Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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11 ITEe BLA< % By E. PHILLIP Amifor of"' 77m M?fu| Nc?rtli? Finger, " "The Ptimm of uuitc n: Sinner*, " "Anna, 'tJm Maiwftu Adomdmmm, * He. tognpki i(Copyrlil>t.'lllfi> This interesting instalment of the Black Box will be shown in motion pictures at the Casino Theatre Thursday night. SYM0RSIS. San ford Quest, minster cTimtndlogiBt of the world, tlnds >thnt In bringing to justice Macdougal, the nnurderer of l.otd Ashieigh's daughter, the has'but just begun a life-und-Oeath struggle with a mysterious master criminal. .In u>hidden hut in Professor Ashleighls jgurdeti he has - seen an ope skeleton and ;a living < creature, half monkey, half man. (destroyed . by tire. In his rooms have :appeured blaok'boxes containing notes, -signudiby a.pair-of armless ? hands. Laura .and'Lcnorn, his:.assistants. auspect Craig, the'.professors> servant, of .a double imurdur. The 'black boxes con( tinue to appotcr dn uncanny'fashion.'Craig is trapped, but-escapes to Kngland, where Quest, Leaora and the professor follow him. Lord Arih'leigh is'murdered by the Hands. Craig is captured and escapes to Port Said, "whore'Quest and his: party also pro, and beyond into the desert. They are captured by Mongars. among whom Craig seems to be in authority, escape with Craig as their -captive.and are rescued by Prltish troops. TWELFTH INSTALLMENT. CHAPTER XXV. 'NEATH TRT)N ^WHEELS. Side by side they leaned over the rail of the steamer and gazed shorewards at the Slo\Vly unfolding scene before them. For some time" they had all preserved am ralmost ecstatic silence. "Say, but It's good to see home again!" Laura sighed at last. "I'm with you," 'Quest agreed emphatically. "It's (the wrong side of the continent, perhaps, 'but I'm aching to set my foot on American soil again." "This the wrong Side Of the continent! I should say not!" Laura exclaimed, pointing to ^liere in the distance the buildings of *the exposition gleamed almost enow w'hiteinthe dazzling sunshine. "Why, 'I 'have never seen anything so beautiful in my life.'' "I guess there's one xff us here.' Quest observed, "who is none too pleased to see America again." Ivcnora shivered a 'They were all grave. Quest moved slowly down rthe deck Iawq rHa Pro { o'a ffl/lo ??/! ihoitrihnH i Vi \ rr> r*.V ?' LAI vikJ V'lUlg u OIU^ ?I?VJ avwvtMVU .Ultu on the arm. "Give me your left wrist, ;Graig,"ihe said quietly. The man sluhk away. There was a sudden look of horror in his wfliite face. He started back, but Quest was too quick for him. In a moment there waB the click of a handcufT, the mate 'Of which t?as concealed un<S?r the 4 criminoloy/Bt's cuff. They stepped along the deck towards the rest of the party. lienor a ' fhanded her glasses to Quest. "Do look, Mr. Quest," she begged. f "there Is Inspector French standing fn the front row on the dock, with two enormous bunches of flowers?carnations for me, I exeect, and polnsettlas ;for'Laura. They're the larger bunch " Quest took the glasses and nodded Slowly the great steamer drifted tlieaver and nearer to the docks, hats were waved from the little line of spectators, ropes were drawn taut. The inspector was standing at the bottom of the gangway as they all passed down He shook hands with everyone vigorously Then he pre- j eented Lenora with her carnations and Laura wtth the poinsettias. Lenora was enthusiastic Even Laura murmured a few words of thanks. "Some flowers, those poinsettias," the inspector agreed. Quest gripped him by the arm. 'French," he said, "I tell you I shall make your hair curl when you hear all j that we've been through. Do you feel ' like having me start in right away, on our way to the cars?" , I French withdrew his arm 'Nothing doing," he replied. "I want to talk to Mies Laura You can stow that criminal stuff. It'll wait all right. You've got the fellow?that's what matters!" Quest exchanged an amused glance \ with Lenora The inspector and Laura j fell a little behind. The former tooK off his hat for a moment and fanned himself. 