I Inform you concerning It, In strict confidence —naturally.” “Naturally," echoed Mr. Bertram, and assumed a receptive attitude. Rapidly Captain Parr sketched for the benefit of the general munager an outline of the existing situation be tween Patrla Channing nnd himself, on the one hand, and on the other Baron Hurokl nnd hla associates. As he drew to his conclusion Mr. Bertrum betrayed boundless nmaze menb "Extraordinary 1” ho commented, and rather needlessly mopped his brow. “May I ask—7” “Anything, Mr. Bertram. It Is not only my duty, 1 am only too happy to tell you everything.” “Why—since these Jnpunese and Mcxlcun consplrutors have so openly shown their hands—7” “I won't Indorse openly," Douuld In terrupted with n smile. "They have Jaeen very shrewd and cunning. It Ims thus far been our good fortune —with the assistance of Mr. Ryley here—to penetrate their Intrigues uud mate their every move.” “But surely you have ample excuse for swearing out warrants for their arrest!" “If we do that,” Donald explained patiently, “we merely exehunge an enemy we know for one we do not know. Japanese conspiracy will not die out In tills country If we expose nnd punish Buron Hurokl; another will tuke his pluce; and warned by Huroki'a fate, will work even more surreptitiously. But us long ns Huron Hurokl 1b suffered to remuln head and forefront of the intrigue, we know whom to watch und, through our ex perience with his methods, liow best to forestall bis macblnatious.” The Great Romance oj* Preparedness • “But why—ln the name of sanity— permit Miss Chnnnlng to expose her self to needless danger by continuing to masquerade to Baron Hurokl ns this creature, Elaine, whom he tried to put In Miss Channlng's place 7" “It Is not my wish, but Miss Chan nlng's will. She herself conceived the notion of playing Elaine to Hurokl, and she insists on going through with 1L” “But why—” “As long as Hurokl believes her his tool musqueradlng us Elaine, he will have few secrets from her —and con sequently—from us.” “But If he discovers his mistake — 1” “I am doing all I can to provide against any serious upshot." “Miss dimming la a very brave young woman." "I would be n poor American were I not heart and soul and hand with Miss Channing In this work!” he ex claimed. “Tell me how I may help I” Donald consulted his watch. “Her train is due at Grand Central now," he announced. “Unless Hurokl has changed his plans, they will call on you' ut four or thereabouts. I wish to be present at the interview.” “Won’t that be dangerous to your plans? How am Ito excuse your pres ence?" “By this.” And with a few words of explanation Donald submitted to the consideration of Mr. Bertram a legal document whose nature complet ed the process of stupefaction Inaugu rated by the letter of Introduction. After a time he nodded. “I under stand. Whnt else?" “I want you to go down to Powder Town tonight—as soon ns you can leave after the interview with Hurokl —nnd take the situation there In hand.” Mr. Bertram's tone was edged with alarm. “What situation there?" "Are you Ignorant of the fact that there Is a certain amount of disaffec tion among your employees, In spite of munltluns-contract wages, short hours, uud geuerul prosperity?" “I give you my word, I know noth ing of any such state of affairs 1” “It noue the less exists." “How do you know?” “Through the activities of Mr. Ry ley's assistants, who lmve been in Powder Town in one or another os tensible capacity—some even working in the Chunnlng mills —ever since we learned, through Pntrin—Miss Chun nlng, I mean—that Hurokl wus plan ning a demonstration there to compel Chunnlng's acceptance of the Mexican munitions contracts.” “You astound mel" “Will you go?” “Without losing u moment's time!” “Then,” said Donuld, rising, “there is nothing more for us to arrange until we huve hud our talk with Hurokl. I will be back at half-after three.’ 