Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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feET1 v ' . 4? - 1 ; ? F HK^u g MM ^Basss---^ -.A. ^ I The Million Di R By HAROLD || ? II Illustrated from Scenes I II Same Katne tty the Thai (Copyright* 1014, b / This, the twentieth epiA/V/P of the* infpWKtincr Q^nrv will be shown at the Casino Theatre 1 hursday night CHAPTER XX. ? feraine Tries Another Weapon. "What I want now," said ttraine; as he paced the living room of the apartment of the countess, "is re,venge. I've been checkmated enough Olga; they're playing with us." "That is nothing new," she replied, tehruggihg. "At the beginning 1 warned you. I never liked this affaii after the first two or three failure*. But ybu would have your way. You wanted revenge at that early date; but I cannot see that you've gone forward. Has it ever occurred to you that the organization may be getting tired, too? They depend solely upon; '"Vflll f in vonf Inn o?i/1 imn < ? <* I v > vuviv/ti| unu CCM;U jvjui invention lias resulted in touching nothing but zero." "Thanks!" "O, I'm not chiding you. I've failed, too." "Are you turning against me?" he demanded bitterly. "Do my actions point that way?" she countered. "No. But the more I view what has passed, the more dis-J heartened 1 grow. It has be^n a series < of blind alleys, and all we have succeeded in doing is knocking our heads.' I can see now that all our failures - are due to one mistake." "And what the devil is that?" he asked, irritably. **We were in too much of a hurry V 1 J ?? me u^gmning. nargreave prepared himself for qtiick action on your part." ( "And if I had not acted quickly he would have started successfully on one ?T his world tours again, and that would have been the last of him, and we should never have learned of the girl's existence. So there's your argument." j "Perhaps you are right. Put for all that we have not played the game ; k.UL J - ? wan any uegree oi nnesse." "Bah!" Bralne lit a cigarette and smoked nervously. "I can't even get rid of that meddling reporter. He has been as much to blame for our failures as either Jones or Ilargreave. j I admit that in his case I judged hastily. 1 believed him to be just an ordinary newspaper man, and he was clever enough to lull my suspicions. But r m going to get him, Olga. even if I have to resort to ordinary gunman tricks. If there's any final reckoning, by the Lord Harry, he shan't get a chance in the witness stand." "And 1 begin to think that that little chit of a girl has been hoodwinking me all along. By the way, did you find out what that letter said?" shq asked after a pause. "Letter? What letter?" | She sprang from ner chair. "Do you mean to say thai they have not told yoo about that?" Olga became greatly excited. "Explain," he said. "Why, I was at the garden day before yesterday, and a man approached M?d asked if I was Miss Hargreave. Becoming at once suspicious that i Bomething very important was about to happen, 1 signified that I was Miss Hargreave. The man slipped a paper iuto my hand and hurried off. 1 took a quick glance at it and was duinfOUndod tO filld It llttorlv Klonlr ..v* t V Lfiutliv Ul writing. At first I thought some joko had been played on me, then I chanced to remember the invisible ink letters you always wrdte me. Understanding that you were to visit, the cave in the morning, I had one mail at the garden take the note. And you never got it!" "Some one shall pay for this carelessness. I'll call up Vroon and Jackson at once. Wait just a moment." He went to the telephone. A low muttering conversation took place. Olga could hear little or none of it. When Braine put the receiver back on the hook his face was not pleasant to see. "That girl!" "What now?" "It seems she had been out horseback riding that morning. She had seen one of the boys cross the field and suddenly disappear; and she was curious to learn what had become of him. With ner usual luck she stumbled on the method of opening the door of the cave and went in. She must have been nosing about. She didn't have much time, though, as the boys came up to await ma Evidently she crawled into that old chest and In some inexplicable manner purloined the letter from Jackson's pocket. They left to reconnoiter; and it was then that Jackson discovered his loss. "When Florence heard them returning she jumped into the well. And lived through that tunnel! The devil is in it!" "Or out of it, since we consider him ( SSSSSSSSSBESSSSESSSSn 1 dar Mystery MAC GRATH J 31 n the Photo Drama of thm nhouser Film Company ' 7 uaroid Mocur?U) our friend." "And I had her in my hands, not? and all!" "But with all that water there will not be any writing left 011 the letter." I "Invisible ink is generally indelible , and impervious to the action of wat-1 er; at least the kind 1 use is. I'd j give a thousand for a sight of that letter." "And it might be worth a million," Olga suggested. "Not the least doubt of it in my mind. Olga. old girl, it does look as if my star was growing dim. We'll never get our hands on that million. 