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n ' ' TOCff S???d?| SfM00v ffyGANOALLPA SYNOPSIS. Adventurous Jerry Carson embarks in search of hidden treasure with the promise of l.eontine Walcott to be his wife on his return. Her father favors Sebastian Navarre. Jerry's ship Is burned; he Is reported lost. Sebastian presses his attentions. Jerry suddenly turns up to confront charges of the Navarres against him. In a struggle for a forged paper uiego navurre 18 Kinea ana jerry i8 convicted of the murder. He escapes, and finds the treasure and a wonderful chemical pellet. I^eontino Is forced to marry Sebastian. On the honeymoou, he attacks her in a rage. Suddenly he is confronted by a weird apparition. THIRD EPISODE The Mystic Defender. I ( Leontiue staggered back against the couch, and fell, shrinking from the Thing in the corner, which still remained, the hands upraised, alt hough they held the dagger now as if to hide It from her sight. Whatever the apparition meant, it was a friendly one. It had come to save her. Then it spoke. The low voice thrilled her, and it reminded her of Jerry's own accents. "Be true to your love and courageous, and all will be well," it said. And it seemed to her as if this were Indeed the soul of her lover, returned from the haunts of death, to save her honor at the critical moment., Then, as the last tones of the voice died away, tlie Thing was gone?gone with the clatter of the falling blade, i Leoctlne managed to rise shakily to : her feet, and cross the room. Upon the rug lay tlie dagger. She C 4- .... TA. A-1 jiaueu 11 up. 11 >vu? iuj guusiiy iwechanlsm, but a very substantial blade of steel set Into a bundle of bone. It was, moreover, a dagger such as she bad seen wielded by Argentine vaquoros frequently. And a wild, hopeless hope entered her heart that Jerry was still alive. ******** * 1 Jimmy Mason, a sallow, unhealthylooking lad, stepped out of the elevator In a rather sumptuous apartment house and with unsteady fingers Inserted a key in the lock of one of the doors. As he entered the hall a pretty, attractive young woman came hurriedly out of the living room. "Jimmy!" she cried, and flung her arms round his neck. Jimmy Mason released himself from this bond of sisterly affection and went Into his den. There, taking his seat at a desk, he immersed himself In what looked like intricate mathematical complications. 4 *'A11 right at the office, Jimmy?" In quired his sister, putting her head in at the door. "As right as ever it will be," growled her brother. "Then I'm off for the cabaret," answered the girl, pinning n becoming hat upon her pretty 'lurk hair. Half an hour later Miss Muriel Mason, Just then the rage uniong the frequenters of the handsome cabaret in ~? until Solxcd Louis by ths CoMar. the whtte-ltghts district where she danced, came out of the dressing room Into the hall. A large and solid Individual with a pugilistic face confronted her. The bashfulness of his expression was reminiscent of a schoolboy's. In one hand he held a fragrant red rose. Why, what's this, Mr. Bang?" inquired the girl In pretended astonishment. Bill Bang, who occupied the humble post of "bouncer," presented Muriel with the tribute of his adoration. Thanking him prettily for the flower, Muriel pinned it to her corsage and t AUTHOR OF "BEYOND THE FRONTIER." "MAID OF THE FOREST," "MY ja |\ LADY OF THE IA 11 /Sr ' NORTH," ETC. IIW \\Jj NOVELIZED FROM THE W ~ PHOTOPLAY SERIAL \ I] OF THE SAME NAME 1 W 1 BY GEORGE B SEITZ, 1 II 0 RELEASED JSY PAT HE wjr COFVWCMT. I<?6. BY KANDAU j PARRISM RftlSH ? ? r | She mounted the stage and began to dance. I 11 or Quick eyes swept the room. In a corner of the room she saw two men i who were, she knew, newcomers. One , of them, a tull man with grayish hair, 1 and an air of distinction about his fea- ; tures, at once arrested her attention. 