Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Novellled from th* Photo Play of thr H Film M.ii. 8YN0P8I8. Banfora Quest, mutiir criminologist of ?he world, And? that lu bringing to JUH tlce Macdougal. the murderer uf I.oid Ashleigh's daughter, tit* han but Just be ?un .life-and-death stiuggle with a mya terloua master criminal, lu a hidden hui In Professor Ashleigh's gnrdtu hu has .sen an anthropoid ape skeleton and a living Inhuman creature, hair monkey, half man, destroyed ty tire. In hi* rooms have appeared from nowhere bhuk boxen containing sarcastic, threatening notes, signed by a pair of urinion hands. T.auru. .nd Lenora, his assistants, suspect Craig, the professor's servunt. of a double mur der. The black boxea continue to appear In uncanny fashion. Craig Is trapped by Quest, but escapes to Kngland, where Quest. Lenora and the professor follow him. Lord Ashleigh ls murdered by the Hands. Lenora ls abducted In London and rescued. Craig ls captured and es capea to Port Said. TENTH INSTALLMENT CHAPTER XXII. THE 8HIP OF HORROR. Quest leaned a llttlo forward and gased down the line of steamer chairs. The professor, In a borrowed overcoat and cap, was reclining at full length, studying a book on seagulls which he ?tad found in the library. Laura and Lenora were both dozing tranq Hy. Mr. Harris of Scotland Yard was oeep In a volume of detective stories. "As a pleasure cruise" Quest re marked grimly, "this llt'le excursion seems to be a complete success." Laura opened her eyes at once. "Trying to get my goat again, eh?" she retorted. "I suppose that's what you're after. Going to tell me, I sup pose, that it wasn't Craig I saw aboard thia steamer?' "We are- all liable to make mis takes," Quest observed, "end I am in clined to believe that this ls one of you rs." Laura's expression was a little dog ged. "If he's too clever for you and Mr. Harria," she said, "I can't help that. I only know that he came on board. My eyes are the one thing in life I do believe." "If you'll excuse me saying so, Miss Laura," Harria ventured, leaning def erentially towards her. "there isn't a passenger oa hoard thia ahlp, or a servant, or one of the crew, whom we haven't seen. We've been Into every stateroom, and we've even searched the hold. We've been over the ship, backwards and forwards. The cap tain's own steward has been our guide, ead we've conducted an extra search oa oar Own account. Personally, I 1 amit say I have come to the same , conclusion as Mr. Quest. At the pres ent moment there ls no such person as the man we are looking for on hoard thia steamer." "Than he either changed into an other one," Laura declared obstinate ly, "or elso he jumped overboard." ."Come oa. Harria, you and I prom ised to. report to the captain thia morning. I don't suppose he'll be any too pleased with us. Let's get through with lt The two men walked down the deck together. They found the captain alone In hie room, with a chart spread out tn front of him and a pair of com pass?s in'his hand. He turned round and greeted them. -Wetir "No luck, sir," Quest announced. "Tour steward has given us every as sistance possible and we have aearched the ship thoroughly. Un less he has found a nidi?g place un known to your ateward, and not appar ent to as, the man ls not on board." The captain frowned slightly. "You are not suggesting that this ls possible, I suppose?' "Quest did not at once reply. He waa thinking of Laura's obstinacy. "Personally," he admitted, "I should not have believed lt po <sible. Tho young lady of our party, however, who declarea that she aaw Craig board the steamer, la quite Immovable." "Brown," said the captain, turning to the ateward, "I understand that you say that you have taken these gentle matt Into every corner of the ship, that yon have ransacked every possible biding place, that you have given them every possible opportunity of search ing for thomee*vea?" "That ls quite true, slr," the man acknowledged. "You agree with me that lt to im possible for anyone to remain hidden tn thia ship?" "Absolutely, slr." "You hear, gentlemen?" the captain containued. "k really can do no more What the mischief are you hanging about for. Brown?" he asked, turning to the ateward? who was standing hs yith a carpet-sweeper la his hand. "Boom wanta cleaning out badly air." The captain glanced distastefully al the carpet-sweeper. 