1 feel ( it in my bones. So let's settle down to a campaign of revenge, without any furbelows. I want to twist Hargreave's heart before the game winds up." "You wish really to injure her?" "I do not wish >o injure her. Fat from it," he replied, tsmiling evilly. "You want het . . . dead?" whispered Olga, pa;lfh?. "Exactly. 1 want tier dead. And so if all my efforts hefre come to nothing. so shall Hargre'avte's. His Trillions w yi become waste to him.] That's revenge. The Persian peach method." "Poison? You shall not! You shall not kill her!" vehemently. "Tender hearted?" "No. If 1 must in the end go to nrlnnr. V. 14. V... i T ? - ' ? * * 1 i/iiovu, civ uc 11, uui i reiuse lo aie in the chair." "Very well, then. We shan't kill her, but we'll make her wish she was! dead. I was only trying to see how i far you would go. The basket of peaches is in the hallway. Every; peach is poisoned. No man in the, Just Power Enough to Keep Herself Afloat. country knows more about subtle poisons than I do. Have I not written books on the subject?" ironically. "And they will trace it back to you in a straight line," she warned. "I will nnt hai'o I " "I can go elsewhere," he replied coldly. 1 "You would leave me?" "The moment you cross my will," emphatically. It became her turn to pace. Torn ; between her love of the man and the danger which starrd her in the face, ! she ^as for the time being distracted, j . All the time he watched her with ' malevolent curiosity, knowing that in the end she would concur with his evil plans. "Very well," she said finally. "But . listen;, we shall be found out. Never m fif""" a ns i i : II He Went to the *7>i*ohon?. THE.HQHJty- HERAL doubt that Your revenge will cost us both our lives. I feel it." "Bah! The law will have?no hand in my end. I always carry a pellet; and that ring of yours would Bufflce a regiment She will not die. She will merely become a kind of paralytic; the kind that can move a* little but not enough; always wheeled about in a chair. I'll bring in the peaches; rosy and downy. One bite, after a given time, will do the trick. If they suspect and throw them out we have lost nothing but the peaches. A trusted messenger will carry them to the Hargreave house. And then wo'll Bit down and wait." Meantime, in the library of the Hargreave house, Florence and Jim were puzzling over the blank sheet of panor "I'll wager," said Jim, "the water washed all the writing away. The fire does not seem to do any good. We'll turn it over to Jones. Jones'll find a way to solve it. Trust him." "What are you two chattering ( about?' asked Susan, who was arranging some flowers on the table. "Secrets," said Jim, smiling. "Humph!" Susan puttered about for a few minutes longer, then crossed to the reception room, intending to go upstairs. At that moment the maid was admitting a messenger with a basket of fruit. "For Miss Hargreave," said he. lie gave the basket to the maid, touched his cap awkwardly, and swung on his heel, closing the door behind liim. He ! was In a hurry to deliver another message. "O, what lovely fruit!" cried Susan, pausing. "I'm going to steal one," she laughed. She selertpd n nr>nrh and began eating it on the way up to I her room. The maid passed oh into the library. "What's this?" inquired Florence, as the maid held out the basket. She selected a peach and was about to set her white teeth into it when Jim interposed. "Wait a moment, dear." Florence lowered the peach. Jim turned to the maid. "Who sent it?" "I don't know, sir. A messenger brought it, saying it was for Miss Hargreave." "Let me see if there is a card." But Jim searched in vain for the card of the donor. At once all his suspicions arose. "Don't touch them. Better let the maid throw them out. Fruit from unknown persons might not be the healthiest thing in the world." J- '' ? ? *> iiul uu you ininK V ' "That in all probability they are poisoned. But 