'Say, Miss Laura," he began, "I'm a plain man, and a poor hand at speeches I've been saying a few nice things over to myself on the dock here for the last hour, but everything s gone right out of my head. Ix>ok here, it sums up like this: How do you feel about quitting this bunch rieht awnv nnH c wlfh ? ? ^ ? ? " ?m me IU New York." "What do I want to go to New York for?" Laura demanded. "Oh, come on, Migs Laura, you know what I mean.'' French replied. "We'll slip off and get married here and then take this man Craig to New York. Once get him safely In the Tombs and we'll go off on a honeymoon anywhere you say " lAura was on the point of laughing at him Then the unwonted seriousness of his expression appealed sud DK BOX || S OPPENHEIM I ? :d from the motion picture drama of the 1 ? ime produced by the Universal Film I :turing Company Illustrated with pho- I i from the motion picture production. I ^ by Otla F. \Vood.) ''dehly to her sympathy. She pntJted 4 ' trim kindly on the shoulder. MYou're a good sort. Inspector, ibut ^ ' you've picked the wrong girt. rVe tuu i] along on my own hook ever stnee I * was born, I guess, and I can't switch , my ldier.3 over to this married stuff. v You better get a move on and iget r Craig back to New York before ho slips us again. I'm going to tfta-y 'here with the bunch.' The inspector sighed. ITki face ihad grown long and the buoyomoy '.had passed from his manner. tw..... e,^,,.. ,1 ?i,n ..? ui . i mrj luuuu iiiv; v.u*t1? vs uuuifc iui them at the end of the great wvooden shed. Quest turned to Frerrdh. "Look here, French," he ?aifl, ''you know I don't, want to hurry \you <off. but I don't know what we're going to do with this fellow aboat in San Francisco. We don't want to lodge 'two charges, and we should have 'to put him in jail tonight. Why <dont you take him on right away? There's a limited goes by the southern route ;in an hour's time." French assented gloomily. "That suits me," he agreed. "You'll be glad to get rid of the fellow, too," he added. They drove straight to the 'depot, found two vacant seats in tf.he train, and Quest, with a little sigh <af relief, handed over his charge. "Now for a little holiday," Quest (declared, passing Lenora's arm through his. "We'll just have a look around the city and then get down .to San j Diego and take a look at the erposii tion there. No responsibilities, no one : to look nftnr notliine to do butt .eniov ! ourselves.' ? * ? ? ^ ^ ^ Quest and Lenora turned away from the window of the hotel, out of which they had been gazing for the last < quarter of an hour. "It's too beautiful,'* Lenora sighed. Quest stood tor a moment shaking 1 his head. The professor, with a ftule |? -of newspapers stretched out before him, was completely engrossed in their perusal. I^aura, who had beeoi sitting in an armchair at the farther end of the apartment, was apparently deep in thought. VSay, you two are no sort of people tforna holiday,' Quest declared. ' As for you, I>aura, 1 can't think what's come over you. You never opened your- mouth at dinner time, and you sit there now looking like nothing on earth." "I am beginning to suspect her," Leonora chimed in. "Too bad he had to ihurry away, dear!" (Laura's indignation was not altogether convincing. Quest and Lenora exchanged amused glances. The former picked up the newspaper from the floor and calmly turned out the processor's '.lamp '^Look here," he explained, 'this is ithe first might of our holiday. I'm going to run the party and I'm going to make the rules. No more newspapers tonight or for a fortnight You un underrstand? No reading, nothing but frivolity. .And no lovesickness Miss , Laura" ( "I^ovesickness indeed!" she repeated Boor.n fully CHAPTER XXV!. J Quest took the dispatch which the , hotel clerk handed to hiir. 3iie after noon a fortnight later and read it , through without change ol' expression i^enora however who was by his side, kttew at once that tt conI O I /\/l <? ? * ? ? *11.. ? luiuc-w nuiiiruilll^ niurillllg "What is it?" ahe asked He passed his arm through hers and led her down the hall to where the professor and Laura were just wait ing for the lift. lie beckoned them to follow him to a corner of the lounge. "There's one thing J quite forgot, a