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SIX TOCf # sficccLpi SffAOOC ey RANOACC PA SYNOPSIS. Adventurous Jerry Carson embarks In search of hidden treasure with the promise of Loonttne 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 Diego Navarre is killed and Jerry is convicted of the murder. He escapes, and finds the treasure and a wonderful chemical pellet. Leontine is forced to marry Sebastian. On the honeymoon, he attacks her in a rage. Suddenly he is confronted by a weird apparition. Ravengar forces a confession from Louie. Sebastian attempts to get it. An earthquake occurs; in the excitement Red Finn steals the confession and tiees. He appears in New York as Romanoff and enlists the aid of Madame Blaneu. Leontine confronts her husband in the gambling house. The Shadow battles for her and she escapes with the confession. One-Lamp Louie follows her and takes the paper from hor. The Shadow saves Navarre from robbery. Romanoff attempts to kidnap Sebastian and Leon- j tine, but Ravengar appears to thwart them. Biarvca and her thugs are puzzled j by Ravengar's repeated escapos and returns to his cellar prison. , Seventh Episode. . The Awakening. Suddenly Rlanca turned on Roman- I off and his companions and ordered them from the cellar. Nothing loath to escape the anger of their employer, ' they tiled away. Bianca closed the I door behind them and seated herself upon the couch at ftuvengar's side. "Why don't you like me?" she asked. Ravengar rose to his feet, with the suspicion of a mocking smile on his face. "Indeed, madame, in spite of my imprisonment here I have conceived the j highest respect for my jailor," he answered. Bianca turned furiously upon him. "It isn't often that I have praetU catty to^d a man that I am interested in him," she cried. "Tills is the second time that I have?I have admitted it to you." Ravengar looked at her so searchiugly that Bianca, even in her angry humiliation, felt baflled. She Hung herstjjf from the cellar and bolted the door 011 the outside. Then she went up to her boudoir und threw herself upon the lounge in an agony of humiliation. Suddenly, as she raised her eyes, she saw in the far corner of the room | the same mysterious vision as before. \ There were the two flaming eyes, the ; death-white hands; and, as she j watched, she saw the hands trace, in phosphorescent letters upon the air, the message: "If you would win Itavengar's love, 1 obtain from Sebastian Navarre a confession of the forgery whicli blackens , the name of a dead man." She spraug to her feet and ran ; across the room. The writing faded out. The corner was empty. She recoiled in terror. The same : warning as before, and obviously a ! spirit warning! What did it mean? She resolved to get the confession from Sebastian. A ring! Woo Lee stood In the doorway. He indicated that a visitor stood in the hall. "All right. I'll see him," said B1anca. To her amazement, almost horror, Sebastian himself came into the room. He looked at her for a moment. Then he bowed and came forward, his smile answering Bianca's own. "I'm sorry that business matter didn't i go through," he said. "I might have j bought that so-called confession j from you. Of course it was blackmail, ; but my wife was making trouble for j me." "Wives generally do make trouble," said Bianca, with the wit of her kind. "Won't you sit down, Sonor Navarre?" He took his seat beside her. "I j don't know what happened to that wretched puper," he continued, "but my wife lost it or had it stolen. Anyway, that's all over now, and this time I haven't come on business." "On what, then?" nsked Bianca very alluringly. "Pleasure," answered Sebastian. "To see you. Bianca, I?" Bianca leaned toward him, smiling; Bianca's face was very near his own. He clasped her in his arms and their lips met. The charms of Bianca had supplanted the desirability for Leontlne in Sebastian's mind. The woman whom he had married under so strange a compact, that she was to be his wife in name, whom he had pursued so relentlessly, now faded out of the man's mind. To her relief, almost gratitude, Leontlne found that Sebastian cared for her no longer. And this meant happiness to her. Since the death of her lover of long ago, Jerry Carson, in the convict camp, she had felt incapable of loving. Sebastian's new indifference enabled her to face life with tranquillity again. She went into society, with Sebastian's equal indifference; and that was how she found herself with Mr. Bob Hamilton on the grounds of the Dirigible > G^) AUTHOR OF "BE> YOND THE FRONl TIER" "MAID OF 1 THE FOREST." "I1Y A CV LADY OF THE IjUl/rr NORTH." ETC. iPMf Vjj NOVELIZED FROM THE W^r PHOTOPLAY SERIAL ^ ^ 0 OF THE SAME NAME || A 1 BY