'there's no need Trying to prove my theory right or wrong. Ask Jones. He'll tell you to throw them awav." "Horrible!" Florence shuddered. "But they do not want to poison me. 1 I'm too valuable. They want me alive." "Who can say?" returned Jim gloomily. "They may have learned that they cannot beat us, no matter what card they turn up. I may bo wrong, but take my advice and throw them away. . . . Good Lord, what's that?" startled. "Some one cried!" "O, Miss Florence!" exclaimed the maid, terror stricken as she recalled \ Susan's act. "Miss Susan took a peach from the basket and was eating it on the way to her room!" "Good heavens!" gasped Jim. "I was rignt. me rruit was poisoned." Jim had head enough to send for a specialist he knew. The specialist arrived about twenty minutes after Susan's first cry. To his keen eye it looked like a certain poison which had | for its basis the venom of the cobra. "Will she live?" "O, yes. Hut she'll be a wreck for some months. Send her to the hos-1 pital where I can visit her frequently. And I'll take that peach along for analysis. No police affair?" "No. We dare not call them in," said Jim. "That's your affair. I'll send down the aihbulance. Keep her quiet. She'll have a species of paralysis; but that'll work off under the treatment. A strange business." "So it is," agreed 'Jim grimly. Florence knelt beside her friend's bed and cried softly. "You called me just in time. An hour later, nothing would have saved her. She would have been paralyzed for life." Jim accompanied the doctor to the door and went in search of Jones He found the taciturn butler eying tho fruit basket, his face gray and drawn, though his eyes blazed with fury. "Po'iSori!" "A pretty bad poison, too," said Jim. "We can't do anything. We've just j got to sit still. Rut in /the end we'll get them. That she devil . . ." "No, my friend; that he devil Tho 1 woman is mad over hint and would commit any crime at his bidding. Rut j mis is nis work. We want him. Ho j wasn't without courage to send this I 1 ruit. knowing that 1 would instantly j suspect the sender. Yet, I have no i definite proof. I could not hold him j in court in law. lie will have bought the fruit piece by piece, the basket in ! a basket shop. lie will have injected j the poison himself when alone. Poor . Susan! That messenger was without I doubt some one over whom he holds thd threat of the death chair. That's tho way he works." < Jim tramped the room while Jones carried the fruit to the kitchen. ThJ butler returned after a while. "What about that blank sheet of paper?" "it has to be dipped into a solution; after that you can read it by heating. X_ jP, OOHWAg^ s. I have already dipped It into Uie solution. The moment the heat leaves the sheet the writing disappears again. The ink is waterproof. I'll show you." Jones got a candle from the mantle, lit it, and held the sheet of paper very close to the flame. Gradually, almost imperceptibly, letters began to form on the blank sheet. At length the message was complete. "Dear Hargreave?The Russian minister of police is at the Blank hotel under the name of Henri Servan. He Is investigating the work of the Black Hundred in this country and can free you from their vengeance if you supply the evidence needed.'' "Now, what evidence can he want?" asked Jim. "Such as will prove Braine an undesirable citizen." "And then." "Quietly pack him off to Russia, where he is badly wanted." "Who sent this message?" "One of our mysterious friends. We have a few, as you already know. But I'll go and make this man Servan a visit. I have seen the real minister, and if this man is the same one, something of importance may turn up. I shall want you somewhere about. Here, I'll let you have this letter. Remember, heat brings it out and cold air makes it vanish. Now I'll go up for a moment to see how Thaf pbor girl is getting along. We are lucky; , there's 110 gainsaying that." "You're a clever man, Jones," said U * 111* Jones turned upon him, his face 1 grave. The two men looked Bteadily into each other's eyes. Jones was first to turn aside his glance, as he had something to conceal and Jim had nothing. When the ambulance took the tor tured Susan away, Jones addressed Florence gravely. 