'Do lt when I am at dinner, than,' he ordered, "and take that damned thiug away." Tho steward obeyed pronjptly. Queel aaa Harria followed him down th? deck. $ "Queer-looking fellow, that," the lat ter remarked. "Doesn't ar ?rn quite ai hia.eaas^es* aa?" . "?aemed.. a trifle. overanxious, 1 ?2) urn? NJ mc ? Produced by M..- Unlvcraal turliiK Company. I thought, when he was showing us j round the ship," Queel agreed. "Mern.," Harris mu? mured, softly, "as tho gentleman who wiot? thu vol ume of detective utorks I mn reading puta it, to keep our eye ou Brown." . . . The captain, who was down to din ner unusually early, rose to welcome Quest's litdo party, and himself ar ranged DIM seatB. They settled down Into the places arranged for them. Au elderly lady, dressed In pome what oppressive black, with a big canico brooch ut her throat and a bluck satin bag in her baud, wus being ?bown by the steward to a seat by Quest's side She acknowledged the captain's greeting acidly. "Good ev lng. cautaln," she said. "I understood from the second Bteward that the seat on your right hand would bo reserved for me. 1 am Mrs. FOB tou Howe." The captain received the announce ment calmly. "Very pleased to have you at the table, madam," be replied. "As to the seating, I leavo that entirely to the steward. I never Interfere myself." Laura pinched his arm, and Lenora glanced away to bide a smile. Mrs. Foston Rowe studied the menu disap provingly. 'Hors d'oeuvres." Bhe declared, "I never touch. No one knows bow long they've been opened. Bouillon-I will have some bouillon, steward." "In oue moment, madam." The professor carno ambling along towards the tuble. "I fear that I am a few moments late," he remarked, as he took the chair next to Mrs. Foston Rowe. I of fer you my apologies, captain. 1 con gratulate you upon your library. 1 have discovered a most Interesting book up on the habits of seagulls, lt kept me engrossed until the very laBt moment, and I am hungry." "Well, you'll have to stay hungry a Jong tfme at this table then," Mrs. Fos ton R?wo snapped. "Seems to me that tho service ls going to be abomin able." The Blowan who had just arrived, presented a cup of bouillon to Quest. The others had all beeu served. Quest Btlrred lt thoughtfully. "And as to the custom," Mrs. Foston Rowe continued, "of serving gentle men before ladles, lt ls, I suppose, pe culiar to thlB steamer." Quest hastily laid down his spoon, rubied the cup of bouillon and pre sented lt with a little bow to hla neigh bor. "Pray allow me, madam," he begged. "The steward was to blame." Mrs. Foston Rowe did not hesitate for a moment. She broke up aome toast In the bouillon and commenced to sip it? The spoon suddenly went clattering from her fingers. Shu cauqght at .the sides of the table, there was a ?trange A Message From the Handat Look I" look In her face. With scarcely a murmur abe fell back in her seat. Quest leaned hurriedly forward. There waa a alight commotion. The doo or came hurrying up from the oth er, aide of the aaloon. He bent over her and hla face grew grave., * "What ta itt" the captain demanded. The doctor glanced et him mean ingly. "She had better be carried out," he whispered. "Waa lt a faint?" Lenora asked. "We shall know directly." the cap tain replied. "Better keep your placea I think. Steward, nervo the dinner aa usual." The maa held out hia hand to with draw the cup of bouillon, but Quest drew it towards him. '. Let it walt tor a moment." be or dered. He glanced at the captain, who nod ded back. Jn a few moments the doc tor reappeared. He leaned down and whispered to the captain. Quest turned around. , "Doctor." he said, "I happen to hay? my chemical chest with me, and nome ?pedal tenting tube?. If you'll allow mo, I'd like to examine this cup of bouillon. You might como round, too, if you will." The captain nodded. "I'd better stuy here for a time," he decldt d ' I'll follow you presently. ' The eervice of dinner wus r? sumed. Laura, however, sent plate after plate away. The captain watched her anx iously. "I can't help lt," ehe explained. "I don't know whether