GEORGE B SEITZ. II II 0 RELEASED BY PATHE. >W 1 corvnioHT me. it ramoau pakkjsm | ffftrSH 7 7 7 club one bright spring afternoon. They motored out together, with Sebastian's approvaL Mr. Hamilton was a young balloon enthusiast; he was to fly in the long-distance race the following week. Bob turned to Leontlne. "I am thlukIng of asking a very during request. Mrs. Navarre," he said. "Don't be afraid," replied Leontlne, laughing. "You know each balloon Is to carry 1 a pilot and passenger. The passenger who was to have accompanied me ?my sister-in-law, backed out yesterday. IIow would you like to come, Mrs. Navarre?" "I should love It," said Leontlne enthusiastically. "May we regard It as settled," persisted Bob. "If my husband doesn't object," said Leontlne. "Oh, no, I don't believe he will." "Why, there is Sonor Navarre!" exclaimed Hob Hamilton suddenly turnin#?. Following his look, Leontlno perceived her husband, accompanying a flashily dressed woman of singular beauty?in fact, Hianca. 1 Sebastian hnd accepted Bianca's in- 1 vitation to motor out to the grounds, j in spite of the knowledge that his wife would be there. Ills infatuation for Iiianca had grown steadily. Now, see- , ing himself observed, he left her and came to Loontine rather sullenly. "Sebastian, Mr. Hamilton wants me to be his passenger in the balloon llight next week," said Leontlue. "Shalt I?" "K.v all means, if you wish," answered Sebastian, mentally computing the chances of an accident. She looked about her while the two men engaged in conversation. Her eyes f??11 upon a sportily clothed man | of middle age, who, leaning against a rope, was watching the grounds. Loontine started. She recognized the man. It was the little crook, Louis Lamb, or One-Lamp Louie. Another man had recognized OneLamp Louie. This was Avery, Mr. Hamilton's assistant in the shed, a sinister-looking individual?in fact, one of those typical hangers-on of all athletic and sports meetings. lie stared at Louie in astonishment; then ' he Hung the fag of his cigarette away and went up to him. "Hello, One-Lamp!" he said easily. "Don't you remember your old pal Avery who did time with you three years ago?" Louie gazed at him dully. "I never | saw you in my life before," he answered. And while Avery, completely taken aback, stared at him, Louie sauntered away through the thinning crowds in the direction of the madhouse. Since Louie had received the blow on the head from a falling beam in j the cabaret fire, he had had no memo- ; rles whatever of his past life. Another man upon the grounds had j recognized Louie. This was Romanoff, : Hianca's chief accomplice. Romanoff knew all about Louie. He followed Louie to the madhouse ; and waited while Louie tossed down a i glass of whisky. The little crook came | out and glanced cautiously about him. and then made his way toward a secluded spot in the hushes near by. Romanoff crept stealthily after him. : He saw Louie leaning against a tree, ' counting out his bills. Romanoff drew : rnvnlvnr hie ?iiwl I The'butt descended on Louie's lioud. With a fearful cry Louie tumbled pros-1 trate among the trees. Romanoff snatched the wallet from his hand and} 1 disappeared through the undergrowth. A moment later the car containing' Leontine and Rob Hamilton came from the grounds. "What was that?" exclaimed Leontine, laying her hand on her companion's arm. Bob stopped the car and sprang into the road. A faint moaning was heard | ! among the bushes at one side. lie i pushed the overhanging shrubs apart j and came upon Louie, half-conscious, with a gaping wound In his head. Looking up, he saw that Leontine had followed him. "Why, it's?it's Louis Lamb!" exclaimed Leontine, suddenly remembering the little man's name. "He must have been slugged. We'd better take him to a hospital," suggested Bob. "No!" cried Leontine. "Take him to my home." "But, Mrs. Navarre?" protested Boh. i "I fnpnn tiiflt ttiHk \ffr 1l,nnii?An ?? I - ? ? ? <f ? ~ ?"?" ? ? ?? l"U| Leontine. Sebastian, returning later Iq the | afternoon, was vaguely conscious of a i stir in the apartment. Entering Leontine's boudoir, he discovered his wife' seated beside the couch on which lay the figure of a man. "Nothing happened to HamiltonV* j he asked, hurrying forward. The look in his wife's eyes frightened him. He advanced to the side of the couch. To his horror he found v' > THB KOUfcT Hfifi himself looking again Into the face of hla companion of the forgery, the man whom he had last seen at White's Village, in western Canada. As he stood staring at Louie In mingled terror and rage he saw that Louie's eyes were open. And there was a look of recognition In them. Leontlne had left the room. Sebastian and Ixmie looked at each