fortnight ago," he said, slowly, "when I suggested that we should none of us look at a ne\vsj>aper until the time we were in California Have you kept to our bargain, professor?" "Absolutely!" "And you, girls?" "I've never even seen one," Lenora declared. "Nor I," Laura echoed "I made a mistake,' Quest confessed. "Something has happened wmcn we ougnt 10 nave known about. You had netter road this message? or, wait, I'll read it aloud: To Sanford Quest, Garfield Hotel, San Diego. Injured in wreck of limited. Recovered consciousness today. Craig reported burned in wreck out think you had better come on. FRENCH 8amaritan Hospital, Allguez. "Say, when can we start?" l>aura exclaimed excitedly. * I^enora clutched at Quest's arm. "I knew It," she declared simply. "T i felt perfectly certain, when they left t San Francisco, that something would happen. We haven't see the end of 1 Craig yet.' i Quest, who had been studying a ! c time-table, glanced once more at the t "Look here," fee aald^ MAll|Mt Isn't m far otft of ?e way if at take Iha smthem route to New Yartk. Lsia jet a snore on toolfht." \ Laura led (fee way to tike'lift Bha ras in a state of (rare discomposure. "To think tthat all the/time we're ieen gKdying round,' sti(B muttered, that poor man has been lyttng In hosiltal! Makes vone feel like\a brute." "^Ho'b "been uncoosdtoss Xjbll the 1me," Quest reminded cteer. V "Might have ex peeked 'to 'iffnd ua :here when he came ?to, anyway," Laura Insisted. > laenora ismlled falntlyaaa she caught i glanoo ffrom Quest. " Laura's got a iheart somewhere," the muttered, "only dti takes an awful lot>of getting at!" . . . They :found French, ;fclready convalescent, 'comfortably installed in the private ward< of & smMl' hospital in the picturesque New Mexico town. Laura almost at <once> established herself by hiB side. "Can you iremenlhier anything about the wreck, French 7"' Quest inquired. The 'Inspector passed his hand wearily (over his 'forehead. "It seems mcrre * like a dream?01 -rather a 'iii^htmare?than anything,' he .admitted, "fi-was sitting opposite Craig when the ccrash came. 1 was lunaonscious for ar time. When I came to, B was simply pinned down by the ;Bide Of 'the car. ' 1 could see a man working hard to - release me, tugging ;and.strainingmiUin.n his might. Every now :and 'then 'I-got a glimpse of hip face, ilt seemed'.'queer, but I could have sworn It was Craig. Then other people passed by. I heard the shriek of a locomotive. 'I could see a doctor ibending over some bodies. Then It -all 'faded awat anil came back again. The second ttime i I was nearly free. The man Who had been working so hard was just smashing the last bit tot timber a way, and again I saw his face and that Unveil was sure that 't was Craig. Anyway, he finished the job. I suGdertly felt I could move my limbs. The man stood up as though exliausted, looked at me, called to the doctor, and then he seemed to fade away. It might have been because I was unconscious myself, for I don't remember anything else until I found myself in bed." "It would indeed,";the professor remarked, "be an interesting circumstanoe?an interesting psychological circumstance, if tl -might put it that way?lit Craig, the :areh-criminal, the man who has seemed:to us so utterly devoid of all human (feeling, should really have toiled ,iu 'this manner to set free his captor:" "Interesting or mot," Quest observed, "I'd like ;to know whether it was Craig or mot. I understand there were about a dozen -unrecognizable bodies foiund." The nurse, who 'had left the room for a few minutes, -returned with a small package in her hand,-which she handed to French. -He looked at it in a puzzled manner. "Say, what can that betf" !he muttered. turning Jt over. "Addressed to me all right, but there isn't a soul knows I'm here except you folks. Will you open It, Misa Laura?" She took It from him and untied the strings. A little breathless cry escaped from her lips as ahe tore -open the paper. A small black box was disclosed. She opened the lid with trembling Angers and drew out a scrap of paper. They all leaned over and read together: Vou have all lost again. Why give up? Vou can