1 The second, who was evidently a stranger to the first man, was n little, wizened man, in an ill-fitted tuxedo, and was watching her every movement with hungry attention. j "You seem interested in Miss Mason, my friend," remarked the tall man to ui? otner. "Well, aha *lu't bad," answered th? second. Then peering curiously at his companion, In* remarked: "Haven't I seen you before, Mr. tt I "ltavengnr is my name," unswered the first man. "Mine's Louis Lamb," auid the second, letting His hand lie passive in that of his companion. "You ain't an American, though?" "I come l'rom anywhere," ltaveugar answered. "1 asked, because 1 almost thought I'd seen you." "in your dreams, your bad ones, perhaps," returned ltavengar lightly, "lint since the dancer seems to interest you, how would you like to meet her?" Louis I.ami> turned his startled eyes on the other's face. At that moment he could imagine nothing that he would like better. Kavengar saw the look and smiled. I "Come along, then," he said, as Muriel, her number ended, left the stage. They hurried through the swinging doors in time to intercept Miss Muriel on her way to her dressing room. ltavengar bowed. "Miss Mason." he said, "I want you to meet Mr. Lamb, who is a warm ad- i mirer of yours." Muriel took Mr. Lamb's hand without very much enthusiasm. "I'm pleased to meet him," she said. "But you've surely got a nerve to introduce us, when I've never seen you before." ; And, nettled by Ravengur's easy, tolerant smile, the girl upbraided him angrily. At the door of the cabaret Ravengar left his companion with a curt "good-; night." Mr. Lamb, a little dazed by the suddenness of his adventure, stood uncertainly in the crowded street, look-( ing about him. As he stood there he saw a man leave the cabaret, at the sight of whom he emitted a low whistle. Then he began to hurry after him. He caught him at the corner of the block. "Ah, Senor Navarre!" he exeluimed to Sebastian, with a mock bow. Sebastian turned, saw and recognized the other, and uttered an oath. "Well, haven't you a word for an old pal?" asked Lamb, with an unumiable grin. "What now? What do you want, and what are you doing in New York?" Sebastian demanded. "I'm making the grand tour, as our friends the French would say," re- j turned Mr. Lamb. "Come, Senor Navarre, haven't you a friendly word for your old friend, One-Lamp Louie?" "Yes, you can go to?" Sebastian began. Then he checked himself. "See here, now. what do you want?" he asked. "Money?" "Oh, I can get that from you at any time," answered the other. "I did think of looking you up; funds run-i nlng a little low. But I want more than that." "Well, out with It," growled the other. "Company," said Louie, grinning again. "I'm lonesome. I'm a little stranger in this wicked city. I want to meet your amiable wife." "I>o you think I'll admit you into my home?" shouted Sebastian. "Now, partner," remonstrated tho other, "don't take it so hard. Maybe you'JI have a check for mo in a day or two, and I can wait till I'm more I presentable. itosiues, of course, you'll get to know me nt your club first." "And then?" queried Sebastian, with ominous calmness. "I guess we (lon't need to cross i bridges till we come to them," replied the other. Suddenly he dropped his sneer. "Say, now, I'll talk straight to! you," he said. "You're going to do the right thing by me, and you ain't going to forget who I aiii, or who put that name to a certain receipt In Porto Delgado. See?" # Muriel Mason lived with only her younger brother, Jimmy. The boy had a small position In a wholesale house, which promised ultimately to become satisfactory. He had been playing the races of late, and losing steadily. Then he had taken the fatal step: He had "borrowed" money, as he called It, Intending to pay It back when the favorite won. Needless to say, the favorite did not 1 ftt. * -- ?*># apAn THE HORRY HER. WfijM:. : - vS> . _ . < ? . .fg?^S^ : :<a>^ ^|KK:><;:?jj^^H^|^^H|Bbit?^ ^IIHh f^H|^BEvv-^ Jn39ttKoHR^| ypyoy. . ?"