other. Then Louie spoke. "I know you, Sebastian Navarre," he said. "You paid me to forge the | vaper which Jerry Carson was supposed to huve given you in return for that money you never lent him." I Sebastian quivered, as If he were about to spring at Louie's throat. He could not know that the stunning blow on the head had restored Louie's memory as it had been before he received the first blow from the falling beam at the cabaret fire. Louis Lamb rose to his feet and staggered toward him, pushing out weakly with his hands. "Lerame go!" he said, looking at Sebastian sourly. "Take your hands off me. You got no right to stop me." He pushed past him and encountered Leontine In the doorway. She tried to stop him, but Louie evaded her and passed into the hall. Leontine and Sebastian, looking at each other, heard his lumbering footsteps pass along tTie floor, heard the door open and close. Louie was gone. And still they looked into each other's eyes. "Did you hoar what that fellow said?" Sebastian asked. Leontine nodded quietly. I "What did he mean? Who Is he? I don't remember seeing Uiiu before? AAV AO I I ^ ( illlj <1J. "I don't believe it," she returned. "Leontine,' lie said, "I guess we have made a mistake over our marriage. I was to blame. Will you agree to divorce me if 1 give you the op- ! portonlty?" Leontine raised her head, and it was a long time before she answered , him. "You shall have your divorce," she said, "when you have confessed your crime and cleared Jerry Carson's name." "^o you did recognize me this morn-1 ing, eh?" One-Lamp Louie looked at Avery, Lob Hamilton's assistant, in astonishment. "I don't know what you mean," he answered. "I never saw you this morning." "What do you mean, One-Lamp? Weren't you on these grounds this morning, and didn't I speak to you, and didn't you tell me that you'd never seen me before?" "I dunno," said Louie weakly. "I been sick. Somebody slugged me and picked my pocket. I can't remember ; much. I want to talk to you on buslness, Avery." 14 T 1 "X XT f A% * *. ui-iiiii iur?. rxavarre saying uuu slio was going up with your boss, Bob Hamilton." "Maybe she is. Maybe she ain't. What business is it of yours?" "Suppose Mr. Hamilton was taken sick. Wouldn't you go up with her then?" "Maybe I would. Why?" "And suppose there was an accident up aloft, what would happen?" per- ; sisted Louie. "Suppose a dare bomb was to be set oil' wrong and the bal "He Came Into My Room, Knocked Me Down, Gagged Me and Tied Me to the Bedpoatl" loon got burned?you'd have about half a minute to get uway in your parachute, wouldn't you?" "What of it?" "You couldn't both get away in the parachute? She'd croak, wouldn't she? Croak up there in the burning balloon, and then down she'd come?phutr? like a rocket." "Say, what are you driving at?" demaided Avery, rising to his feet and looking fixedly at Louie. Louie extracted a wallet from his POI'KCH. "Fifteen hundred, nnd the same afterward," he said. "Now, am I talkins sense, Avery?" "I guess so," muttered the pilot, picking up the bills. "Sit down, One LALD. OMWAT, AO. Lamp. Tell me what the meaning of the game Is and just what you want rae to dot." a At midnight Sebastian's telephone rang. Sebastian, who was brooding in his library, took down the receiver irritably. "Well?" he demanded. "This is your friend. One-Lamp Louie," answered the voice. "You?you?" sputtered Sebastian. "Keep calm, old pal. I said 'your friend.' I guess she's got It on us all right, and she'll put it across unless we do something. Kver hear of her friend. Boh Hamilton?" "Confound you, whut do you want?" "Huve your friend Bob to lunch bbfore you start for the ground. If ne gets taken sick at your house everything will con>e out all right. Hey! Cut out the questions. I'll attend to the rest ot the business. Good-by." Bob Hamilton was In high spirits at the luncheon, and Sebastian showed all the graciousness of which he was capable. Navarre poured out two liquor glasses of cordial. Bob raised his toward Leontlne. "To a successful flight, madnme," he said smiling. "Queer taste to that stuff," said Bob. "Pretty strong, though." "It is strong," said Sebastian smiling. "My friend must have l>jpen joking when he told tue it was like light I \V?!1 T tliinlr T VI \ ll| A liUUU A IIVUA laic: (IUIU at the door." He went out. Leontine and Boh were together. The girl looked in astonishment at Bob's flushed face. "I guess we'd better he?starting," said Bob, with something of an effort. lie was watching her in perplexity. "Come along," he said of- j fering her his arm. Only he offered j it to space, bes'de her. He put his , hand to his head. "I guesh that cordial?pretty shtrong ! slituff," said Boh. "Mr. Hamilton! What