1 Punctual to the minute of his ap pointment, he anticipated the appear ance of Patrla nnd her dupes by less than a quarter-hour. As he dropped into a chair by the side of Bertram's desk thut gentle man answered the muffled signal of his private telephone, nnd after giving It an instant of ntteutlon, bunded the Instrument to Donuld. accompanying the action with a gesture of surprise. “Channing, New Jersey,” he snld, giving "Powder Town" Its proper title, according to the United States postal authorities, "Is culllug Capt. Donald Parr." Putting receiver to eur, he called; “Yes. lids Is Captain Purr." “Barnes, sir," came the response over the wires—“speaking from Pow der Town.” “Something important, Burncs?" "Things look pretty nnsty, sir. The nlr’s thick with suspicious clrcum stunces. Strike uud violence are be ing publicly preached, but no one seems to know just when anything definite will huppen. And I notice u lot of Jups In the streets; they pre tend to he engaged In petty business— running restaurants and that sort of thing—but It's n safe bet they’re In close touch with Ilurokl und Ids out fit. I've been spotted ulrcudy, I'm ufrald." “Whnt makes you think so?" Parr ashed ns the other ceased übruptly to talk. For nil answer he heurd ii deadened bang ut the other end of the wire—a sound closely resembling thut made by slnmmlng open the folding-door of un alleged "sound-proof booth. “Hello?" he called lmpntlently. "Hello? Burnos! Whnt the deuce I Hello?” No unswor. At this Juncture the secretary to Mr. Bertram announced Miss Chan ning with Baron Ilurokl uml Senor dc Limn, Once more Pntrlu commanded Don nld's unstinted wonder und admiration i by lier consummate histrionic ability; i from the Instant she entered the room I the girl played to perfection the rolo ’ for which site had cast herself. "Oh, Mr. Bertram—how do you do?" E Patrla offered thut gentleman a de signedly uwkwurd hand. “So glad to THE GULP!* OBSERVER. see yon looking so weli. Permit me to introduce my friends, Buron Hurokl and Senor de Lima.” With his usual admirable address, Hurokl recovered from his disgust on recognizing Parr, and acknowledging the latter’s presence with n slight, cool nod, turned to exhibit marked cordial ity toward »he general manager of Channing, Inc. Then, the secretary placing chairs for the party, they dlspbsed themselves to the business of the hour. Ignoring Donald completely—turn ing toward him a cold shoulder which served Its master ill since it provided Donald with an opportunity to place Patrln’s chair near his own—the Jap anese buttered his selected victim with his very best grade of urbanity. “It is a pleasure to make the ac quaintance of one with whom I am to transact so much business,” he averred —“to our great mutual profit, I trust.” •Tm sure I hope so,” Bertram agreed pleasantly. “But may I Inquire the nature of the business?” “Miss Channing has not yet advised you—?” Bertram responded to Hurokl’s art ful look of surprise with one of blank non-comprehension. “Then—permit me—perhaps these papers will best explain.” Bertram accepted a bundle of legal cap documents and leaned back In his chair to examine them. “Agreement between Channing, Inc., and Senor Juan de Lima," he read aloud the Indorsement on the upper most — “re machine guns and muni tions for the de facto government of Mexico.” He managed a moment of embar rassment. “I am sorry, gentlemen, but the strictly defined policy of Channing, Inc., does not permit us to accept these contracts.” "I am sorry to seem rude,” Baron Hurokl said suavely; “but if you will be good enough to examine the signa tures you will find that the president of Channing, Inc., has seen fit to re verse your policy.” Hastily unfolding the document In hand, Bertram scrutinized the foot of its last page. “Channing, Inc., by Patria Channing, President,” he read, and hesitated, and looked dubiously at Patria. “This Is your signature, Miss Channing?” The girl, nvoldlng his gaze, mur mured un affirmative. “You can hardly question Its genu ineness,” Hurokl commented with a superciliously lifted eyebrow. “You surely do not mean to imply that the signature could be a forgery 1” “No," Bertram admitted mildly— “no. But I am surprised—yes, much surprised.” “But why?” “Because —you know, of course, this contract Is dated yesterday; whereas I hold here”—Bertram the paper Donald had given him nt their earlier Interview —“an absolute power of attorney given Capt. Donald Parr by Miss Patrla Channing ten duys ago, by which It appears that any uud all contracts signed by her and lucking. Ills counter-signature become automat ically Invalid.” Even the racial serenity of Baron Hurokl was hardly proof against this blow. He took a rather long moment to recover. “None the less,” he said at