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a • THE PEOPLE, BARNWELL, S. C mi ■ THBfiC By Randall \j' Parrish Author of M The Strange Case " of Cavendish*’ ■% -i V V-' Ooprrlcht; by B4ad*ulRM«iak If m# ACTION! ACTIONI- •—-Z,% : Adventure-—romance — mys tery—battle, murder and sud- dtfh death! Wall, rather. And action, action, action~H>n every page. That's Randall Parrish’s new story, “The Mystery of the Silyar Dagger.” Suppose you were an Ameri can diplomat and you fell in love at first sight with a won derful, mysterious girl who was apparently deep in an interna tional revolutionary conspiracy and you had the identity of a famous crook thrust upon you . and you found one of the chief conspirators dead from a stab with the mysterious girl's silver dagger hatpin 1 And suppose you set to work to break up the conspiracy and solve the mur der and win the girl—wouldn’t you be busy? Well, that’s this hero and this hero’s job. As to Randall * Parrish, all novel-readers know him and hie stories. And this is one of his best. v; ' !*: < m Mm ; L ■ 9HAPTER I. ^ '•) The MeMage In the Box. Antic4patlng the possibility of my train arriving late, I had named the hour of my meeting with ^Jammings as three o’clock, and, In consequence '''iff our reaching fluTcity exactly on time, was compelled to loiter idly about the hotel for an hour. However, in passing through the corridor my attention was attracted by an unique curiosity shop occupying a small side room, and, merely to pass the time pleasantly, I entered and began exam ining the strange collection of wares on display. There were several articles I lin gered over, tempted to purchase, but drifted on, rather undecided, until my eyes perceived a very quaint lacquered jewel box, of a class of workmanship quite unusual. The proprietor, per ceiving my interest, joined me. “The Jewel box attracts you,” he said pleasantly, openlug ihe case and bringing It forth. “You have love for such things?” t ^ \ ’ * “A deep Interest at least,” I admit ted, taking the article from his hand, “a collector-ln an amateur w’ay. What is the workmanship—surely not Jap anese?” ' ^ “No,” smilingly. “Although posi- - lively I cannot answer as to Its or igin. The inscription, which can only be read with a microscope”—he traced with his linger—“is ancient Arabic, but no wild Arab ever did the lacquer.” “Yet so arrange a curio must have a ■history, an imaginary one, at least. What Is the story?” “Positively none,” he admitted re gretfully. “The fact Is, this article was found by a chambermaid in one of the hotel rooms, and turned in to the man ager. He made every effort to trace the guests, only to learn, that they, two men, by the way, had registered false ly. He even advertised, but wlfh ho response, and finally, after thirty days, , was persuaded to accept my offer for the article,” J - “You have put a price on this?” “Yes. ridiculously low, no doubt, yet bringing me a good profit.” He named a price, and, still lytth the box in my hands, I yielded to the temp tation. and bought it. Tfie article was —sufficiently small to find lodgment in an overcoat pocket, and, ns Cummings appeared a little later, was soon for gotten in the earnestness of one-icon- l "-v; ' ^ 4 versatlon. We latex^had dinner to gether, and attended the theater in j company, my mind so occupied with other matters that I scarcely once thought of the strange purchase 1 had made, which remained securely hid den, It was only after returning to my own room, then nearing midnight,' that It was again recalled to memory. Only an Idle curiosity and a feeling of sleeplessness Induced me to draw the article forth, and remove its wrap pings, but the sight served immedi ately to increase my Interest. It was certainly a wonderful find, artistleal.ly beautiful, and most urrasunl in design. There was a mystery that must have exercised a strange spell over my Imagination, for I dreamed of the long- dead workman who fashioned it,- for getful of the -passing night hours. A clock somewhere In the neighborhood struck, and I counted twelve, arousing myself. Perhaps 1 was already half sleeping, for ns I turned to rise my sleeve struck the box at the edge of the table, and before I Mftild prevent the fajt, it lay upon the floor at my feet. t As I stooped hastily to recover the overturned box, I was astounded to discover the bottom slipped partially aside, as though some secret spring had been touched, revealing so narrow a receptacle that the ordinary eye would never suspect the possibility of! Its ex- Istence. Not only was there a false bottom, but the Opening revealed a Closely folded paper. I grasped this quickly, a thrill running through me. What ancient and long-buried message iras about to be unfolded? s -if • <«-4> But no! - This was plainly modem- a clean, whitfe sheet, no folded parch-' ment of old, blit some mystery of yes- , terday. There was writing there, In Spanish, so faintly traced I could barely decipher the words, yet clearly revealed as of