Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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T? MILI THU MILLION DOLLA ll MVSTF.HY "Tho Million Dollar Mystery" will run for twenty-two consecutive weeks in thin paper. Ky nu arrangement with the TuanhouBQf Film Campahy it has boon made possible not only to read the story in thia paper bur also to sito lt ??ach week in tho various moving picture theatres. For Hie so lution of this mystery story $10.000 will bo given. Condition*- (?overnlng Hie Conte?! The prize ot $10.000 will he won by the man, woman or eli ! 1 who writes the most acceptable solution ot the mystery, from which tito last two reels of the motion picture drama will be made ami the last two cnaptcrs o' the story written by Harold Mae 'J rat h. Solutions may bo sent to tho Than* houser Film corporation, cit hur at Chicago or New York, any tim : up lt; midnight, Dec. 14. They must bear poHtotlk'e marks not later man tltat dal This allows four weeks after tho finit appearance or the last rum ;o|rr? .< .< fb'fe'e weeks after tho lu .t ft!..', i published in the paper in wliiyh tn i'.ubmil the solution's; A board o? taree judges will deter mine which of ihe many solutions re ceived la the most acceptable. The Judgment or this board will be abso lute and final. Nothing of a literary nature will be considered In the dc. cisi?n, nor given any preference in tho selection of the winner of the $10, 000 prize. Tho last two reels, which Will give the riiost acceptable solution to the mystery, will be presented in tho theatres having this feature as soon as it is possible to produce tho same. Tho story corospondlng to these motion pictures will appear In the newspapers coincidentally, or as soon after the appearance of the pic tures as practicable. With the last two reels will bo shown the picture of'tho winner, his or her home, and other Interesting features. lt ls un derstood that the newspapers, so far '. as practicable, in printing the last two chapters of tho story by Harold Mac Gratb, will also Bhow a picture of the successful contestant. i SoIutlot 'J to tho mystery must not j be more than 100 words long. Here ' are some quest ?mis to be kept in mind 1 In connection with the mystery as nn i aid to a solution: No. 1-What becomes of tho mil- 1 lloualre? j No. 2-What becomes of the S 1,000. 000? , No. 3-r-Whnm doerj Florence marry? , No. 4-What dooa becomes of tho | Russian countess? Nobody connected either directly or Indirectly with "The Million Dollar Mystery" will bo.considered aa a con- j testant. . i Synopsis of Pr?viens Chapters. i Stanley Hargreavc. mlllonulre, after 1 a miraculous escape from the den of ' the gang bf brilliant Hi ie ves known as M the Black. Hundred, lives tho life of a I recluse for eighteen years. Ilnrgreave 1 one night enters a Broadway, restau- I rant and there comes race to face with i the gang's teador, Braine. , . After tho meeting, during which | neither man apparently recognizes thc ( other, Ilnrgreave hurries to his mag nificent Riverdale home and lays . plans for making bia escape from the country. He writes a letter to the girls' school in Now Jersey whoro 18 ( years before ho bad mysteriously left , on the doorstep his baby daughter. Florence Gray: He also pays' a vir.lt 1 to tho hangar of a daredevil aviator. ? Braine and members of hin band < surround Hargreaves homo at night, i but as they enter tho house the watch- i cn outside seo a balloon leave tho roof. Tho safe is found empty-the j million which Hargreave was known , to have drawn that; day was gone. Then . some one announced the balloon had been punctured and dropped luto the . nea. Florence arrives from . pie girls' school. Princess Olga, Bralne's tpm- , panton, visits nor and claims to,he.a relative. Two bogus defectives call, . bat their ptot ia tolled. by Norton, a \ newspaper men. By bribing the captain of the Orient Norton lavs a tran for 1'.raine and his , gung. Princeno Oigo also vinita the ' Orient's captain ami she easily falls Into the reporter'? snare. Tho plau ' prove:-, abortive through i?k-u?uu't? cum! 1 luck ?nd **nly hireling!? .fall Into the 1 banda of the police. 