never win. "THE HANDS." Lenora was perhaps the calmest She simply nodded with the melancholy air of satisfaction ot one who finds her preconceived ideas confirmed. knew it!" she exclaimed softly. "" knew it at the depot. Craig s time has not come yet. He may t>e somewhere neai us. even now " She glanced uneasily around the ward. Quest, who had been exarnin iWBBB?a? Srafg Assisted in Dragging People Frcm the Darning Car. ng the postmarks on the package, hrew tho paper down. "The postmark's all blurred out," 10 remarked. "There's no doubt about t. that fellow Craig has the devil's >wn luck, but we'll get him?we 11 get i?;n jet. Ill just take a stroll up to * Mi?y * i ^^H&^9H^^HNydi : B^HP^JhP^v^HS^H^HH !"We Ain't Powerful Civilized at Tftit , T3I.I You Sho> police headquarters and make a tew inquiries You might come with me, kenora, and Laura can get busy with ' lier amateur nursing.* ' * "I shall make inquiries.," the processor announced briskly, "concerning the local museum. Thc?re ahoultf be interesting relics hereabouts of (the prehistoric Indians." CHAPTER XXV11. A r'.a** ?at on the steps of the range ccxik wagon, crouching as far back as possible to take advantage of its slight shelter from the burning Run. He held before him a newspaper, a cer tain paragraph of which he was eagerly devouring. Tn the distance the mail boy was already disapi>eariug in a ' cloud of dust. FAMOUS CRIMINOLOGIST IN ALLGUEZ. I Sanford Quest and bis assistants, ac-: companied by Prof. Lord AsHIelgh. ar- j rived in Altguez a few aaya ago to look for John Craig, formerly servant to the scientist. Craig has not been seen since the accident to the limited, a fortnight ago, and by many is supposed to have perished In the wreck. , He was in the charge of Inspector French, and was on his way to New York to stand his trial for homicide. French was taken to the hospital, suffering from concussion of the brain, j dux is now convalescent. Tho man read the paragraph twice. Then he set down the paper and j looked steadily across the rolling ! prairie land. There was a queer, bitter little smile upon his lips. "So it begins again!'* he muttered. There was a cloud of dust in the distance. The man rose to his feet, shaded his eyes with his hand and shambled round to the back of the wagon, where a long table was set out with knives and forks, hunches of bread and tincups. He walked a little farther away to the fire, and slowly stirred a pot of stew. The little party of cowboys came thundering up. There was a chorus of shouts and exclamations, whistlings and good-natured chaff, as they threw themselves from their horses. Long Jim stood slowly cracking his whip and looking down the table. "Say. boys. I think he's fixed things tip all right," he remarked. "Come on with the grub, cookie." Silently the man filled each dish with the stew and laid it in its place. Then he retired to the background and the cowboys commenced their meal. f>ong Jim winked at the others as he picked up a biscuit. "Cookie, you're no Rood," he called ! out. "The stew's rotten. Here, take i this!" He flicked the biscuit, which caught the cook on the side of the nead. For a moment the man started With his hand upon his temple he flashed a look of hatred towards his assailant, /^.ong .Jim laughed carelessly. "Say, cookie," the latter went on, "where did you get them eyes? Guess we'll have to tame you a bit." The meai was soon over, and Jim strolled across to where the others were saddling up. He passed his left arm through the reins of his horse and turned once more to 100k at Craig. "Say, you mind vou do hotter tonight young fellow. . . Eh!" He stopped Rliort with a cry ot pain. The horse had suddenly started, wrenching at the reins. .Tim's arm hung helplessly down from the shoulder "H KAWO k.Al,A? I* t " vjuu, IIY7 O U1 UACH It; lie groanod. "Say, this is hell!" The cook suddenly pushed his way through the little crowd. He took Jim's shoulder firmly In one hand and his arm in the other. The cowboy howled with pain. "Let go my arm!" he shouted. "Kill him, boys! My Clod, I'll make holes in you for this!" He snatched at hisj gun with his other hand and the cowboys scattered