you've had any talk with Mr. Quest, but we've been through some queer times lately i guess this death buetnees is getting on my nerves. ' The captain WEB startled. "You don't for a moment connect Mrs. Feston Howe's death with the criminal you are in search of?" he exclaimed. Laura Bat quito still for a moment. "The bouillon wau offered first to Mr Quest," she murmured. The captain called bia steward. "Where did you get the bouillon from you served-that last cup, espe cially?" he asked. ' From tho pantry just as Usual, slr." the man answered. "It was all nerved out from the Bame caldron.') "Any chance cf anyone # etttng at it?" "Quite Impossible, sir." In Quest's stateroom the doctor, tho professor, Quest and Lenora were all gathered around two little tubes, which the criminologist was examin ing with an electric torch. "No reaction at all," the latter mut tered. "Thia isn't au ordinary poison, anyway." The professor, who had been stand ing on one. Bide, suddenly gave vent to a soft exclamation. "Walt!" he whispered. "Wait! I have an idea." He hurried off to his stateroom. The doctor WSB poring over a volume of tabulated poisons. Quest was ctlll watching his tubes. Lenora sat upon the couch. Suddenly the professor reappeared. He was carrying a small notebook in bia hand, his manner be trayed some excitement. He closed the door carefully behind bim. "I want you all," he begged, "to listen very carefully to me. You will discover the application of what I am going to read when I am finished. Now,- If you please." "This," he began, "is the diary of a tour msde by Craig and myself in northern Egvpt some fourteen years ago. Here is the first entry of im port: MONDAY-Twenty-nine miles southeast of Port auld. We have stayed for two days at a little MonKar village. I have today come to the dellnlte conclusion that anthropoid apes were at ono time deni zens of this country. TUESDAY-Both Craig- and I have been a little uneasy today. These Mongars Into whoc - encampment we have found our way, aro one of the strangest and fiercest of the nomad tribes. They are descended, without a doubt, frdtn the an cient Mengollans, who Invaded this coun try some seven hundred years before Christ, but have preserved In a marvelous way their Individuality as a race. They have the nr.?-row eyes and the thick nose ba?? of the pure Oriental; also much of his cunning. One of their special weak neaaea seems to be the Invention of the most hideous forms of torture, which they apply remorselessly to their ene mies. WEDNESDAY-This has bean a won derful day for us. chiefly owing to what I must place on record as an act of great bravery by Craig, my servant. Early this morning, a man-eating Hon found his way Into the encampment. The Mongars behaved like arrant cowards. They tied right and left, leaving the chief's little daughter. Feerda, at the brute's mercy. Craig, who ls by no means an adept In the use of firearms, chased tho animal as he was making off with the child, und. more by good luck than anything else, managed to wound it mortally. He brought the child bark to the encamp ment just as the chief and the warriors of the tribe returned from a hunting ex pedition. Our position here la now abso lutely secure. We are treated like gods, and, appreciating my weakness for alt matters of science, the chief haa today explained to me many of the secret mys teries of the tribe. Amongst other things, hu has'shown me a wonderful secret pol ? son. known only to this tribe, which they caU Veedemsoo. It brings almost Instant death, and ls exceedingly difficult to trace. The addition of sugar causes a curious condensation and resolves lt almost to a white paste. The only antidote la a aub atance which they usa here freely, and which ls exactly equivalent to our cam phor. The professor closed bia book. Quest promptly rang the bell. "Some sugar," he ordered, turning to the steward. They waited In absolute silence. The suggestion which the professor's disclosure hi.d brought to them was stupefying, even Quest's fingers, as a moment or two later he rubbed two knobs of sugar together so that the . contents should fall Into the tubes of bouillon, shook. The result waa magical. The bouillon turned to a ?trange shade of