?? There Wae a Wild Jimmy Mason saw that discovery was inevitable. It was nil hopeless. had read the suspicion in the raaimfper's face that afternoon. Since he had come home that nijfht .Tlmmy had been making desperate calculations concerning the possibility of raising the amount of the deficit. lint If )l*lll 1.1...II lwitx?ll\l>n #? ? " - ' .v iiiki ?wu in'iiuivao Hum lilt? 1)1'" ginning. Presently, hearing a ring at the hall hell, and thinking that Muriel had forgotten tier key, .Jii'iiiiiy Weill to open tin* door. He recoiled with a smothered shriek from the two men who stood confronting him. One of them displayed his detective badge. At the drst words of inquiry he stammered out a full confession. The two men heard him in silence. "I've got it all," he wept. "Only give me time. I'll get it by the day after tomorrow." "You can have till the day after tomorrow to make good." they informed him. "Rise it's Sing Sing. Don't leave the house or you'll he arrested." They left hiin, passing Muriel in the hall of the apartment house. The girl had hurried home, quite ignorant that she was being followed. As a matter of fact, Ravengar had only stepped a few yards away from Mr. I<amh, and. hidden in a secluded niche, had waited for the shurer to leave the cabaret. Then he hail followed her. Whatever had been his motives, however, he made no attempt to speak to her. At the door of the apartment house P.uveugar?vanished. The moment the detectives had left, Jimmy went to the decanter and helped himself to a long drink of whisky. He had just swallowed it when his sister entered. She saw at once that something was wrong. "Jimmy! What is it, boy?" she asked. And then, bit by bit, the pitiful story came out. "But you have the money, Jimmy, and will return it." "I've spent a thousand dollars of it," answered the boy. She clasped her hands in despair. A thousand dollars to be raised within two days! Muriel had perhaps twenty dollars in the world. She was being pressed with bills. She hud never had a bank account In her life; she drew her pay on Saturday night and brought it home, where it was promptly pounced unon bv the wnitine fr.wi itors of the week. "We'll find a way, we'll find a way," she kept repeating. Muriel went into her room. The triumphs of the evening were forgotten now. She sank down listlessly in a chair and, leaning her face upon hot hands, gave herself up to desperate imaginings. How could the money he raised? She must raise it. Suddenly she started up with a low cry. Something was in the room, something appearing out of the corner in which her desk was placed. It was a hand?nothing hut a hand. Out. of the hand there dropped a roll of bills. At the same time a pencil materialized in the fingers and began to write on the pad. Then tin1 band vanished, and Muriel rushed to the pad ami read: "Lure the confession of n certain forgery from Louis Lamb tomorrow night and the thousand dollars necessary to save your brother shall he yours. Here are five hundred in ail vunce, ?s evidence of good faith." Muriel picked up the roll of bills. They totaled live hundred dollars. ******** < Since her dramatic protection from j Sebastian's advances a few nights bei fore Leontine hud lived In terror ol ; the man whose nominal wife she was Sebastian, with the superstition ol the Spaniard, firmly believed that Le ontlne had been saved by some super ' natural protector. Meanwhile he had assumed agati his attitude of civility toward her I They went about together; and Leon tine was glad to have him take hei from the apartment into public places where at least she was safe from him On the evening after Muriel's dls covery of the apparition, Sebastlai had suggested that she accompnn; him to see the dancer, who had be 1 come the talk of the town. Louie Lamb had decided to play i SLD, CONWAY, S O. __ f^itfy *k~ ' ' ' ' .#. iMifc.^M jS9N?|fl|^D^ 8^^^qvx^H^HB| g^W ! :> v fwJK^ RJrl ,v Rush for the Door. while he had k?uc to the cabaret to see the beautiful dancer. At the same table he saw the same man who had been there the ni^ht befrv... !),...?..~.._ rm. .. a. ... I JV?I? Hiivcii^iir. i !?