a little. The cook stepned back, the . .... ? . out, only to be suddenly lowered. Jim looked incredulously towards his left arm, which hung no j longer helplessly by his side. He swung it backwards and forwards, and a broad grin slowly lit up his lean, brown lace He thrust the gun in his holster and held out his hand. "Cookie you re all right!" he ex m:-+* Camp, but You Doat Get Our Cook n a Warrant." claimed. "You've done the trick this time. Say. you're a lIIliiTac le^, The cook smiled. "Your arm was just out of joint/' he remarked. "It was Tather a hard pull, but* it'8 all right now ' Jim looked around at the others. "And to think that I might have killed him'?" he exclaimed. "Cookie, you're a white boy. YouHl do. We're going to tike you here '" Craig watched them ride off. The "bitterness had passed from his face. Hvening came and with it a repetition of his labors. When everything i was r<?p<!y to serve, ho stepped from behind the wagon and looked across *he rolling stretch of open country. There was no one in sight. Softly, almost stenlthily, he crept up to the wagon, fetched out from its wooden case a small violin, sat down with his back to the wheel and began to play. Suddenly the bow rested motionless. A look of fear came into his face. Me sprang up. The cowboys were all stealing from the other side of the wagon. They had arrived and dismounted without his hearing them. He sprang to his feet and began to stammer apologies. Hong Jim's hand Was laid firmlv nnnn hi?n ?hmi1/t?ra "Say, cookie, you don't need toi look bo scared. You ain't done nothing wrong. Me and the boys, we like your music. Sing us another tune on that fiddle!" The cook looked at him for a moment incredulously. Then he realized that the cowboy was in earnest. He picked up the bow and commenced to play again. They sat around him, wondering, absolutely absorbed. No one even made a move towards the focfd. It was Craig who led them there at last himself, still playing. Long Jim threw his arm almost caressingly around his shoulder. "Say, cookie," he began, "there ain't never no questions asked concerning the past history of the men who find their way out here, just so long as they don't play the game yellow. Maybe you've fitted up a nice little hell for yourself somewhere, but we ain't none of us hankering to know the address. You're white and you're one 1 of us and any time any guy wants to charge you rent for the little hell where you got the furniture of your conscience stored, why, you just let i us settle with him, that's all." ] The interruption which came was from outside. "More of these d?-d tourists," Long Jim muttered. "Women, too!" Craig turned his head slowly. Quest was in the act of dismounting from his norse. By his side was the professor; just behind, Lenora and Laura. Ix>ng Jim greeted them with rough cordiality. "Say, what are you folks looking tor? ' he demanded. Quest pointed to Craig. "We want that man," ne announced. "This is Inspector French from New l'ork. I am Sanford Quest. ' There was a tense silence. Craig covered his lace with his hands, then suddenly looked up. "I won't come,'' he cried fiercely. "You've hounded me all around the world. I am innocent. I won't come." Quest shrugged nis shoulders. He took a step forward, but Long Jim, as though by accident, sauntered in the way. "Got a warrant?" he asked tersely. "We don't need it," Quest replied. "He's our man, right enough.' Right this minute he s our cook " drawled Long Jim. and we ain't exactly particular about going hungry just to please a bunch of strangers. Cut it short, mister. If you ain't got a warrant, you ain't got this man." "All right," Qua?t agreed. "The in * 1 f ? npetior 11 ere uuu 1 win soon see to that. We'll ride back to the township. With your permission, the ladies and our elderly friend will remain for a rest." "You're welcome to anything we've got except our cook," Jim replied, turning away. . . Darkness came early and the little company grew closer and closer to the camp fire, where Craig had once more taken up his violin. The professor had wandered off somewhere into the darkness and the girls were seated a little apart. They had been treated aoi:pitably but coldly 'Don t. seem to cotton to us, these "Ujl.auiu remained. 