Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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E. PHUIP5 C Novelised Crom tho Photo Play of the 8c rilm AI a nu nie ti SYNOPSIS. Sanford Quest, master criminologist of the world. (Inda that tn bringing; to Jus tlre Macdougal. the murderer of Lord Ashleigh's daughter, he has but Just be gun . life-and-death struggle with a mysterious master criminal. In a hidden hut In Professor Ashleigh's garden ho hos .tea an anthropoid ape skeleton and a living Inhuman creature, half monkey, half man. destroyed by fire. In his rooms have appeared from nowhere black boxes, one containing diamonds torn from a lovely throat by a pair of armless, threat ening hands, both with sarcastic, threat ening notre, signed by the Inscrutable hands. Hla valet. Rosa Brown, and a caller. Miss Qulgg, are murdered In hla rooms. Laura and Lenora, his assistants, .aspect Craig, the professor's valet. le nora, abducted by the threatening hands, !. rescued. Queat traps Craig. loses him, traps him again In the house where leo nora waa Imprisoned, and loses him yet agate after a thrilling chase. The black boxes ontlnue to appear In uncanny faahlrr sith their notes of sarcasm, wara* Ina* a'j suggestions of clues, all Blgn^o by the Inhuman, armless hands. EIGHTH INSTALLMENT CHAPTER XVIII. THE INHERITED 8IN. "Getting kind of used to these court house shows, aren't you. Lenora?'* Quest remarked, as they stepped from the automobile and entered the house in Georgia square. "Could anyone feel much sympa thy," Bho asked, "with those men? Red Gallagher, as they all called him, is more like a great brutal animal than a human being. I think that even If they had sentenced bim to death I should have felt that it was q?ito the proper thing to have done." "Too much sentiment about those things," Quest agreed, clipping the end off a cigar. "Men like that are bet ter off the face of tho earth. They did their best to send me there." "Here's a cablegram for you," Le nora exclaimed, bringing lt over to him. "Mr. Quest, I wonder if lt's from Scot land Yard!" Quest tore lt open. They read lt to gether. Lenora standing on tiptoe to peer over his shoulder: "Stowaway answering In every- re spect your description of Craig found on Durham. Han been arrested, ns desired, _ad will be taken to lin ni bl in house for Identification by Lord Ash leigh. Reply whether you aro coming over, and full details as to charge." "Good for Scotland Yard!" Quest de clared. "So they've got him, eh? All the same, that fellow's SB slippery as an eel. Lenora, how should you like a trip across the ocean, eh?" "I should love lt," Lenora replied. "Do you mean lt, really?" Quest nodded. "That fellow fooled'me pretty **'CB>" he continued, "but somehow I feel that tf I get my hands on him this time, theyll stay there till he stands where Red Gallagher did today. I don't feel content to let anyone else finish off the Job. Got any relatives over there?" "I have an aunt in London," Lenora told him, "the dearest old lady you .ver saw. She'd give anything to have me make her a visit." Qutst moved across to his desk and took up a sailing Hat He stud ied lt for a few moments and turned beek to Lenora. "Send a cable off at one?, to Scotland, Tard," he directed. "Say-'Am sail lag on Lusitania tomorrow. Hold pris oner. Charge very serious. Have tull warrants.'" Lenora wrote down the message and went to tho telephone to send lt off. AB soon as she had finished Quest took up bis hat again. "Come on " \e invited. "The ma chine's, outside. We'll Just go and look la oh the professor and tell him the news. Poor old chap, I'm afraid he'll ??ever be the same man again." They found the professor on his hands and knees upon a dusty floor. Carefully arranged before him wera the boneo of a skeleton, each told In Some appointed pisca "What about that unhappy man. Craig!" the professor asked, gloomily. 