1 Later, Florence IN lured from heme hy the band, but (.accords m freeiug 1 herself from their dutches. The-next 1 d*y Jones removes n box iron? UH ucl tag plate and* pursued by Bruise's men, rashes te tho water iron!. A 1 rare In motor boats ensues, jones drops the box inte the sea ?ad willi his automatic sets Ure to the pursuing bout. ???-.- _!.....?. ? . * "IV J, MW?>?>.MM-M .Mf.Mfl .? LU IR captured by one of Bratae's men 1 ainag the roadside, Norton rese?es her. They are pursued, however, ead ' the pair make their templete escape 1 ewty stier' Norte? has exploded a tire on the fast sppteaelving stjtirhlne with a ballet. ' After falling In their first attempt, 1 the ??iack Hand red imp Vlorcnc?. ! Thev ask ber for money, bbl she es capes again toling them Countess Ol^a, scheming. te break , the engageaient n*w existing between Florence Hargre.ive an* Norton, In- 1 vite? Chess both tn brr nnrtwent and ! lfrrtUhtw te ?alni le the reparler's stew, yiss-esre appears lu the deer, way Just St the planned moment, ?ml 1 ssl * -re*** giren N?rtoa beck his risc! AecompHce* of Braine sneered ia kidnaping Florence while she 1? step ping and berry her off to sro. Norton i . receives a wireless tater tofu rsa leg ? ' Mm tm. the girl had leaped Info the sea aad bee? drowned. I' Florae* I? pkhed to p la a dared, eoaoitieu by a pan y ott n?nenwea? The $1*3? 2?*r?d Socale her and Brat??, 1 By Harold disguised UH ber fut her, succeeds In taking her hark to sen with him, Floreare He!? tire io the heat ?uni is rescued by n ship on which Morten hus been shanghaied. Norton und ll?reme, safely ashore mid nil h no humor any misunderstand, int between them, take the fruin for home? Tile train is ?reeked and waiting measlier* of the Black Hun dred carry the Injured Florence to a deserted hut. V'rtoii, who tries to rosene her, I* tied to the railroad tracks. Floreare saves him and tinnily Jones romes to I he rosette ?if both. The Mlnck Hundred recover the box Jones drn| ped iii the ocean.. Ky ti elever ms? Norton and Jones regain lt: (Copyright, 1014; Hy Harold Mac Qrath.) CHAPTER XIII. AN AGENT FHOM RUSSIA.. The Black Hundred, not ns Individ uals, hut as an organisation, began to worry. Powerful, and often reckless and dating because lt was powerful, it began to look ah mt for some basic muse for all these failures against Ilargr.-ave's ghost. They had tried to put the Inquisitive reporter out of the way: they had laid every trap they could think of to catch tho mysterious visitor at thc Hargreave homo; they had thrown ont a hundred lure* to bring Hargreave out of his Uar. and j failed; they bad lost a dozen valuable men and several thousand dollars. Thin must end somewhere, and quickly. The one rny of hopo for the con spirators lay in the fact that Florence had never Reen her father and knew not in the least what he looked like. They determined to try again in tilla direction. "Give it all up." said tho counters to Bruine. "I tell you. whatever ls back of all thia ls stronger thnn we aro. He known the organization, and for all we know he may be a ghost." "I never go hock," amiled nralno. "There's something more than the million. There's tho sport of tho thing. We've been boated in a dozen bouts, and nearly always hy a fluke. I They havo the breaka. aa they aay out it. the Polo grounds." "Hut tho time knd exncnBe when w? might bo getting results elsewhere! I tell you. L?p, I'm afraid. It's like al ways heuriug some one behind you ?nd never finding anybody when yoti Lura. I have told you my doubl?. T have ?liso asked you to trap that but ler, but you've always laughed," "You are seeing ghosts. Olga, A lew roan Trom holy Russia." shrug ging. "ls earning tonight. Evidently tho (lead over,thoro ? Iiiuka our contribu tions of Inte have not been up to the murk, ami they aro going to stir us l np. I nm willing to wager my soul. Iiowcvor. that the box la simply a Hi.i>: to befuddle tia. Either that or it bolds the key. Bnt tho rest of thom Inalat that tho box - moat bo recovered. When I leave thia room tonight I am ? ?olng over to Riverdalo and stalk all >y myself I'm going to cet a g: im pao ? n* that mysterious stranger. Ile car ries a scar of mine somewhere, for I lit him that night." I The dior opened, and tho executive 'humber beeamo silent. 