gray and began alowly to thicken. . "It ls Mongar poison!" the profes sor cried, with breaking voice. They all looked at one another. "Craig must he here amongat us," Quest muttered. "And the bouillon." Laura cried. clasping Quest's arm, "the bouillon Was meant for you!" .... There seemed to he, somehow, among all of them, a curious india poaltion to discuss this matter. Sud denly Lenora, who was sitting on the lounge underneath tue porthole, rut out her hand and picked up a card .which waa lying by his side. 8he glanced at It, at first, curiously. Than aha shrieked. ."A message!" she cried. "A mes sage from The Hands! Look!" They crowded around her.- la thai .ama familiar handwriting wai scrawled across the face of the card tbeaa few words: ' To Sanford Quest: Yea have escaped thia time by a ? 1 . - "r^^tM^?W lek sSwSS^sraflKL "At a Pleasure Cruise," Queat Remar Suet chance of fortune, not becauae your wit? are keen, not becauae of your own shrewdness; limply .because Fate willed it. lt will not be for long. Underneath was the drawing of the clenched hands. "There ls no longer any doubt,". Leticia said calmly. "Craig is on board. He must have been on deck a few minutes ago. lt was bis hand which placed this card on the port hole. . . . Listen! What s that?" There was a screum from the deck. They all recognized Laura's voice.; Harris was out of the stateroom first, but. they were all on deck within ten: faecoads. Laura was Btandiug with, one bund clasping the rall, ber hand fiercely outstretched towards the low er part of the promenade deck.', Through the darkness they heard the sound of nngry voices. "What ls it, Laura?" Lenora cried. She swung round upon them. "Craig!" she cried. "Craig! I saw his face as I oat in my chair there, talking to the captain. I saw a man's white face-nothing elae. He must have been leaning over the rail.. He heard me call out and be disap peared." The captain came slowly out of the shadows, limping a little, and fol lowed by his steward, who was mur muring profuse apologies. "Did you And bim?" Laura demand ed, eagerly. "I did not," the captain replied, a little tersely. "I ran into Brown here and we both bad a shake-up." "But be was ttaere*-a second ago!" Laura cried out. "I beg your pardon, miss," Brown ventured, "but the deck's closed at the end, as you can see, with sail cloth, and I waB. leaning . over the rall myself when you shrieked. There wasn't anyone else near me, and no one can possibly have passed round the deck, as you can see for your self." "Very well, then," she Bald, "you people bad better get a strait-waist coat ready for me. If I didn't see Craig there, Vm going off my bead." Quest bad disappeared some sec onds ago. He came thoughtfully back, a little later. "Captain," he aske?, "what shall you Bay If I tell you that I have proof that Craig ls on board?" The captain glanced at Laura and restrained himself. "I should probably say a great many things which I should regret after wards," he replied, grimly. .'Sit down and we'll tell you what has happened in my room," Quest con tinued. He told the story, calmly and witta out remark. The captain held hie head. "The ship shall be searched," the captain declared, "once more. We'll look into every crack and every cup board." Lenora turned away with a little shiver. It wax one of her rare mo menta of weakness. "You won't And htm! You wont find him!" she murmured. "And I am afraid!" . . . * ? . . . Lenora grasped the rails of th? steamer and glanced downwarda ai the great barge full of Arab salton and merchandise. In the near back ground were tho docks of Port Said It was their first glimpse of easter: atmosphere and color. "I cant tell you how happy I tun.' she declared to Quest, "to think tba thia voyage hi over. Every night have gone to ted terrified." Re smiled grimly. ? "Coming on shore, an; of yon?1 Harris Inquired. "We may when the boat moves up,' Quest replied. "The professor wen off on the first bargo. Here he it coir'r.g back." A little boat had shot out from th' docks, manned by a couple of Arab. They could soe'the professor sean? In the stern. He was poring over i small document which he held In hi hand. Ho waved to them excltedlj "He's got news!" Quest muttered. Ho carno straight to Quest and Lei ora and gripped the former by th arm. -Look!" he cried. ?Look!