length, turning toward Donald, “Captain Parr will hardly withhold his signature when Miss Chnnnlng requests him to affix 1L” "I am sorry," Donald said quietly. “Even should Miss Channing command, I must refuse.” “Cnptnin Parr!” This was Patrla’s contribution, an excellently simulated cry of Indignation. “I am sorry,” Donald repeated firm ly. “But so long as this power of at torney rests with me, nnd so long ns Japan conspires to embroil the United States with Mexico, byway of prepar ing for the allied Jnpnnese-Mexicun In vasion of the Pacific Coast states —so long. Indeed, as Japan malntulns a naval base at Mngdnlena bay—just so long will Channings refuse to sell arms nnd ammunition to any Mexican fac tion whatsoever!” ”Tlie power of attorney is, of course, revocable,” Betram suggested mali ciously. “If Miss Channing wishes to revoke It, that can doubtless be attended to without delay,” Donald agreed. “Do you wish Mr. Bertram to call in a stenographer and a notary. Miss Chan ning?” Now, as Elaine, Patrla could not make a creditable forgery of the signa ture of Patria Chnnnlng; the extraor dinarily skillful forgeries appended to the contracts In Bertram’s hands were the work of Hurokl’s able compa triots. As Elaine, she dared not at tempt to sign the name of Patrla In the presence of witnesses. “No, no,” she said hastily rising— “not now, not today. I shall* of course, revoke the power—tomorrow. This afternoon I haven’t time. I’m already late for un appointment with my dressmaker.” “Then I shall expect a call from you tomorrow?” Bertram Inquired amiably, “At about what hour —?” “I’ll telephone,’! Patrla evaded. “If you please—Baron Hurokl—Senor de Lima—” When he had courteously shut the door upon the backs of the dlscom fitted conspirators, Bertram turned to Purr with a grin of unaffected delight, “Good work!” he .chuckled. But Donald did not respond. *He was studying with a look of exaspera tion a small slip of paper which he had just unfolded. “What now?" Bertram asked. “Read that 1” Donald told him wrathfully. “You didn’t notice —none of the others did —but Pntrin dropped her handkerchief and I picked It up. Tills message was In its folds. I palmed It and— Oh, read the d—d thing!" He paced furiously to and fro while Bertram deciphered the message. Written In pencil, hastily, If ran with out date or salutation or signature: "Hurokl Insists I must marry De Lima tonight at eight at the Little Church Around the Corner. I dare not refuse. What am I to do? * POWDER TOWN. As that long summer twilight ebbed Into dark of night, the softly glowing windows of the Church of the Trans figuration signified to a largely Indif ferent metropolis that a private wed ding wus being very quietly cele brated. Within, In the radiance that bathed the altar, Patria Channing stood on the left of Juan de Lima. On either side waited the best mun nnd matron of honor, respectively Baron Hurokl and Mrs. Fanny Adair. Patrla waited in a state of nervous tension In no way perceptible. She did not doubt her Donald; she knew that he would find some way to prevent the consummation of this im possible affair; she was not afraid. The organ fell silent. Its sonorous cadences were replaced by the accents of the clergyman intoning the mar riage service. If any man can show Just cause why they may not lawfully be Joined to gether ... let him now speak, or else hereafter forever hold hie peace 1 There was a little pause, abruptly broken by a scurry and scuffle of feet confused with a frou-frou of skirts. Out of the shadows thnt cloaked the remoter portions of the church darted —with surprising aglUty, considering her bulk— a woman of substantial ma turity, a plump, dark creature of dis tinctly Spanish type. Half a dozen feet from the nltar she uttered one piercing cry: “Jaan, my 'usbandl At last, I 'ave found you I Monster of Ingratitude and infidelity, why did you desert me?” She thrust him from her at arm’s lefigth, shook him mercilessly, then overcome by a tidal wnve of quench less affection, clasped him, struggling vainly, once more to her bosom. Half-suffocated with exasperation, Hurokl went to his confederate’s as sistance. But even while dlsentnngling the unfortunate, he bethought him of the bride-elect, and looked around for her. She was no more there. Nor—hur ried search developed—was she any where