1 "Count Paroff," boomed the voice of : I'roon. "He will presont his crcden- 1 ials." . . This formality waa executed as prc- '' icribcd by the rulos; and Count Pa- 1 rofl was given his chair. He spoke for i while, rather pompously. "The head organization la not sat- 1 i?fled with its offspring in this Har L'reave affair," bo said in conclusion. Von arc alow." "Then you have come with some .uggestiona for the betterment of our business?" asked BFalne ironically. "Sir. this bj not tho hour for flip !?nacy." .?aid the agent coldly. limine mado a sign with bis hand, a dgn not observed by ev?ry one. In tently Paroff bent lowly. Ho- recog nised that the spcakor was tho actual, 'ot \he nominal, hoad of the American "What are your suggestions?" in ltilred the nominal bend from bis chair I ?n?ro?w te*avoid a clash between the tiewcomor and the truculent master r*T them all. . "I havo boca informed that Har arreave'B daughter has nover aeon her rather, not even a photograph of him," l?bj Paroff, more amiably. "We aro absolutely certain that this Is ihe case." said thc nominal head, who waa known na tho proaident. "Bm we tried ono play tn that direction, and lt failed miserably." ( "I hayo tito atory." replied Paroff. "lt W?Q ch?.'???y dar.G. Tike ?mu. e waa an, old oat.' Hrnine was frank enough to admit the truth of thia ?talement, however much be disliked the admission. He nodded. "I have authority to take a hand in Ibis affair. We cannot wnsto ail sum mer. Tho-c government plana of tho rortltlcs-Uona n! thc Puaawn aro waiting. There's your millions. Bat that remains that it is the ?aw of rho Black Hundred never to step down HR absolutely defeated. Tho bidden (Billion is but bait,- we must find and break thia renegade Hargreaves "ir lie lives," raid Ursine. . Who can say one way or the other?" brusquely asked Paroff. "The rael that ali your plans and schemes havo come to naught should prove to you that yon are not fighting a ghost. There is but one way to bring ??t- th" truth." "Am! that ls to mako s '.apttvc of bis daughter," supplemented Hrnine. Ami we !iave worked toward that .?y. We aro quite ready to lutea to your suggestion, want." JMacGrath "Anil Hu uni I." thought thc mun with his ear io H"<' little hole In tho celling above. '.Ami nomo ilay, my en? ergetic friend, l in going io pay you bark for I hal bullet." Count Paroff cleared bis voice ami lai'l bis pinna beton- bis audience. "To m t frankly ami in tin- open, to go boldly to Hu- Hargreave home and proclaim myself Hargreave. I can dis guise myself in a manner tba! will at I ional temporarily fool the butler." "Who has been willi Iii- master for fourteen your ?I knows every move, habit, gesture, inflection," Interposed Bralnc. "ibu proceed Count, proceed?' Von will remember thc old adage: too many cooks." "Ab." flashed back the count, "but a new cook?1* Olga touched Braino'a arm warn ingly. "You mean. then, that there has been talk in Si. Petersburg or dis posing of some ono?" "A good deal of talk, slr," haught ily, forgetting that lie had bent bum ble enough lint a few moments gone. "Very well; go on." Thought (he man ut the peephole niu?v? "There's another adage. When thieves fall nut, then honest men get their dues. Yes. yes; proceed, pro ceed!" Paroff went on. "I shall, then, go frankly to the Hargreave house and claim my own. Meant lino I leave to you the business of luring tho butler away. Half an hour ia all I need to bring that child iiere, tn break the wall that stands between us und what we seek." , "Is that so?" murmured Bralne. "Olgu, I want you to play a trieb on this hnndscme delegate ut large. I'm not very enthusiastic over his talk. I want him humiliated. All you h?vc to do, he says, ls to walk Into thc Har groave