this day and generation. I know Spanish fairly well, having had a year in Mexico City, yet it required some time before I could puzzle out the message on this sheet. The paper had been torn, seemingly sundered from a much longer letter, and pre served merely because of the specific address and Instructions It contained. Beyond doubt all else had been de stroyed. What remained may have been sufficient guidance to the party who had the benefit of what went be fore In the original epistle, but was obscure to anyone else. Yet It was modern, something relating to this very Lime, a menace; something to be grasped and understood. This convic tion absolutely grippecTme. I stared at the rather sinister words? blindly groping at what lay hidden behind them, instinctively scenting a conspir acy of evil which - I could not deter mine. All unintentioned I had stum bled into a clew which might lead to startling results, yet it seemingly gave me no hint of who was involyed, or of Its real nature. I put the words to gether. Weighing each one with care as to its exact meaning, and read them over with increased bewilderment. The torn fragment began and ended ab ruptly ; I could only guess at its mean ing, yet the Impression left upon my mind was both sinister and menacing. I wanted to know more. 108 sailed Saturday from Stockholm. 'Will deposit letter of credit with Kranti to your order. Amount ample all needs. See to this at once, and advise 876 Cans, Eo as to be no delay. Two raps, three—Cer vantes. Waldron favors action this month; suggest Watonla. Can you be ready? Use South A code, That this letter was authentic I had no doubt, nor was Its meaning alto gether obscure In the light of certain events. Several allusions were famil iar to me and these were what caused ray earlier suspicions to crystallize into probability. It bore all the earmarks of a plot, a revolutibnary plot? and one iSP Questioned Him Relative'to. the Mys terious Box. not yet brought to consummation. To he sure the note was undated, and the box had been left at the hotel thirty days before. Yet the Watonla was cer tainly the name of a ship and to my memory suggested fiOentral American trade. Thi& did not necessarily imply that the conspirators had abandoned their purpose. More likely they were not qdite ready In time to operate on the sailing date of that particular ship. Some delay had occurred, and, possi bly, even now prompt action might overturn all their plans. { undressed and went to bed, but not to sleep, for the darkness brought new thoughts and suggestions for the morrow. I was still in government employ, al though unasstgned, and felt this dis covery to be a direct call upon my service. While my first inclination should naturally have been to turn the whole matter over to the proper bu reau for Investigation, two facts led me In another direction-—I was suffi ciently young to seek adventure, and ,1 desired to verify my suspicions be fore creating any false alarm. As I rested there, sleepless, staring -up at the black ceiling, the words of the strange fragment of letter re mained vividly before me. Little by little I dug at the truth, coming finally to this conclusion: “108” wps, no doubt, the recognized number of some agent who had been dispatched to America on a special erraiid to -the conspirators In this country. He had sailed Saturday, a month ago, or more, and. must have long since arrived at some port, bringing with him instruc tions not to be Intrusted to the mall, and sufficient money, In form of letter i'of credit, with which to finance what ever nefarioos scheme of revolution might be contemplated. This money was to be paid out to the authorized party through , a man named Krantz. Who was Krantz? There was a well- known banking firm, Kulb, Krantz A Co., in Wall Street, and it was quite probable these might prove the ones Involved, although to my knowledge they, ha,d no outward junta connec tion^ of this nature. “Cans”, was evi dently a street, although I could recall none bearing , so peculiar appellation, while the password was in itself proof almost, positive as to the South or Cen tral American sympathies of the con spirators. These facts were fairly* clear as I thus weaved them together, but they were rendered more damning by the other name mentioned—Waldron. If this .was Ivan Waldro'n, I had good rea son to know the fellow, and to con nect his activities with any .