% IWO Ilien 1KX1U0U. j Louie, finding that Rnvengnr was not i disposed to be communicative, watched J him curiously. Why hud Haveugar come buck to the cabaret. nnd what was the moaning of ids watchful investigation of Muriel's face? He looked from nnveflgar to Muriel, i and, to his astonishment nnd joy. ro1 alized that Muriel was looking at him. ; Moreover, there was an invitation in her glance. She seemed, in fact, to have eyes for him alone. Louie licked his lips. He knew. He was not mistaken. The thought that this beautiful dancer was interested in him almost i overcame him. He war. so absorbed it) his relied ions that lie hardly noticed the t.ain and woman who came to the table and sat down until the dancer had disappeared. She was to dance again later that evening. Afterward Louie would go to her. When he looked tit the newcomers he discovered that they were Sebastian j and Leontine. The recognition between Louie and th#? A rcont i n.? w.w ui nmlt ...... ~ ?...? .v... "Won't you introduce me to madam?" inquired t lie little crook i blandly. "Leontlne, let tne lntrodttce Mr. Lamb, an old acquaintance of mine," ' j muttered Sebastian, i "A business acquaintance," said ! Louie, smiling. "Let tne, in turn, introI duce my friend, Mr. Ituvengur." Sebastian, introduced, in turn, looked dubiously at Louie's distinguished companion. In the dressing room Muriel Mason waited for her final turn. The thought of her project filled her with very mixed emotions. The second turn came, and Muriel, dismissing her troubles, hurried onto the stage. When the dance was over Muriel waited in the hall. A cluster of chorus girls, each carrying a lighted brazier, came out of the dressing room rml stood chattering together, waiting lor their turn. Muriel drew back a little from them. She wished her mooting with Louis to appear as accidental as poss ible. A moment later she saw Louie come quickly through the swinging doors and glance about him. He saw her. The dancer drew back toward one of the lounges and stood there, apparently absorbed in thought. Louie hurried up to her and took i her by the hand, urging her to sit down beside him. Hill Hang, who had no eyes but for j her, saw the look of involuntary Uis! gust cross her face. That was enough for him. With a growl he started toward them, stopped, | touched down deliberately, took Louie by the collar, and flung him several I yards away. ; As Louie sprawled to the floor, one | of the chorus girls, who had been lute, j came hurrying out of the dressing | room, her lit brazier in her hand. Louie's fall sent It spinning. The couls lay strewn along the floor and upon the silken hangings before the swinging doors. Instantly a tlaine shot up. Muriel leaped from the couch in fury. All her shame, all her plans had come to nothing. The act of the big fool hud ruined Jimmy. "Fire! Fire!" someone was yelling. The whole cabaret was afire. The i flames were streaming from the win { nows, ana uie air was nueu wuu smoke. . Muriel, panic-stricken, had Instinctively run for the emergency exit. She \ gained It and stood in the street, uncertain what to do. She wanted to help, yet she could not go back into that inferno. Then she wus aware of Bill BAng at 1 her side. "They don't know this way out," he yelled above the crowd. "Go home, r Miss Muriel. I'm going back for the *. others, to tell them?" die had plunged back into the smoke again, and, filled with remorse for her \ words to him, Muriel looked after him | in an agony of fear. Firemen, dashing through the smoke, were carrying out those injured in the * melee. Bill Bang saw a man lying half pinned under a fallen beam, i Bang raised the fallen man In his arms and began to stagger out with him toward the emergency etflt. But i the man struggled free and stood upon ( his feet. Then only did Bang realize that It was Louie Lamb. Side by side they made their way to I where Muriel was standing. At the sight of Louie Muriel shuddered; then, j controlling herself, she said, gently: ! I "I'm glad you ure not hurt, Mr. j Lamb.