house and walk nut again. Well, lot's you and I pee that he does thnt and nothing el-e. I'll have no ouc meddling with my own game." Rome one sneezed, and everybody looked at his neighbor. The sneeze war. repented, but mufried. as lr some one was desperately anxious to avoid rneczlng. "It came from above-" whispered Olga. "Don't look up!" Bralne was cool. Ile walked idly neroBB tho room to whore Vroon tat. "Vory well, I'aroff; we give you cree rein." To Vroon he said: "Some one is watebing us from thc room over head. I thought that room belonged to us." "It doc?," said Vroon stolidly? . "Then how is it that some one Is watching from up there? No excite ment. I'm going to bid every one good night, then I'm going to investigate. When I leave you will quietly send mon to all tho exits to tho building. I wnnt the man who sneezed, and I want him badly." Olga departed with Bralue, only she immediately sought the taxi that brought her and waa driven home. It wns always understood that when any r.erlous exploit waa under way here abouts . 'ne waa to make ber departure at once. Vroon stationed his men at the aev ?-rai exits and Braille went upstairs, nu- man who had sneezed, however, lind vanished as completely as if he had worn that invisible cloak one road? about in the Persian talcs. As a matter of fact, after the second. Bneexe he bad gene up to thc roof, got out by the trap, and jumpod rather risky business, too-to tho next roof and had clambered down ino fire escape of the second building. He was Swearing Inaudibly. After all therm day.-' of care und planning, after all his cleverness in locating the ren dezvous of the Blac.v Hundred, and now to lose his adv;. ge because nf an uncontrollable sneeze! ITO would never dare go back, and J?"t when he was beginning to pick up fine bits of information!' So Florence Hargreave was going to have a j ow father In' a 1 day or BO? There v >e ?orno clover roguea among thia -.and of. theirs; but their el?veme waa well offset by an equal numb' . of fools. "Yoe, there won imo clever roguen and to provo thia > .-crtton Bralne se cured a taxicab d drove furlous'.y away, hts ilestlt aa the home cl Ms ancient enemy. ' . dropped the cab a block or- two --v-fty and preseutly ?lowed hirnssi iwa? in thc simmer house at the i >.t of the lawn. It would havo i ':ji a capita! idea-that ls, If the otb toan bad not thought at and antic' ?ted thl.i very thing. So he used a mihi i o pay- nation tele phone; s ?vd Bralne waited In vain, waited UH the lights In the Hargreave house went out one by one and it be came wrapped In darkness within sad moonshine without. !'.ra tn- was a philosopher. He re lumed to bbl waiting taxicab, drove I rame, paid tho bill, smiling grimly, and went to bed. It was going to bo a wonderful game of blind man's buff, and lt was going to be sport to watch titi ? fool Paroff blunder Into a pit. I i The next afternoon Florence and Norton sat in the summer house talk ing'of the future. Lovers are prone to talk of that As-if anything obs?.in the world ever eqv.ais tho present ? hey talked ot nico little apartments and vacaitous in the ?snimer and. how mach they would save out of his sal ary, and a thou and and one other things which would not interest you nt all if I recounted them in detail. But they did love each other, aad they were going to be married; yon may be certain of that. They dbl not caro a snap of the finger what Jones thought. They wero going to be mar ried, and that was all there Was to it. Of course, Florence couldn't touch a penny of her father's money. If he, Norton, couldn't tako care of her without help, why. he wouldn't be worth tho powder to blow him np wuk. "Sut, a;j d??r, you must bo very CTERY careful," he said. "Jones and I will always be about somewhere. If they really get bold ul you once. Cod alone knows Winn will happen, lt i-' not you, lt ls your poor father they want to bring out iulo tim open. If they knew whore in .