9 "They dcm'fe xk? hi," tenor* replied* "because lh?y think. we are attacr B^B Craig. 1 wonder whafc Long Jim ham been whispering, to. him, and whnfc ^^B that paper la he* baa been show tug Craig. Do pout know bow Jar. we are from the Mexican, border?'" 'IH "Not moro than five or eix nMt| ' ^B 1 believe/' Laura replied. ,^^B Lcnora rose softly to her feet andi yH strolled to the hack of the rang* *^B wagon. In a fern moments she reap- ^B pea red, carrying a piece of paper 1m ^B her hand. She stooped, down. ^B "Craig's saddling, up/' she whim fl^B pered. "Leek what he dropped." ^B She held out the paper,, on> whlcka B| was traced a roughly drawn map; ^B "That line's the # river that mnWs ^^B the Mexican border," she explaixiKli ^B "You see where Long Jim's put the* After the Wreck Another Warning. |H cross? That's where the bridge !:j* H That other cross Is the camp." She pointed away southwards. "That's the line*' she continued. H L.uuru, wiiere's the professor?" "I don't know," Laura replied "II? WM rode off some time ago; and bo was go* flfl lng to me?t Mr. Quest.' Jf If only be were here!" Lenorn muttered. 1 feel sure Craig means to I escape. There lie goes." TUoy saw him ride off into the darkness. Lenora rail to where her horse was tethered. "I'm going after him\ ' she an- I nounced. "Listen, Laura. U! tliey arrive soon, send them after me. ' She galloped off while Lauru was still undecided. Almost at that I ment she beard, from behind the wel- I come sound of horses' feet in. the oppo-* site direction and Quest galiopad up. H Laura laid her hand upon his rein. "Don't get off," Laura continue** quickly. "Craig has escaped,, riding H towards the Mexican frontier. Lanora is following him. He's gone in that B| direction." she added pointing. "When you come to the river you'll have up hunt for the bridge." Quest frowned. as he gathered upi WM his reins. ftfl "I wus afraid they'd try something I of the sort," he muttered "Tell thft H others where I've gone, Laura. H He galloped off into the darkness*. H Behind, there were some growls from* the little group ot cowboys, none ot whom, however, attempted: to intei> H fere with him. Long Jim stood. U|$ and gazed sullenly southwards. H "Cookie'll make the bridge all right,'*' I he remarked. "If the girl catches hira? H she can't do anything. And that guy'lh 'H never make it. Whoop! Here comes the rest of them." IM The inspector, with the two depur & ties, rode suddenly into the camp. The* A inspector paused to speak to Laura. ^ Ixmg Jim's eyes sparkled as he saw / tnem approach. "It's old Harris and fat Andy,' he I whispered. "We'll have come tun with. them." The older of the two deputies ap- I proached them, frowning. "Been at your games again, Long ^4 Jim?" he began. "I hear you declined I to hand over a criminal who d bee#... wf lH sheltering on your ranch? You'll get ( I into trouble before you're finished." ,.\B "Got the warrant?" Jim asked. I The deputy produced it. Long Jinn looked at it curiously and handed it I back. I "Guess the only thing you want* then, is the man." I "Better produce him quickly," the I deputy advised. ^ D Jim turned away. "Can't do it. He's beat it." I "You mean that you've let him go?'" I "Let him go?" Jim repeated. "I ain't got no right to keep him. He I took the job on a moment's notice and I he left at a moment's notice. There's I some of your party after him, all I right." I I The hunted man turned round with I a little gasp. Before him was they II rude mountain bridge, and on the I nthar ?,!#!/> J-? V.uv> ?>uc?iioeuuui. ocarceiy a doz- I en lengths away was Lenora, and I close behind her came Quest. Ho 1 slackened speed as he walked his 1 horse cautiously on to the planked '1 bridge Suddenly he gato a little cry. ''1 The frail structure, unexpectedly in- 1 secure, seemed to sway beneath bi^t I weight. Lenora, who was riding fast, . I was unable to stop herself. She came -m on to the bridge at a half canter. , I Craig, who nad reached the other -J side in safety, threw up his hands S1 "Look out! ' ne cried. "My God'.* v|