** He held out. a card. Quest read I ?loud: The rt la not ono amongst you wit the wit of a Monger child. Good-by Tho Hands! "Where did. yoe get it?" Quest di mended. "That's the point-tho whole point! the professor exclaimed excited): "Ho's done ns! He's landed! Tia paper waa pushed into my band fa e tall Arab, who mumbled aontethlr --7 ---? \ rr^W S ps VB! ked, "This Excursion Seems to Bo a and hurried off acrosa the docks. On the landlug stage, mind!" The captain came and put his bead out of the door. "Mr. Quest," he said, "can you spare me a moment? You can ali come, if you like." They moved up towards him. The captain closed the door of his cabin. He pointed to a carpet-sweeper which lay against the wall. "Look at that," he invited. They lifted the top. Inside were sev eral sandwiches and a small can of tea. "What on earth is this?" Quest de manded. Tho captain, without a word, led them into his inner room. A huge lounge stood in one corner. He lifted the valance. Underneath were some crumbs. "You see," be pointed out, "there's room there for a man to have hidden, especially if he could crawl out on deck at night. I couldn't make out why the dickens Brown was always sweeping out my room, and I took up this thing a little time ago and looked at it. This ls what I found." "Where's Brown?" Quest asked, quickly. "I rang down for the chief steward," the captain continued, "and ordered Brown to be sent up at once. The chief steward came himself instead. lt seems Brown went off without his wages, but with a huge parcel of bed ding, oa the first barge this morn ing, before anyone was about." Quest groaned as he turned away. "Captain," he declared, "I am ashamed. He has been here all the time and we've let him slip through our fingers. Girls," be went on brisk ly, turning towards Laura, who had just come up, "India's off. We'll catch this barge, if there's time. Our luggage can be put on shore when the boat docks." The captain walked gloomily with them to the gangway. "Professor," Quest asked, "how long would lt take us to get to this Mongar village you spoke about?" "Two or three days, if we can get camels," the other replied. "I see you agree with me, then, as to Craig's probable destination?" Quest nodded. "What sort of fellows are they, any way?" he asked. "Will lt be safe for us to push on alono?" "With me," the professor assured him, "you will be safe anywhere. I Bpeak a little of their language. ? have lived with them. They are far moro civilized than'some of the In terior tribes." ^ They disembarked and were drlvm to the hotel, still discussing their project. The professor had disap peared for some titre, but rejoined them later. "lt ls all arranged," he announced. "I found a dragoman whom 1 knew. We shall have four of the best camels and a small escort ready to start to morrow morning. Furthermore, I have news. An Englishman, whose description precisely tallies with Craig's, started off only on hour ago In the same direction. This time, at any rate. Craig cannot t>scape us." They made their way back to the hotel, dined in a cool, bare room, and sauntered out again into the streets. The professor led the way to a little building, outside which a man was vol ubly inviting all to enter. "You shall see one of the sights of Port Said," he promised. "This la a real Egyptian dancing girl." ? A girl, who seems ' to be dressed in little more than a winding veil, glided on to Uti stage, swaying and moving slowly to th? rhythm of the monoto nous music. 