-scheme destined to embarrass the government. He was a professional agitator of tin* most pronounced type, a socialist radi cal, who in the past bad openly advo cated opposition to all law and order. Moreover, the fellow had a large and desperate following, to whom be was a high-priest. He was reported, to be a Russian by birth, but spoke English without an accent, and I felt no doubt but what a sufficient amount of money would engage his Interest In any des perate cause. The desire to “get him” added zest to my interest in the affair. If he was actually at the head of these fellows, these plotters against the neu trality of the United States, the catch would be worth while. * — Aa soon-aH’ possible next morning I sought out Burke; T ihe manager of the hotel, with whom I bad a speaking ac quaintance, and, without confiding the extent of my discovery, questioned him relative to the mysterious box; and the guests who left it behind. Two men, he said, both well dressed, but with nothing particularly to distinguish them, had registered together late in the afternoon of Friday, September 27, and on request had been assigned to one' room with twin beds and a bath. The larger man, who had inscribed him self as “P. S. Horner, Detroit,” alone had a bag; his companion, known to the hotel as “(Juatave Alva, Toledo, Ohio,” being without baggage. The bill was paid the next morning by Horner, and the two departed together. It was an hour later when the cham bermaid on that floor reported finding the box in the room vacated. After holding it for a day or two In expec tation that it might be called for, no such inquirjes being made, the hotel endeavored to trace the men,' but to no avail. The fellows had either false ly registered, or were entirely unknown where they claimed residence. The first was the most probable condition. After thirty days, and having exhaust ed all reasonable efforts to find the rightful owner, the^hotel felt legally Justified in selling the trinket. That was all Burke knew of the matter, and his interest In it was not keen. I am inclined to think now that I went^ at the problem without-much system, and that any success a (Waved was. through pure accident. ~ During the forenoqn I dropped in upon Clem ent Breckenridge, cashier of the Do ver’s National bank. We had been classmates at college,, and ^ generally called on him when in the. city. This time I led the conversation (to Kulb, Krantz A,Co., on the pretense that I bad received mail from them relative to some recommended Investment. Clement knew Krantz. well and favor ably, and my probing elicited the in formation that the man was Austrian by birth, but a naturalized citizen, rather deeply Interested In political matters. If his sympathies were at all revolutionary he had carefully re frained from any such open expres sion. The firm had made a specialty of handling South American business, and had intimate financial connections in both Ulo and Buenos Aires. The company ranked high In financial circles. . . ■ - “The present war must have cost them a rather heavy loss,” I hazarded. “However, this Is nothing to me. By the way, Clement, do you chance to know of a Cans street in this town?” “Gan8? That is a new one on me. Try the City directory—there“onTthe edge of the deSlt.’* ~ The name was not to be found, nor any other approaching it In sound or spelling, and I finally drifted out onto the street, really no wiser than when I first entered. I made one more effort, however, telephoning to a detective sergeant whom I knew well, ns tor the present whereabouts of Ivan Waldron. The 1 Trtkt heard of Waldron, he was In West Virginia, speaking to striking miners; that was* less than a week ago; he had not been seen In the city since. ' 1 COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE OF THE HOUSE CONTAINS ' t*- NO SOUTHERN MEMBER. i FULMER FARES FAIRLY WELL Representative Stevenson Secures Ap pointment to Two Committees of More or Lees Importance. Columbia. Washington, (Special).—In view of the general insistence of every South erner in congress that he is first of alj the friend of the farmer, it is regard ed as a remarkable circumstance that in the assignment of democrats to house committees no man from the District of Columbia to Louisiana was 1 made a member of, the committee on agriculture. The great Southeast — Virginia, North and South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee—is without representation on this committee, which seeks * to conserve the basic industry of the South, if not the nation. The assignments of South Carolina members are as follows: Fulmer, alcoholic liquor traffic, elec tion of president, vice president and representatives and Indian affairs. Byrnes, appropriations. Stevenson, banking and currency, printing. McSwain, cersus. enrolled bills, pensions and war claims. Logan, claims, Elections No. 3, ex penditures in the state department...... Dominick, judiciary. Stoll, .military affairs. Press Association to Meet. The dates of the semi-annual meeV Ing of the South Carolina Press asso ciation have been changed by the exe cutive committee of that organization ’from June 15. 