>as they would uot bother you in the least." "Have I really a tallier? Sometimes I doubt. Why couldn't he steal into tho house ami seo me, just once?" "Perhaps lie dares not. This house is always wattled night and day. though you'll look in vaia to discover any ono. Your lather known best what ho is doing, m> dear ?iii. You see. 1 met him years UKO m China; and when he started out io do a certain Ciiiu he generally did il. He never botched any of his plans. So we all must walt. Only I'm going to marry you all the samo, whether lie likes it or not. The rogues will try in v po e upon you again; but do not pay any attention to notes or per oas in the papers. You've been through enough. And lt was a lucky thing that I was on that freighter that picked you up at sea. I shall always wonder how tim*, yacht took fire." "So shall 1." replied Florence, her brows drawing together in puzzle ment. "Sometimes 1 think I must have done it. You know, people out of their heads do st ra nie tilings. I seem t? see myself us in a dream. And thli mau Bralne i; a .mandrel!" "Yes; and more ?nan that, he ls thc dear frieud ot thc countess. Hut un derstand, you must ^pever let her dream or suspect that you know. Uj lulling ber Into overconfidence rome duy she will naturally prow careless, and then.we'll have them all. I think I understand what your lather^ idea ls; not to "have them arrested for blackmail, but practically to extermi nate them, put i hem in prison for such terms of years that they'll die there. When you seo a snake, a pols onom one, don't let it pet away. Kill lt. Well, I must ?ic off to work."* "And you be careful, to'\ Your arc In more danger than I am." "Dut I'm a man and cnn dodge quick," he laughed, picking up hie hut "What a horrid Hiing money is- I I hadn't any money, nobody woulO bother me." "I would," he smiled. He wanted to kiss, her, but the eternal Jones might be watching from the windows; aud BO ho patted her baud Instead and walked down the graveled path to thc street. lt warf dtmc?lttVdrt? Wir? W?f?ncr to play kt-fr?en., sh i p. She was like hoi father;' rhr did not bestow lt on every ono. She had niven " lier friendship tr tho Husslan. Hie first real big friend ship in Vor lifo, and she had been roughly disillusioned. Hut If the coun tess could act. so could she; and ol the two her acting was tho'most con .iummato. 8he could smile and langi and Jest, all the while her heart wat burning with wrath. One-day, n w.epk or so. af tur bei meeting with Norton in the summei house, Olga arrived. beau'ifuHj gowned, handsrmo as ever. Tb?re wai not the least touch of tho adventures! In her makeup. Florence had Just.ro ceived si ai i< . mall, and sha had drop ped thc lott ors on thc library table t< irrcet tho countess. She had oponct them, but had not yet looked at the! contents. They were chatting pleasantl; lbout inconsoiitient things, when tbi maid came in and asked Florence ti come to Miss Susan's room fer a mo ment. Florence excused herself, won lerlng what Susan could want. Sin forgot -.be mall. As soon ns she was gone thc coun tees, certain that Jones was not lurk lng about, pic ked up the letters am calmly'examined their contents; ani unong -them ?he- found this rerrfark ibl, document: "Dear daughter, have noiror seen; I must tum th treasure over to you. Meet me at lr. the summer house. Tell ho one a ray lifo ls in danger. Your lovln; .ather." The countess could have .laiighte aloud. She saw this man P?roli1 liand; hud hore was the chance to be Fool and humiliate him and send hit M pocking to his cold and mlserabl country, She had matte up onco a Florence, an\ she could easily do s ?gain. Thc only thing that trouble lier waa the fa?t that ?he di'.: nc know whether Florence had read th letter or not. Thus, she did not dar les troy lt. 8he first thought-of chanp ing thc. clock : then she -eoncladed t Irop tho letter exactly where she ha found lt and trust to luck. When "florence returned she . el nlalned that her absence had bee lue to some trifling household ni reift- ':? Said thc Russian: "I como primaril o ask you to toa tomorrow, wher ?hey dabee. If you like, you may as ?r. Norton io gp along. I begin t >bserve that you' two are rather fob if one another." "O.'Mri Norton ia Just a valuabl Ti'ettd." re!?rm?d Florence with ?mlle that quite deceived the otlrr ?oman. "I shalt be glad to go to th :e?v B*t I shall not promiso ! lance." ''Not- with Mr. Nortes*- .nilly. "Jtepcrters ?ont da?"