'Isn't the Durham almost due now?" Quest took out the cablegram from his pocket and: passed lt over. The professor's fingers trembled a little aa he read lt. He passed lt beek, how. ever, without Immediate comment. "You see, they have been cleverer over there than we were," Quest re? marked. i "Perhaps," the professor assented. ."They seem, at least, to have arrested the . man. Uren now I can scarcely believe that lt ls Craig-my servant I Craig-who ls lying in an English prison. Do you know that hie people have been' servants in tho Ashleigh; ifamily for some hundreds of years?" i Quest was clearly interested. "Say. I'd like to hear about that!'' he ex claimed. "Ton know Fm rather great ?a Heredity, professor. Whet class . did ha come from then? Were his people Just domestic servants at ways?" > The professor's face was for a mo Stent troubled. He moved to his desk, rummaged about for a time, and final ly produced an ancient volume. "This really belongs to my brother, Lord Ashleigh," he explained. "He brought lt over with bim to show me OPPENHEIM copwioHT igis ons r woco tmc Name. Produced by the Universal ur'iuj Company, some entries concerning which I WBB interested. It contains a history of the Mamblin estate since the days ot Cromwell, and here in tho back, you sec, ls a list of our farmers, bailiffs and domestic servants. There was a Craig who was a tenant or the first Lord Ashleigh and fought with him In the Cromwellian wars as a trooper and since those days, BO far as I can see, there has never been a timo when thoro hasn't been a Craig in tho serv ice df our family. A fine raco they seem to have been, until-" "Until when?" Que?i demanded. The look of trouble had once more clouded tho professor's face. Ho shrugged his shoulders slightly. "Until Craig's father," he admitted. "I am afraid I must admit that we come upon a bad piece of family his tory here. Silas Craig entered the service of my father In 1858. as under gamekeeper. Hero wc come upon the first black mark against the name. Ho appears to havo lived reputably for some years, and then, after a quar rel with a neighbor about Eome trivial matter, ho deliberately murdered him. a crimo for which he was tried and executed in 1867. John Crnlg, his only son, entered our servlco In 1880, and, when I left England, accompanied me as my valet." There was a moment's silence. "Lenora and I are sailing tomor row," Quest said. "We a?-N taking over tho necessary warrants and shall bring Craig back here for trial." Tho professor smoked thoughtfully for some moments. Then he roce de liberately to his feet. He had come to a decision. Ho announced lt calm ly, but Irrevocably. "1 shall come with you," he an nounced. "I shall be glad to vlstt England, but apart from that I feel it to be my duty. I owe it to Craig to see that be bas a fair chanco, and I .owe lt to the law to see that he pays the penalty, If, indeed, he is guilty of these crimes. Is MIBS Laura accom panying you, too?" Quest shook his head. "From what the surgeons tell us," be said, "it will bo somo weeks before she is ablo to travel. At the same time, I must tell you that I am glad of your decision, professor." "It ls my duty," the latter declared. "I cannot rest in this stato of uncer tainty. If Craig is lost to me, the sooner I face the fact the better. At the same time I will be frank with you. Notwithstanding all the accumu lated pile of evidence I feel In my heart the urgent necessity of seeing him face to face, of holding him by the shoulders and asking him whether these things are true. We have faced death together. Craig and I. Wo have done more than tbat-we have court ed it There is nothing about him I can accept from hearsay. I shall go with you to England, Mr. Quest." CHAPTER XIX. ' The professor rose from his seat In some excitement aa the carriage passed through tho great gates of Hamblin park. Ile acknowledged 'with a smile the respectful curtsy ot the woman who held lt open. "You hare now an opportunity, my dear Mr. Quest," he said, "ot appre ciating ono feature of EngllBh life not entirely reproducible In your own wonderful country. I mean the home life and surroundings of our aristoc racy. You see these oak trees?" he webt on, with a little wave of his hand. "They were planted by my an? ces tora In the days of Henry Viii. I have been a student of tree life In South America and In the dense for ests of central Africa, but for real character, for splendor of growth and hardiness, there ls nothing in the world tc. touch the Ashleigh osas." '"They're some trees," the criminol ogist admitted. "You notice, perhaps,- the small ] ones, which seem dwarfed. Their ? tops were cut off by the lord of Ash leigh on the day that Lady Jsne Grey' was beheaded. Queen Elisabeth heard of lt and threatened to confiscate the estate. Look at the turf, my friend. Ages have gone to the making of that mossy, velvet carpet" "Where's the bonser* Quest in quired. "A mile farther on yet The woods part anii make a natural avenue past the