16 and 17 to July 6, 7 and 8, according to announcement made by Harold C. Booker of Colum bia. secretary, who said that a poll of the executive cpriimittee taken by the president, A. B. Jordon, had resulted In favor of the .change. The Annual meeting of the Southern Newspaper Publishers’ association, which will be held in Asheville, N. - C., conflicted with the first dates chosen by the association and as quite a num ber of South Carolina newspaper men are members of both organizations, it was decided to change the date of the South Carolina meeting. An effort will be made to secure the attendance of every editor and pub lisher .In the state at the Greenville meeting. The Greenville people are making elaborate plans for the meet ing. The annual meeting of the asso ciation was held In Greenville In 1919 and was one of the most delightful in the history of the organization. In*a letter to Secretary, Booker, J. R. Mc- Kissick, editor of the Greenville Pied mont, says that the Greenville news paper men hope to make the one this year surpass that of 1919. Autos and Trucks Unregistered. Figures compiled by the state high way commission show that a large number of automobiles and trucks are yet unregistered in South Carolina despite the fact that the law says the motor vehicles shall be registered o»- tween January, 1 to February 1. The commission estimates that around 20,000 motor vehicles are yet unaccounted for up until this time, us ing the 1920 figures as a basis. • TAKES CARE OF 5 CHILDREN Mr*. Taylor'* Sickness Ended by Lydia E. Pinkham’s Vegetable, Compound Roxbury, Maas.—”1 suffered contin- aally with backache and waa often de spondent, had dizzy spells and at my monthly periods ft was almost impos sible to keep around at my work. Sines my last baby came two years ago my back has been worse and no position I could get in would relieve it, and doc tor’s medicine did .not help me. A friend recommended Lydia E. Pinkham’s Veg etable Compound and I have found great relief since using it My back is much better and I can sleep well. I keep house and have the care of five children so my work is very trying and I am very thanxful I have found the Compound such a help. I recommend it to my riends and if you wish to use this letter am very glad to help any woman suf fering as f was until 1 used Lydia E. Pinkham’a Vegetable Compound.”— Mrs. Maude E. Taylor, 6 St. Jamas Place, Roxbury, Mass. Backache is one of the moat common symptoms of a dwplacemen tor derange ment of the female system. No woman Money Call From Corporation. Richard I. Manning, > president of the American Products Export & Im port corporation, is calling upon those who have subscribed to the stock of the corporation and who have not paid their subscriptions, to do so at •nee. - ‘‘In view of the plans now making to export a large volume of cotton, it is essential to the best interests of the corporation and of the country that we have on hand as much cotton as possible,” says Governor Manqing. Does Not Recognize Divorces. v Ruling that a divorce granted In an other state is not recognized by South Carolina because this state does not permit divorces, Judge George E., Prince in the common pleas court at Greenville, declared invalid and or dered annulled the marriage of Ches ter M.* Goodyear, Jr, and Mrs. Nina Reynodls Goodyear. It was alleged that the defendant, Mrs. Goodyear, had at the time of the marriage, in November, 1919, A living husband Jrom whom she had been divorced in Georgia. New Road Contracted for. The Stewart-Jones company of Rock Hill has been awarded the contract for constructing the road from Cam den to the Richland county line by the Kershaw, county commissioners. This link of roadway is on the Washington- Atlanta highway and Is one of the im portant stretches of road to be com pleted during the present year’ to wards making this highway complete from the- Georgia to the North Caro lina line. Methodists to do Mg Things. Methodists of South Carolina will have an opportunity to do big things for the educational institutions of the Methodist church, South, May 29 to Juna 5. in subscribing to the )33,060,- 000 fund to equip better and endow their schools, colleges fcnd universi ties. Columbia college will get $300,- 000; Wofford college, Spartanburg, will get 1500,000; Carlisle school, Bamberg, $75,000; Lander college, Greenwood, $300,000; Horry Industrial school, Aynor, $76,000; Textile Indus trial institute, Spartanburg. $50,000; Wofford Fitting school, Spartanburg, $75,000. About Ready to Pay Pensions. The comptroller general, Walter E Duncan, has apportioned to the vari ous counties the pension fund for 1921, amounting to $600,000, and the probate Judges will receive within the next few days the amounts for dis tribution among the Confederate vet erans and widows of veterans. Peu sions should be available, through the judges of probate, during the coming week. Mr. Duncan said. There are on the pension rolls for 1921 a total of 9,783 pensioner*. Heyward Made State Chairman. D. C. Heyward has been appointed chairman of the state - organization for University Summer School. -The University of South Carolina summer school will open Wednesday, June 15, according to the announce ment of Prof. J. A. Stoddard, director of the school. The faculty of the school has now been completed. —V The aim- of the school, as stated In the bulletin announcing the curiicu- lum and regulations for