*- thetn^tve* bey make others da ace instead." "I shall have to tell that," declare he countess; and she laughed quit loneatly. "Then I have said something w* yr" - "Indeed you have; and it is m roly witty but truthful, i'm af rai lon'ro duped that the' rest of us ha. my idea of." "Perhaps I am," thought Florence 'at least, deeper than you believe.'' Wh?t? the countess fluttered dow o hfrr llmoualne-;F?r.r?ie tight of lt-and drove away Florene '?membered her letters. And when st ame to the one purporting to'be f roi TEN CENTS FOR We agree to receive your cotton and allow you cred it for same on basis of TEN CENTS per pound for good middling. We will give you in exchange for this cotton any merchandise we have, at our lowest R E T A ? L PRICES or we wil apply the proceeds on any AC COUNT or NOTE you have with us covering goods purchased at RETAIL from us. This offer applies to farmers only. We will accept no cotton other than of sellers' own raising. This offers does not ap ply to goods bought WHOLESALE, nor to accounts or notes given by MER CHANTS in settlement for goods bought at WHOLE SALE prices. We ?reserve the right to withdraw this proposition at any time we see fit. For further information see us. Sullivan Hardware Co. Anderison, S. G. Belton* S. C. i Convenience Efficiency Durability ii These are the points you consider when . ' selecting a Typewriter. THE L. C. SMITH TYPEWRITER combines alt of these points and a good many more besides. lt will please your Stenographer and its steady, contiguous service will ? PLEASE YOU J. E. CRAYTON & CO., Charlotte, N. C. Agents. Cox Stationer^ Cen. Local Agents il .rt-* her rather, ?he rood lt carefully, bent be heart in thought, and finally" d stroyed thc missive, absolutely confi dent that lt waa only a trap, and not very well conceived at that Norton bad given her plenty ot reasons for believing ail such 'loiters io b?? fm ii oHos. Her father, if ho really wi3hcd to see her, would entor the house; bo would not write? Ah, whan would sh? see that father of hors ce mysterious, always hovering near, always unseen t lt must have beb an amusing ad venture for the countess. To steal into the summer house and wait there, not Kfi?w!ng i; F?c>r?tr.ce h?? advised .Tone? or tho reporter. If caught, she had her excuses. Paroff. the confident br;wever ar-oeared shortly after. "My child!" wbtaperod ?he man. And Olga stifled a laugh ; but to him it sounded libo a. sob. "f am worn -put," he saW. ' I am tired of tfeCgame of hide and seek." "Vou will not havo to play the game lona." thought Olga. "The money ia'hidden in my office downtown. And wo must go there at ohce. When we return we will pock up ?nd leave for Europe. I've longed to see yon so!" "Von ptr?r fool! And they sent yv*-i to suporaode IXK>-" she mused. She played out the farce to the very end. She permitted herself to be pin Palmetto Detective Agency Criminal and Civil ? corps af trained Specialists nhoi ? services stay he secured la strict ly legitimate work. Address P. O. Box 402 ioned and Jogfeod; a?M?' ror what un necessary righneas she cuffored at the hands ot Paroff he would presently pry. He took ber straight to tho ex ecutive chamber of the Black Hun dred and pushed her into the room? exclaiming triumphantly: "Here Is Hargreaves daughter!" "Indeed!" said Olga, throwing back ber voil and stsndlng revealed in her ?aaakj "Olga!" er?*Hl ?Hsine. langhin?; Am? that wita the Inglorious ond of (tho secret aaont from Kurala . (TO BB CONTINUED.) Vt lt your eyes ar glasses In qaestisnf Alright thea **r.t seek further, fast sea aie. I irseeialrte oa these troubles aad ea? fftva yo? that finish oa werk that spells satisfaction, rritos um U fsVM a?. Be purs 10e BB. DR. M. H CAMPBELL 112 W.-WfcitosrSt. Cromad fl ?r Aphone auwt?ssta. eea