* She took a step forward. Louis Lamb looked at her vacantly. "I don't know you. 1 don't know you," he muttered. I And in his empty glance Muriel read the extent of the disaster that had befallen him. Louie Lamb stared out at Broadway. | "This isn't Buenos Aires," he cried. "Where am I? What has happened to me 7" | He looked vacantly about him and began stumbling through the colling | smoke into the heart of the district. ( Muriel knew that her plan had gone awry; that whatever the secret might he which Louie had once possessed, It had gone from him forever. I Terrified, she hurried out of the place, caught a street ear and made j ! her way homeward. There was no ; way of saving Jimmy now! Site found the boy lying hack in his elmir in the Hrtng room, sunk into a dull apathy. She ran to him, kneeled at his side, und placed her arm about mm. I "Oh, Jimmy!" she wept, i Then Muriel screamed and stared Into ; the corner of the room where stood her brot her's desk. I Its eyes followed her own; his teeth began to chatter. The pencil which lay on Jimmy's desk had begun to poise itself in the air, as If held by invisible lingers. Then an invisible hand picked up the pad that had lain beside it aud scribbled oil it. Out of tlie air a second roll of bills dropped. It fluttered to the desk. The j hand laid down the pencil and the pad. The vision vanished. Muriel ran to the desk, [licked up the pad and read : "You tried your host. Better luck next time. Here is the balance of the thousand dollars." Muriel snatched up the bills. There were live hundred more. She thrust them into her brother's hands, and brother and sister clung to each other fearfully, wondering, fearing, but happy in this mystic intervention. ******** * Ravengar, left alone with Sebastian and Leontine, dropped his attitude of absorption and became communicative. His manners were fascinating, and soon the throe were engaged in an animated conversation. Suddenly the cry of "Fire!" rang through the cabaret. They started up with the crowd, ...1.I..I. 1 N\im:u NIOUU UUCeriUlIliy, lOOKUlg 10ward tlie entrance, through which a thin wisp of smoke was curling. The manager ran upon the stage. "Keep your seats, ladies and gentlemen. It is only u brazier that has been overturned," he suid. ! Hut as the audience was resettling Itself doubtfully, while ladies gruspexl their cloaks and men felt for their i hat checks, screams rang out, and the j coil of smoke suddenly became a whirling cloud tliut drifted in and tilled the cabaret. 1 Instantly confusion reigned. There was a wild rush for the door. The band struck up a lively march in vain; then suddenly the members threw down their pieces and ran for safety, j i The fearful crush in the hall was repeated Inside the cabaret, ltavengar and Sebustlan, linking hunds, hurried Lcontine along between them. They 1 had nearly reached the door, where the crush was thickest, when Leontine , stumbled and fell. At the same mo- ' ment ltavengar, torn away by the crowd, was almost hurled through the doors. utrArd oil Klo I IAAV ?M H/ f V I I II ail IIIO llll^lll l\/ 1 Cturn to her, but he might as well huvo struggled against an avalanche. With difficulty he managed to retain himself in an upright position, instead of fulling among the writhing bodies; and thus he was forced bodily out of the hall into the street. When Leontine stumbled, Sebastian stooped to pick her up, but a man staggered, cursing, into him. Sebastian hesitated. If he bent down for his wife, he saw that it would be impossible to regain his footing. He let her go with a curse and sought safety in flight. Leontine had fallen before a window near the elevator shaft. Somewhat jjrotected by the bodies that were piled about her, she lay there, half conscious, gasping in the ucrld fumes of the burning woodwork that coiled about her. Suddenly, out of the fog of uncon sclousness, she hoard her name called. There was a shattering of glass. A breath of wind dispersed the smoke. She opened her eyes, to see Itavengar at the window. He scrambled through, pulled her from under the fallen and, lifting her in his arms, helped her to safety. His hands were bleeding from the broken glass and his face stained with smoke. He set her down, gasping, upon the sidewalk and bent over her. "Thank God you are alive!