1 "1 am going out and so is Mr. Norton. Do not leave the house; not even if you have a telephone call from me or Norton. Both of us will return; so don't let anything bother or confuse you." "I promise," said Florence, struggling with a sob. Jones went downstairs again, paused by a window as if cogitating, and sud- , denly threw it up and looked abroad. A rustle among the lilacs caused a smile to flit across his face. So they had sent some one to learn the effect 1 of the poison? Or to follow him , should he leave the house? He re- 1 tired to the kitchen and gave some 1 ill ^ _ i Letters Began to Form on the Blank ( Sheet. / explicit orders to the chef, orders I which did not in any way refer to cooking. Then Jones and the reporter < left the house, each quite aware that ^ they were being followed. Near the e Blank hotel they separated in order to confuse the stalker. He might dod n der and follow the wrong man. But it was evident that this time he had been directed to follow Jones; for he i( entered the hotel a minute after r Jones. z jj Meantime a second spy, whom Jones a had not seen, had observed the trans- y fer oi the invisible writing and had immediately informed Braine, who s was not far away. That his poisoned ^ fruit had stricken down an outsider troubled him none at all. But that y mysterious message he meant to have; it might be a life and death affair, it ^ might be a clue to the treasure, or t the whereabouts of Hargreave. f Thus, while only one man followed Jones, several kept a far eye on Jim. y Jones scribbled his name on a blank ^ card and had it taken to the Russian's j room. The page eyed that card curi- c onsly. It was different from anything i i - ? r.e nan ever seen before. In one cor- j ner were written three or four words which resembled a cross between Hebrew and Greek. "Humph!" muttered the boy. "Whadda y' know about that? Chick- } en scratches; but I guess the bell r!n?s Rooslan. On your way, Hor- i tense," lie cried to the hall inaid, who wanted a look at the card. "Up t' th' rooin, sir. He'll see yuh!" The boy kept the silver salver extended ex- < poctantly, but Jones went past with- j , out apparently noticing the hint. i The Russian was standing by a win- ] dow when Jon^s knocked and was i bidden to enter "You are not Hargreave." 1 "Neither are you the Russian ml** r ister of police," urbanely. "Who are you?" '1 am ilargreave's confidential man, 1 sir." The two men eyed each other cautiously. j "You speak Russian?*' , "No. | am able to scribble a fe* ( words; that Is all." , The Russian lit. a cigarette and ' ,y<|, ~r < 7 ^ mm ? WMpBl I .' * > * --?& smoked leisurely. He was la no bur* ry. "No, i am not the minister; but I am his accredited agent. 1 am empowered to bring back to Russia a __ man who is known here by the name of Braine, another by the name of Vroon, and a woman who calls' herself a countess and unfortunately is one. All 1 desire is some damaging proof against them that they are outlaws in this country. The rest will be simple." "They have all three taken out naturalization papers." The Russian waved his hand airily. "Once they are in Russia those documents will never come to light This r? i ia i ?? % 1 * ? uiiiii nrumu, it, na8 Deen learned, nas long been in the pay of Prussia, and has given the general staff of that ~~ country many plans of our frontier fortifications I do not know what any one of the three looks like. That is why 1 sought Hargreafe "I will gladly point them out t<5 you." said Jonc-s, rubbing his hands together, a sign that he was greatly pleased. "That will bo very good of you, I'm w sure," in a rumbling but perfectly w mtelligiblc English. "And suddenly they all three will ? disappear?" 3( "Suddenly; and you may believe me that from that time on they'll be heard of never more." "All this sounds extremely agreeable to me. Mr. Hargreave will be , happy to hear that his long enforced hiding will soon come to an end." 1 \[\ "All you have to do, sir, is to point them out to me." I "It may take a week or ten days." "My government has waited for ten years to gather in this delectable trio, a A month, if you like." | "The sooner the better. T shall r>?ll ' this evening after dinner. We shall begin with Mr. llraine; and generally where he is is the woman. Vroon will be the most difficult." "After dinner, then, since you know Bome of his haunts. There is a reward." I Jones laughed shortly. "Keep It at yourself, sir. Mr. Hargreave would y( willingly double whatever this reward Is to eliminate these despicable crea- == tures from his affairs." "Thanks." While this conversation was taking place Norton idled about; and feeling! the cravings for a cigarette, prepared i to roll one. only to find that he hadn't J the "makings." So fate urged him to q step into the nearest tobacconist's. . He asked for his favorite brand and ? passed over the silver. Braine and his companions saw Nor- j J ton enter the shop. It agreed with i their plans perfectly. The tobacconist happened to be affiliated with the order. So they hurried into the shop.; p] Jim instantly realized that he was in Et trap. "How can I get out of here?" he whispered to the tobacconist. The latter smiled. "I have to obey these gentleiften. I don't know what they want you for; but if I made a! rnnvo f n lioln T J n?1 w iv uci)j juu a DuvjiKu iinu iny >wn throat cut without saving yours." 