bend of the river there," the pro fessor pointed out "Full of trout that river, Quest How I used to whip that stream when 1 was a boy!" They swept presently round a bend In the avenue, before them on the hillside surrounded by trees ad with a great walled garden behind, vas Hamblin house. Quest gave vent to a little exclamation of wonder as be looked at it "This is where you've got ns beat sure," he admitted. "Our country ''.lacee are like gewgaw, palaces com pared to rois. Makes me kind ot sorry," he went on regretfully, "that I didn't tiring Lenora along." ; The professor shook bis bead. "Yon were very wise," he said. "Hy brother ind Lady Ashleigh have recov ered from the shock of poor Lena's death in a marvelous manner, 1 bo Hove, but the sight or thc girl might have brought lt back to them. You have left her with friends, 1 bono, Mr. Oui st?" "She has an aunt in liam patead," tho latter explained. "I should have liked to see her safely there my self, but we should have been an hour or two later down here, and I teli you," he went on, his voice gather ing a noto almost of ferocity. "I'm wanting to get my hands on that fel low Craig! I wunder where they're holding him." "At the local polico station, I px peet," tho professor replied. "My brother ?B a magistrate, of course, and he would seo that proper arrange ments were made. There ho ls at tho hall door." ; Tho carriage drew up before thc great front a moment or two Liter. Lord Ashleigh came forward with out stretched hands, tho genial sntllo of the welcoming host upon his lips. In his manner, however, there was a dis tinct note of anxiety. "Edgar, my dear fellow," he ex claimed, "I am delighted! Welcome back to your home! Mr. QueHt. I am very happy to uee you here. You have beard the news, of courso?" "Wo have heard nothing!" the pro fessor replied. "You didn't go to Scotland Yard?" Lord Ashleigh aaked. "We haven't been to London nt all." Quest explained. "We got on the boat train at Plymouth, and your bro ther manage'd to induce one of tho directors whom ho saw on the platform to utop the train for uo at Mamblin road. Wo only left tho boat two hours ago. There's nothing wrong with Craig, la there?" Lord Ashleigh motioned them to fol low him. "Please como this way," he invited He led them across the hall-which, dimly lit and with its Btalnedglaas windows, was nlmo.-.t like the nave of a cathedral-into the library beyond. He clo?cd the door and turned around. "1 have bad news for you both," ho announced. "Craig has escaped." Neither the professor nor Quest be trayed any unusual surprise. So far as the latter was concerned, his ilrst glimpse at Lord Ashleigh's face had warned him of what was contint;. "Deaf* me!" tho professor mur mured, sinking into an easy chair. "This is most unexpected!" "We'll get him again," Quest de clared quickly. "Can you lot us have "Craig Disappears! the particulars pf his escape* Lord Ashleigh? The sooner we get the hang of things the better." "You know, of course," he began, "that Craig was arrested st Liverpool In consequence of communications from the New York poller. I under stand thst lt was with great difficulty he was discovered, and lt ls quite clear that someono on the ship hart been heavily bribed. However, he was ar rested, brought to London, and then down here for purporos of identifica tion. I would have gone Jo London myself, and, in fact, offered to do so, but on the other hand, as there are many others on the estste to whom he was well known, I thought thst lt would be better to have more evi dence than mine stone. Accordingly, they left London one afternoon. And I sent a dogcart to the station to meet them. They arrived quite wifely and started for here. Craig handcuffed to ono of the Scotland Yard men on the back, seat, and the other in front with tba driver. About hslf a mlle from the sooth entrance to the park the road nrtn? across a rather deso?ste strip of country with a lot of low undergrowth on ono side. Wo have had a little trouble with poachers there, as there ls a sort of gypsy camp on some com mon land a little way away. My head keeper, to whom the very idea ot a poacher ls intolerable, was patrolling this ground himself that afternoon and caught sight of one of these gypsy fallowa setting a trap. He chased him. ??d more, I am sure, to frighten him than anything else, when he saw thst tba fellow was getting away, he fired hts gun, just as tho dogcart was pa*s> lng. The horse shied, tho wheel caught a great stone by the side ot the road, and all four men wei o thrown out. The mun to whom Craig was handcuffed was stunned, but Craig himself appears to have been unhurt. He stumbled up, took the key of tho handcuffs from tho pocket of the ofll cor, undid them and clipped off into the undergrowth before either tho groom or tho other Scotland Yard mnn had recovered their sense i. To cut a long story short, this was l?