4?e danced a measure which none of them except the pro fessor had ever seen before, coming now and then so close that they could almost feel her hot breath, and Lenora felt somewhat vaguely disturbed hy the glitter of her eyes. Soddenly Laura leaned forward. "Look at the professor," she whis pered. ? They all turned their heads. A queer change seemed to have come into the professor's face. Illa teeth were gleaming between his parto 1 lips, bia head waa throat forward a little, his eyes were filled with a strange, hard light He waa a transformed being, unrecognizably, perturbing. Sven while they watched, the girl floated close to Where he sat and leaned to wards him with a queer, mocking smile. Hia hand suddenly descended upon her foot. She laughed ?till more. There waa a little exclamation from Lenora. .The professor's whole frame quivered. He snatched the anklet ?rom the girl's ankle and bent over iL She leaned towards bim, a torrent of J words streaming from ber lips. The professor uuawercd her in her own lan guage. She listened to him in amaze ment. The anger passed. She held out both ber hands. The professor- ?till argued. She shook her head. Finally he placed some gold In ber palms. She * putted him on the cheek, laughed luto his eyes, pointed behind and resumed ber dance. 'The anklet remained In the professor's hand, "Say. we'll get out of thia," Quest said. "The girls have had enough." The professor made no objection. "Congratulate me," be said-. "I have been a collector of Egypt)gold orna ments all my life. The the one anklet I needed to complete; my collec tion. It has the double mark of the Pharaohs. I recognized lt at once. There are a thoueand like it, you would think, In the bazaars there. In reality there may be, perhaps, a dozen more in all Egypt.which ure.geuuine." They all looked at one another. Their relief had grown too poignant for words. "Early start tomorrow," Quest re minded them. Lenora, a iew niglits later, looked down from the Btar-strewD sky which seemed suddenly to have dropped so much nearer to them, to the shadows thrown across the desert hy the danc ing flames of their fire. Laura rose to her feet. "8ay, I'm going to get a drink," she announced. The dragoman who had been hiver lug around, bowed gravely and pointed towards the water bottles. She took the horn cup from the dragoman. "Have some yourself. If you want to. Hassan," she invited. Hassan bowed gravely, filled a cup and drank lt off. He stood for a mo ment perfectly still, as though some thing were coming over him which be failed to understand. Then his lips parted, his eyes for a moment seemed to shoot from out of bis dusky skin. He threw up his arms and fell over on his side. Laura, who had only sipped her cup, threw lt from her. She, too, reeled for a moment. The professor and Quest came running up, attracted by Lenora's shriek. "They're poisoned!" she cried. "The Veedemzoo!" Quest shouted. "My God! Pull yourself togethfc.. Laura. Hold up for a minute." He dashed back to their little en campment and reappeared almost Im mediately. He threw Laura's head back and forced some liquid down ber throat. "It's camphor!" he cried. "You'll be all right. Laura. Hold on to yourself." He swung round to where the drago man waB lying, forced bis mouth open, but it was too late-the man was dead. He returned to Laura. She stumbled to her feet. She wau pale, and drops of perspiration were standing on her forehead. She waa able to rise to her feet, however, without assistance. "I am all right now," she declared. Quest felt ber pulse and ber fore head. They moved back to the fire. "We are within a dozen miles or so of the Monger village," Quest said grimly. "Do you auppose that fellow cevdd have been watching?" They all talked together for a time In low voices. The professor was tn "Cralgl" She Cried, "Craig! t Saw Hie Pace There.1* dined to scout the theory ot Craig hav ing appioached them. "You must remember," he pointed out, "that the Mongers hate theae tel? Iowa. It was part of my arrangement with Hassan that they should leave aa when we got tn eight of the Monger encampment It may have been meant for Hassan. The Mongan hate the dragomen who bring tourists in this direction at all." They talked a little while longer end finally ste!j away to ' their tenta to sleep. Outside, the camel drivera talked still, chattering away, walking now end then around Hassan's body In solemn procession. Finally, ono ot them who seemed to have taken the lead, broke into an impassioned stream of words. Soon they stole away-a long, ghastly procesolon-into tee. night. 'Those fellows eeem to nave left off their infernal chattering all of a sud den," Quest remarked, lastly, frons In side the tent The Professor ntado no answer. He wat asleep. (TO Bfi CONTINUE DJ Be Sure To See The "Black Box" Today At The ll This is one of the Serial ever