within the church. Investiga- A Message Wat In Its Folds. tion nt the doors elicited the Informa tion, from Innocent nnd disinterested bystanders, that a young woman clothed beautifully In white had run madly from the church, met a young man at the gate, and with him had vanished in a taxicab whose chauf feur unquestionably placed little value In his license. . . . At twenty minutes past eight that taxicab, having eluded all attempts at pursuit (If any such there were) drew up before the apartment house In which Captain Parr maintained his New York home. A moment later the door of ills quar ters closed upon Pntrin Chunnlng and the lover of her choice. “I thought you would never come!" she stuminered. “I had to work very quietly,” he ex plained. "It was obvious from the first that this arrangement couldn’t con tinue—you couldn’t go on hoodwinking Hurokl and at the same time keep out of marrying de Limn. And whe% Hurokl found out that you had made a fool of him, you would have to be mighty safely hidden to escape repri sal. So I fixed things up for you here —l’ve moved over to the Vanderbilt— got hold of Anne, sent her to the Rltz with an order for your belongings—she was there within ten minutes of the time you left for the church—brought everything of yours here and . . . Well, here we are!” “But how did you ever find out de Limn had a wife?" “I didn’t,” Donald explained grave ly. “She wasn’t his wife.” . . . There came a knock at the door. “That’s Ryley. Let him In, please, Anne. I left him to protect the wom an in ense either Hurokl or de Lima became violent.” The grin of the detective ns he en tered wus evidence of the fact that he had experienced no greut trouble. There had been a bit of n rumpus, he reported—nothing to speak of. His account was Interrupted by the shrill. Imperative clamour of the tele phone. Donald answered, and sobered >to sudden, gravity as he carried on n brief conversation with Bertram in Powder Town. “Trouble at Channing," he an nounced ns he hung up. “Betram says our mun Barnes was shot In a street fight this afternoon by some loafer who interrupted him when he was 'phoning me. In addition the town seems strike-mad all of a sudden — agitators, even now, nre preaching strike and destruction of property. Bertram thinks we’d better run down nnd look the situation over for our selves. It may prove necessary to call on the governor for militia to protect the mills.” “Donald —please! I am so afraid for you 1” “I must go, dear —I must You need not worry on my account —we’ve a dozen men down there who will help Ryley take care of me. Not that I anticipate any serious trouble. The rabble have no excuse for rioting till the company refuses the strikers’ de mands —nnd it can’t do that till to morrow." He found a time-table, scanned It rapidly, snatched up his hnt. "With luck and a fast taxi-man we can just make the next train, the last tonight.” . . . The door banged; Incredibly, Patrla was alone—alone, thnt is, except for Anne. She threw herself Into a chair, when she had suffered Anne to change her bridal garments for n negligee. Womanlike, she was stubbornly bent on spending a sleepless, wretched night. In spite of herself, toward eleven o'clock, she nodded In her chair, then slept. It was two when the telephone aroused her. One of her force of private secret service agents was calling from Pow der Town for Captain Pnrr, in Ignor ance of the fact that, according to the time-table, and providing he had caught his train, Donald should have been there with Ryley for a matter of three hours. In response to her catechism the agent reported that the situation at Channings was one of Imminent emer gency. A strike had been called at midnight; the employees of the pow der mills who had come off shift at that hour had not been replaced; riot ing was already In process; the gen eral store maintained by the compuny had been burned and looted; the mob was threatening to march upon the mills. Instructing the man to seek Cnptaln Parr at the mills, Patrla left the tele phone and stealthily entered the bed room which had been Donald's, which now Wns hers. From the adjoining chumber sound ed an unmistakable snore: Anne un questionably slept. With every precaution to nvold wak ening her, the girl found a sports-suit and hurriedly dressed, Interrupting that process