>st Thurs day, and up till now not a single trace of the fellow has been discovered." Quest rose ">ruptly to his feet. "Say, I'd like to take this matter up right on tho spot where Craig disap peared," bc suggested. "Couldn't wo do that?" "By all moans." Lord Ashleigh agreed, touching a bell. "Wo have several hours before we change for1 dinner. I will have a car round and take you to the spot." Thc professor acquiesced readily, nnd very soon they stepped out of thc automobile on to tho side of a narrow road, looking very much as it lind boon described. Farther on, beyond a stretch ot open common, they could ncc tho smoko from the gypsy en campment. On their left-hand sido vas a stretch of absolutely wild coun try, bounded in tho far distance by tho <<ray stone wall of the park. Lord Ashleigh lcd the way through tho thicket, talking as ho went "Craig came along through here." lie explained. "Tho groom and the Scotland Yard man who had been sitting by his side, followed him. Uley nenrched for an hm; but found no trace of him at all. Then they re turned to tho house to make a re port and get help. I will now phow yon how Craig first eluded them." Ile led the way along a tangled path, doubled back, plunged Into a little spinney and carno suddenly to a small shod. "This Is nn ancient gamekeeper's ; shelter," ho explained; "built a lons . i timo ago and almost forgotten now. What Craig did. without doubt, was to bide In this. The Scotland Yard mm who took thc affair in hand found distinct traces here of recent occupa tlon. That ia how he made hie nr.'t escapo." Quent nodded. "Sure!" ho murmurod. "Well, nov,-, wlit about your moro extended search?" "I am coming ito that," Lord Ash leigh replied. "As Edgar will re member, no doubt, I have always 1'opt a few bloodhounds In my kennels, RVC 1 About Hero, Sir." as soon ss wo could get together one or two of the keepera and a few of the local constabulary, we . started off again from here. The dogs brought us without a check to this shed, and etat.ed off again this way." They walked another half mlle across a reedy swamp. Every now and then they had to Jump across small dyke, and once they had to make a detour 4o avoid an osier bed They came at last to thc river. "Now, I can show you exactly how that fellow put ns off the scent here their guido.proceeded. "He seems to have picked up something, Edgar, to those South Arno* lean trips of yours for a cleverer thing I never saw You see s!l these bulrushes every where-clouds pt them all along tho river?" "We call them tales," Cutest mut tered. Well?" "When Craig arrived here," Lord Ashleigh continued, "he mast have heard the baying of the dogs In the distance and he knew that the game was ap unless he cool* pat them off the scent. He cat a quantity of these bulrushes from a place a little farther behind those trees, then stepped bold ly Into tbs middle of the water, wad ed down to that spot where, as yon see, the trees hang over, stood e'ock still and leaned them all around him It was dusk when the chase reached the river bank, and I have no doubt the bulrushes presented quita A natur' al appearance. At any rate, M'.bouga the dogs carno without a cheek to Ute edge of the river, where ho stepped off, they never picked the sc ?ml \,\ again either on this side or the other. I We tried them tor four or tire hours before^ we took them home. The noxt morning, while the place wan being thoroughly searched, wa came upon the spot where these bulrushes had been cut down, and we found them caught in the low nouahs of a tree, drifting down the river." Quest had lit a fresh cigar and was smoking vigorously. "What astonishes me moro than anything." he pronounced, SK he stood looking over the desolate expanse of country, "Is that when one comes face to face with the fellow lie pre sents all the appearance of a nerve less and broken-down coward. Then ali of a sudden there spring up these evidences of the most amazing, the most diabolical resource. . . . Who's this, Lord Ashleigh?" The