fh# achool, Is “to give training In the subject mat ter which high school teachers have to teach, to add to the teacher’s stock of scholarship inlh/jse subjects, and to make some. study of the high school pupil. Big Collections In March South Carolinians, especially the “poor farmers,” who have vigorously protested against the assessing of $6,000,000 tax bill against the people by the legislature, will doubtless be pleased .to receive the announcement that South Carolina during the month rell . e ' »' the ramtQS attua- o( Mtr(;V m ,. ^ the tton. . A. J. Cauthen ot Onsite ,ur & g p vcrnnlen t *8.060,345 «6 In tscom. ha9 been named director and E. O. Black of Columbia, treasurer. Want Moving Picture Reels. Governor Cooper has received a let ter from the International committee of the Y. M. C. A. In which officials of the “Y” ask for reels of moving pic tures of farm life and general condi tions in South Carolina for exhibition to Immigrants held at Ellis Island. and excess profit taxee. Good Work of Federal Bbard. The federal board for vocational and educational traing now has 4,50o men In training in this district which cotiiprises the states of Tennessee, the Carollnas; Georgia and Florida. In South Carolina there are now 400 receiving instruction in placement and institutional vocational training. Men with tuberculosis and . conse quently not fitted tor training are b€^ Ing cared for at the federal board training centers. Many applicants are coming In and good progress is being made. Converse Added to List. New York, (Special).—The Car negie Foundation for the advance ment of teaching announced here H has added Converse college at Spar tanburg, S.'C., and Washington and Lee university, at Lexington, »Va., to the list of institutions associated with Its work. ^ . v should make the mistake of trying to overcome it by heroic endurance, out rofit by M ra. Taylor ’a experience and try diaE. Pinkham’sVegeUbleCom pound pro Ly MAN’S BEST AGE A man is at old as Us organs; ha can be as vigorous and healthy ft 70 as at 35 if he aids his organa in performing their functions. Keep your vital organs healthy with COLD MEDAL *Ug£*c* The world's standard remedy lor kidney, liver, bladder and uric add trooblee since 1096; corrects disorders; stiaralatas vital or gene. All druggists, three dees. Comfort Baby's Son With Cuticura Soap And Fragrant Talcam SeapSSc.1 DAISY FLY KILURBSSnuDi 'v-r-.Y i-pi .V'iLijjr + iTa— .4 —i V HABOU) aOMBU. 1» Do Kaft Am. SntUm. M. Y. Repair first and grumble afterwards. ASPIRIN > •- Name “Bayer” on Genuine Take Aspirin only as told in each package of genuine Bayer Tablets of Aspirin. Then yon will be following the directions and dosage worked out by physicians daring 21 years, and proved safe by millions. Take no chances with substitutes. If you see the Bayer Gross on tablets, yon can take them without fear for Colds, Headache, Neuralgia, Rheumatism, Earache, Toothache, Lumbago and for Pain. Handy tin boxes of twelve tablets cost few emits. Druggists also sell larger packages. Aspirin Is the trade mark of Bayer Manufacture of MonoaceUcsddester of SalleyUcadd.— Adv. Character Is a portrait of the souL Small Tree Is Wanted. The Lor Angeles chamber #f com merce has written the governor / and requested him to furnish that body with a tree, typical of South Carolina to he planted in the grove of state trees. Nearly all the other states have trees planted in Ihis grove, and the chamber of commerce is anxious that the Palmetto state be represent ed in the grove. Any person interested in furnishing the tree i» asked to let the chief ^xe- rufife know and arrangements cam be made to forward ■f-' (TO BE CONTINUED.) , And Thars You Havo It Elizabeth, when asked,the ages <A her two brothers, answered, “I am big ger than the Uttlest one and Uttiar than the biggest one.” t 0 Amend Cotton Future Act. Washington, (Special)" 1 .^--- -Senator DIjI of South Carolina has again In- troduced a proposed amendment to the cotton futures act which would have tendency to break the strangle hold which, he charges, the cotton ex changes have on the cotton producers. It appears to he the consensus of opinion that the Dial amendment will have a better opportunity" at passage^ than the amerfdment of former Sena tor Comer of Alabaaaa. The amend ment of the former senator passed the senate, but tailed ia the house. j - .... . Juniors Banquet Seniors. Members Of the University of Souths Carolina law school heard a number of neat toasts and an able addeas by John P. Thomas, Jr., former dean of the school, at the regular Junior-sen ior banquet at the Columbia hotel. The occasion was one that will he pleasaqtly remembered by the 100 or more members who participated in the ■ V • r**«-*• .-i t.-Y W,- •: function. The banquet was giAn by the JunL ors to the seniors. The dining room wss artistically decorated, having been decorated by Mrs. C. T. Reamer. No cigarette has the same delicious flavor as Lucky Strike. Because Lucky Strike lathe ">S.. ' UgL -v ■