but once, and then to telephone her garage to send her fa vorite motor car, a high-powered rac ing mnchlne, round to the door. It wos waiting for her when at length she crept quietly out of the apartment house. Dismissing the mechanic, she took the wheel alone. Constrained within the limits of New York to go warily, once ucross the Hudson she gave the motor its head. Patrla knew tlint country well; she made no miscalculation as to her way; for nil thnt, she could not hope to reach the neighborhood of Channings before the duwn. With madly throbbing henrt, Pntrin began to recognize landmarks of the countryside thut told her she wns close upon Powder Town. The sun wns rising In crimson splen dor when Pntrin, arriving on tho crest of a hill overlooking Powder Town, brought the car to a full p* ise, that she might spy out the situ, tion be fore running on into possible peril. She lmd brought with her, for just such use, a pair of blnoculurs belong ing to Donald. Now she unslung and focussed these. Off to the right, nt the bottom of the cup, stood the unlovely huddle of mill buildings. Her glasses showed the yard gates closed and guarded by armed sentries. On her left the single-track railroad spur issued from between hills and sloped down across-country tp the mills. On this she discovered a train consisting of half a dozen enrs and a locomotive, nil strangely motionless— strangely,' since the curs were out ward bound, the locomotive hud steam up, and no reasonable excuse was ap parent, for the stop In that particular place. The circumstances made Pntrin wonder dally If, possibly, the railroad people had joined hands with her em ployees and declared a sympathetic strike. Dismissing this thought for the nonce, she turned attention to the town. This last lay In the middle distance, half concealed by an Intervening rise of wooded land. But the smoke of Its burning buildings was billowing up In the still morning air. A stentorian puffing called her Inter est back to the train of freight cars. Slipped Out of the Church. The locomotive was getting under way with vast complaints because of the strain of the up-grade pull. With a start Patrtn discovered that the rear car had been uncoupled and Its brakes thrown off. As the train moved uphill, It wns moving downhill, at first slowly under unassisted mo mentum, but momentarily gathering way through the attraction of gravity. It was at most a mile from the mills. By the time the car had cov ered half that distance on that steep grade It would be careering downhill at express speed. When It struck the mlll-ynrd gates It would cave them In like eggshells. Horror’s frigid hand clutched at I’atriu's heart us she reullzed that this thing had come to pass through no ac cident but through deliberate and fiendish design. Thut freight car was loaded to its eaves with high-explosive. When the crash cume, the Chnnnlng mills would be wiped off the face of the earth. Without conscious thought the girl released the brakes and swiftly coaxed the motor to Its utmost. There was a bare chance that she might save the mills and the many loynl men who guarded It —lncluding, doubtless, her Donald. About an eighth of a mile from the yurd gates the road crossed the rail road trucks; If she could but forestall the freight car at that Junction. . . . She had half a mile to go; the freight car was moving at good speed before her racer was even started. It wus gambling with deuth, but Patrla could not refuse the game becauso the stakes were high. Mlruculously, ns It seemed to her when she was permitted time for retrospect, she made it. The freight car was a hundred yards distant und bearing down like n Jug gernaut gone mad, when she stalled the motor-car on the rails. Jumped, und ran for dear life. The ensuing explosion was like the trumpet of Doom. Patrla, lifted bodily from her feet, wns flung to earth nguin with stunning force. When she came to her senses ugain there wus neither freight not motor car to be seen—nothing but a great gup In the tracks, a crnterllke hole In the ground. But that wns nothing: Donnld Fnrr wns bending over her, lifting her in his arms; and he wns whole and un hnrmed If pale with fright bn her be half. m And she wns quite unhurt. With n broken llttje laugh of happiness Patrla swung nn nrtn around Ills neck. (UND OF SEVENTH EPISODE.)