latter turned his head. An elderly man In a brown velveteen suit, with gaiters and thick boots raised his hat respectfully. "This is my head keeper, Middle ton," his master explained. "Ho wai with us on the chase." Tho prcfcs8or al.ook hands hcartllj with the newcomer. "Not a day older. Middleton!" hi exclaimed. "So you are tho man wh< has given UB all thia trouble, ch? Thl: gentleman and I have come over fron New York on purpose to lay hand: 01 Craig." "I am very sorry, slr," the man rr plied. I wouldn't have firoi my gui if I had known what the consr quencos were going to be. but thor poaching devils that come round ber rabbiting fairly send me furious, an that's a fact. It ain't that one grudge them a few rabbits, but my tam pheasants all run out here from th homo wood, and I've seen feathers ti tho Bide of the road there that no fo ! nor stoat had nothing to do with. A ! the same, slr, I'm very sorry." h .uldcd. "to have been the cause of an inconvenience" "It Is rather worse than inconvoi lenee. Middleton." tho professor sall gravely. "The man who has escape ia one of tho worst criminals of thee days." "He won't got far. sir," the gam Leeper remarked, with a little amil "It's a wild blt of country, this, ac admit that men might search '* lc weeks without finding anything, bi thoBo gentlemen from Scotland Ynr slr, if you'll excuse my making tl remark, and hoping that this gentl man." he added, looking at Quest, " In no way connected with them-we they don't know everything, and that a fact." "Thia gentleman ls from the Unit? States." Lord Ashleigh reminded hil "so your criticism doesn't affect hil By the bye, Middleton. I heard tl morning that you'd been airing yo opinion down in tho village. You sec to rather fancy yourself as a thl catcher." "I wouldn't go so far as that, r lord," the man replied, respectful "but still, I hope I may say that I' as much common sense SB most pi plo. You see, sir." he went on, tui lng to .Quent, "tho spots where could emerge from the tract of coi try aro pretty well guarded, and he he in a fine mess, when be docs p in an appearance, to show hims upon a public road. Yet by this til I should say ho must bo nigh starvi Sooner or later he'll hivo to come c for food. I'vo a little scheme of i own, sir, I don't mind admitting," t man concluded, with a twinkle in 1 keen brown eyes. "I'm not givl it away. If I catch him for you, tha all that's wanted, I Imagine, and shan't-he any the nearer to lt for 1 ting anyone into my little secret.' Illa master noddeu. "You ahall have your rise out of i police, if you can, Middleton," he served. "It seems queer, though, believe that the fellow's still in I lng round here." They made their way, single file, the road and up to tho uouse. L< Ashleigh did hts best to dispel a qu little sensation of uneasiness wb seemed to have arisen in the mindi all of them. "Come." he said, "we must put aa our disappointment for the pres? and remember that after ail chances are that Craig will never mi his escape elive. Let us forget 1 for a little while. ... Mr. Quest," added, a few minutes Ister, as t reached the hall, "Moreton here . show you your room snd look ai you. * lease let me know if you take an aperitif. I can recommend sherry. We dine st eight o'clock, gar, you know your way. The I room, rf course. I sm coming with you myself. Her ladyship h yet. Moreton?" "Not yet, my lord.'' "Lady Ashleigh," her husband plained, "has gone to the other sid the county to open a bazaar. Sb looking forward to the pleasure of coming you at dinner tims." . . . .' . . . ? Dinner, served, out of compllmen their transatlantic visite -, in the g banqueting ball, was to Quest, e dally, a most impressive mes). T sst at a small round table Ut shaded lights. In the center of apartment which wes large tn rea and which seemed vsst hy reasoi the shadows which hovered around unlit spaces. From the walls fro? down a long succession of fsmily traits -Achlelgha in tho queer Ti edstume of Henry VII; Ashleigh chain armor, sword in hand, a cha walting, regardless of perspective the near distance; Ashleigh* befr and bewigged; Astiletgbs In the e dress of the Georges-Judge?, ssl statesmen and soldiers. A coilec of armor which would have gladdt the eye of many an antiquarian, ranged along tho black-paneled w Everything a"ss in harmony, even tho grave precision of t ho solemn-fared butler und tho powdered hair of tho two footmen. QueRt. perin?PK for the first time In his