*' he exclaimed. fervently. The devotion in his manner was evident to the girl even then. She staggered to her feet and stood facing ; him. Incapable of speech. The tears came Into her eyes. She thought of 1 Jerry and the old days In Delgado, and the tenderness upoi( my (ace 1 might have been for Ravengar. ' 5 Au Interested spectator of this epl' sode was Sebastiun, who, having re ccvored from his fright, war Blinking In (rout of the burning building when be came upon liis v Ife and her reseller. For a full minute he stood t watching them, his features distorted into an ugly scowl. Then he saw Leontlne extend Ravengar her hand, and Huvengar raise it to his lips, and, lifting his hat, turn away. Sebastian hurried up. "Thank heaven your are safe, IiContlne!" he exclaimed. "No thanks to you," answered Leant ine curtly. Sebastian bit his lip, but did not answer. and, side by side, they made their way to a taxicab. They did not speak during the drive homeward. But Sebastian's brain was burning. He realized that a critical point" In their relationship had bom reached. And he brooded over the memory ot what he considered his wrongs. He thought of the long years he hud loved her in Porto Delgado. She had loved Jerry Carson, the young American author, with his crazy device for discovering burled treasure, ,1 nil fui'l'* lw./l milln/l " ? .. ? -1 " - MW??,T "?VI nuiiru tl?<1,? | 1IIIU oebust inn buil watted patiently anil not r? " ? .in Ravengar Lifted Her in His Arms and Helped Her to Safety. pressed his suit too hurd. Then Jerry hud returned, to discover Sebastian'sbrother Diego in the uct of showing Leon tine that forged receipt with Jerry's nuine attached to it. That had been a trick, Justified by all the rules of war. Jerry hud killed Diego, as Sebastian. , firmly believed, and had afterward died on the convict ship. At last Leontine had consented to become Sebastian's wife, to save her futher from bankruptcy. What if there had been an agreement that their relationship should be one in name only? Sebustian felt that he had been gulled, lie hud squandered thousands on the girl, and hever had she shown a particle of affection > toward him. Now the sight of Leontine and ltavengar was the touch of flame to tow. 1 le would never permit the man to win her from him. lie made that resolution before the tuxicab stopped at their apartment house. He followed Leoutine |nto the re- j ception room, where she took off her wrups. When she turned, she saw by , the look on the man's face that she would again have to fight for the ob- . servnnce of his pledge. "Leontine!" began Sebastiun, taking ( her by the arms. s "Sebastian, you?you?" "I have had enough of this," Sebastlan answered. "You are my wife, uud J you treat me like a dog. You pretend 1 to be incapuble of love, that your love V is bound up with that dead convict?" 1 "You shall not call him that! Jerrv J wns innocent!" cried Leontine, with I iiaming eyes. I "Well, he's dead now," sneered Se- fl busttun. "And you huve married me." a lie seized her in his arms, hut she X broke away from him and ran into ft I corner of t lie room. "Sebastian, I m trusted to your honor!" she cried. "Se- fl bastion, perhaps 1 can learn to love I you if you will give me time?" I She did not know what she said in A her terror of him. He caught her In his arms again. Then, once again, there came the H mystic intervention. Nearer now than H before, at the height of a man's head, M and this time in the center of the room, the two eyes glared at Sebas- fl tian. And underneath the eyes were H the two white hands clutching the H dagger. V Leon tine screamed, and again Se-\ bastlan. inoklnir tin ho ' 9 . v M|/| uwn LIIV j.?;ua&UB apparition. As he looked the dagger fl flashed toward him. fl Thoroughly cowed, he screamed and bolted for his room, In which he locked B himself.- I^eontlne stood In no fur- fl ther danger from him. He knew now V that his wife was guarded by this mee-s senger from the supernatural. \ I Again Leoutine heard the voice speak. flj 4,Re true to your love of Jerry and I be brave. All will be,well," it said. /H ller heart lcuped up with thankful- rH noss. This time the name of her lover hud beeu spoken, whereas before the