1 "The devil!" j Jim made a dash for the rear door, :o find it locked. Even as he fumbled svith the key, Braine and his companions flung themselves upon the re- i porter and overpowered him. j "Ah, my friend Braine!" he said. "My friend Norton!" jeered the vie* c< .or. "And what do you want; soma peaches*" | "A paper, my friend, a little secret >f paper with invisible writing on it. q, Fe promise to give you something in { xchange for it." p, "What?" asked Jim with as much g. lonchalance as he could assume. L 1 "Life." "Search," said Jim. "You won't obect to my smoking?" He began to oil a cigarette while they passed ^ver p1, iim. He struck a match; the pleas.nt aroma of tobacco floated about his tead. "He's got it on him somewhere. I aw him take It. He's got his nerv#, vith him." ^ The cigarette glowed. Jim smoked lurriedly. A Through every pocket they went, rhe contents of his wallet lay scatered at his ieet; his watch dangled ^ rom the chain. The cigarette grew horter and shorter. Suddenly one of he men stretched out a hand and vhisked the cigarette from Jim's lips. Ie threw it to the floor and stamped >ut the coal. "I thought so!" he exclaimed, holdng out the scrap of burnt paper towards Braine. The words "Dear Hargreave" were C ill that remained of the message. With i snarl of rage Braine whipped out his "evolver. "I will give you one minute to tell me what ?hat paper contained." "And after that minute is up?" "A bullet in your stomach." Quick as a flash Jim's hand shot Dut, caught the loosely held revolver, ? save it a wrench, and brought it down savagely upon Braine's head. Then ho reversed It and backed toward the S2 front entrance. . ^ "Au rovoir, till we meet again, gen- __ tin men J" S2 10 BE CONTINUED NEXT WEEK g] [g Whenever You Need a General Tonic ^ Take Grove's ? The Old Standard Grove's Tasteles# _ :hill Tonic is equally valuable as a jy General Tonic because it contains the = well known tonic properties of QUININE md IRON. It acts on the Ln-er, Drives jy 5ut Malaria, Enriches the Blood and Guilds up the Whole System. 50 cents. IE \ v x H. H. WOODWARD, I Attorney and Counsellor at Lie, I CONWAY, S ~ ^ . ?? HAL L. BUCK, I 9 9 Fire Insurance 99 9 Office Conway National Bank I Conway, 8. C. I H n H R. B. SCARBOROUGH I Attorney at Law, H CONWAY. S. C I 1 ITM TTTVC ? A TT\mnv I ms w lit if tJ It V* KJt% KJ MM US J g M CONWAY, S. C, I Beginning July 1st. 1913J ?* - A)1 persons must take tickets.forH ork left here. Possitivefp ro H ork delivered until ticket is pre?nted. Laundry not called '(/ in I ? days will be sold for charges, ^ H LUM JUNG k M /ILL!AM EUGENE KING, M ol Physician and Surgeon ,fl| Office in Piatt Drug Oo. H ymhd ? ~ ~ I I ? \J t \ , Ua |H ? ??J J. M. JOHNSON, CIVIL, ENGINEER I Marion, SC. I ailroad, City and Land Surveying; id Drainage. Road-building an Wm ewer* Draughting and Blue Pricing W C SINGLETON I ATTORNEY AT LAW I Conway, S. C. I ffice^up Stairs Buck Building I - i~ 1 L) A Spivey & Company A- * irrn*^ ? VH inEi tUKWEK" in - H EOPLES NATIONAL BANK BL'DgH i>nda H V I Other I INSURANCE. I . A. SP1VEY. W. IS. KINgH CHAS. R. SCARBOROUGH, H )nway, >J&. O.H| >mplete Waterworks, Steam, Reiwa-^H ter and Hot Air Heating Plaau : INSTALLED ANYWHERE t-lHj nly Plumbing and Heating goods material of highest quality used. nil line of Tub, Toilet, Lavaury^B iik and other Bathroom Acot^grmH and repairs on hand at *ik .... I Plumbing and Heati&i, I UT WATER AND HEAT H IN YOUR HOUML.H S. P. HAWES H uto Supplies, Fancy Groc^ries^B jax Tires, guaranteed 500 O^B miles. | PHONE 57. QUICK DELIVERY. T. B. LEWIS, Atty. and Councellor at Law ^B ONWAY, - - - S.Cfl o DR. J. D. THOMAS Physician and Surgeon^ H loeis, s. c. H { S3 II! 13 ^ P 5^ 1 HORRY COUNTY 'M j TRUST COMPAQ I j L. D. Magrath $yfl| 9 Manager. jg|H ? Real Estate |9 i Real Estate Loans a Bonds i Insurance ^B