life, tell almost lost, hopelessly out of touch with hts sur roundings, and a struggling figure. Nevertheless, bc entertained the little party with many Btorles. Ho struggled all the time against that queer sense of anachronism which now and then became almost oppressive. Thc professor's pleasure at finding himself once more amongst these fa miliar surroundings was obvious and Intense. Tho conversation between bim and his brother never nagged. There wore tenants and neighbors to be asked after, matters concarning thc cstnto on which ho demanded Infor mation. Even the very scrvanto' names he remembered. "It was n ?nicer turn of fute, tJcorgc." ho declared, HB ho held out before him a wonderfully chased ginee filled willi amber wine, "which sent you Into the world a few seconds before mo and made you lord of Ashleigh and me a struggling scientific mun." "The world lins benefit od by lt," Lord Ashleigh remarked, with moro .han fraternal courtesy. "We hear Showing the Guest Through Ham blln House. great things of you over hore, Edgar. Wo hear that you have boen dh tts? point of proving most unpleasant things with regard to our origin." 'Oh! there is no doubt about thai," tho professor observed. 'Where we came from and where we arc going to are questions which no longer afford room for the slightest doubt to the really scientific mind. What sometimos docs elude us ls tho nature of our tendoncics while wo are hero on earth." There wan a brief silence. Tho port had been placed upon the table and cof fee sorvod. Tho servants, according to tho custom of the house, had de parted. The great apartment waa empty.. 'Even Quest was Impressed by some peculiar significance In the long-drawn-out silence. He looked around him uneasily. Tho growing re gard of that long line of painted war rin:;-, seemed somehow to be full of monaco. There was something grim, too, In the sight or those empty suits of armor. "I may be superstitious." Lord Ash leigh Bald, "but there aro times, espe cially just lately, whon I seem to find a new and hateful, quality In silence. What Is it, I wonder? I ask you, but I think I know. It ls thc conviction that thorn is some allen presence some thing disturbing, lurking close at hand." He suddenly roBO to his feet, pushed his chair back and walked to ti.a win-j dow, which opened level with tho ground. He threw lt up and listened. The others came over und joined him. There waa nothing to be heard but the distant hooting of an owl, and farther away the barking of somo farmhouso dog. Lord Ashleigh stood there with straining eyes, gazing out Across tho park. "There waa something hero," he muttered; "something which hss gone. What's that? Quest, your eyes are younger than mine. Can you see any thing underneath that tree?" Quest peered out into the gray dark ness. ' "I fancied I saw something moving In Ute shadow of that oak," he mut tered. Walt." He crossed the terrace, swung down on to the path, across the lawn, over a wire fence and Into the psrk Itself. AU tho time he kept his eyes fixed on a certain spot. When at lsst be reached the tree there waa nothing there. He looked all around him. He stood and listened for several mo ments. A more utterly peaceful night or more utter peace lt would be hard to Imagine. Slowly he made his wsy back to the house. "I Imagine we are all a little nervy tonight," he remarked. There's noth ing doing out there." ? They strolled about for a hour or more, looking into different rooms, showing their guest the finest pictures, even taking him down into tho wonder ful cellars. They parted early, but Quest stood, for a few moments before retiring, gating about him with an air almost of awe. His great room, as largo as sn Italian palace, was Ut by a dotan wsx candles In silver candle sticks. His four-poster tras supported by pillars of black oe*, carved into strange forms, and surmounted by the Ashleigh coronet and coat-of-arme. He threw his windows open wide and ; stood for a moment looking out across * the park, moro clearly visible now by I the light of the slowly rising moon. ' There wan scarcely a breeze stirring. I scarcely a sound even from tho animal ? world. Nevertheless, Quest, too, as re- ? luctantly ho made bia preparations for retiring for thc night, waa conscious i of thf.t Vier sensation of unimagined, and impalpable danger. (TO UK Ct?NTlNlTED.) Be Sure To See The "Black Box" Today At The Bijou This is one of the - greatest Serial Pictures ever ?