is the matter?" asked Leontine, as he swayed and clutched at the table. Sebastian appeared in the doorway, cool and suave as before. "We're r?ady," he said. "Heady, Leontine? Mr. Hamilton? Why?aren't you feel- j ing well?" "I'm all right," muttered Bob thick- i ly. "Pretty?shtrong slituff?" lie tumbled forward on the floor. "Telephone the doctor ! Quick !" insisted Leontine. Sebastian ran to the telephone In the hall. Leontine kneeled beside Boh Hamilton, who opened his eyes and looker! lit hor In 11 dn'/iwl wnv I "Oh, what is the matter?" she cried. "Wine?drugged," said Bob thickly. "Not old Sebastian's fault. I Butler bribed, perhaps. Rivals hate i my balloon." "Never mind the balloon, Mr. Hamilton," cried Leontiue, half crying. Bob struggled up on the lounge. Outside Leontiue could hear Sebastian telephoning. And she knew instinctively that he had drugged the cordial. "Listen," muttered Bob, sitting up. "If I can't go?you must go with my man Avery. Promise me, Madame Nuvarre." "Oh, I can't go up?I'm not thinking of that at all," said Leontine. "You must. You must start at once, i Promise me," persisted Bob. "I promise, then," said Leontine. "I'm all right now," said Bob, trying to rise as Sebastian came In. "I'm going?take you." "Nonsense," said Sebastian, hurrying forward. "We must take care of you until you are better, Mr. Humilj ton." Bob loaned against the lounge and shook his head. "No. Got to go up in the balloon," he said, i At that moment the doctor entered. He was a Spaniard, a crony of Sebastian's, and Leontine knew that she | would get no help from him. He made a swift examination of the patient. "What is it?" Sebastian asked. "I should say," said the doctor suavely, "that this gentleman has been dining not wisely, but too well." I *' \T AnconcA I" T ?? ? imucn-u.n- . i-Aviiiiiuru uciiiiiiur mi* grily. "Mr. Hamilton has been drugged." The doctor looked at her quizzically. "Of that, ma da me, you are the only possible judge," he answered. She looked at Sebastian defiantly, lie opened his mouth as if to speak; then turned awuy and shrugged his shoulders again. With some show of feeling he assisted Hob into the auto and watched it roll away. ******* Leontine had a curious sense of personal recognition when she met Avery at the grounds. They were a little late, for the oth or balloons were ready to begin the ! llight. A long line of the giant spheres j filled the grounds, and an immense crowd pressed and Jostled about them. Suddenly Leontine saw a sight which sent a shiver through her. Not far away among the crowd, were her husband and the woman Hlanca. Then Leontine perceived another thing which added to her disquietude. Approaching her car was the little croflk th? ntun thA host W? (HUM IT tlVIU nilV ?IUT? carried to hor t^ome after the attack on him. He was coming straight toward hor, and as Avery descended to tost the ropes he saw Louie approach him and begin to speak to him. Loon tine's mind went drifting off, as was its wont, to the memories of Jerry in far-away Argentina, and she did not see the look of astonishment upon One-Lnntp's face as he accosted Avery. The mechanician, smiling grimly, t i iti - ' \ i ? I?: :?? J \, ' 3 .1 14U ** km J y 1 \sf?/ v.. ,v t ' ?. ..< k "This Will Carry You climbed back into the car. At that hidmeat Sebastian approached. He hud decided to speak with Leontlne. 4 "Leontine?" he began. The ^rii*l saw remorse upon his face. Iler husband seemed torn by some internal struggle. "Leontine," he began ; again, "if you decide not to go?" Then Leontine saw Blanca, beautif nl, alluring, smiling at Sebastian from where she stood among the crowd. The look of remorse disappeared from Sebastian's face. He bent toward her and kissed her. "I hope you'll have a pleasant trip," he said. "Stand clear!" shouted the pilot. Men were releasing all the ropes of the balloons simultaneously. The great gas spheres strained upward. At that moment a man, luitless, coatless, and disheveled, came running out of the shed in which llnmilton'8 bulloon had been housed. He rushed up i to One-Lamp Louie and gibbered excitedly, pointing to where the balloon I was already shooting upward into the | sUy, Louie stared at him in consternu- j tlon. "Avery?" he yelled, above the din of | the applauding multitude. ''Who?who ?who's the man, your double, in the | car?" Avery, shaking with excitement, an- ! swered in Louie's ear: "I don't know. I never saw him before. He came into my room an hour ago, knocked me down, gagged me, and tied me to the bedpost. I've I only just worked free." Louie gripped his arm fiercely. "You've busted everything!" he screamed. "You've cooked my goose and yours too. Gimme back that money!" "Well, I guess not," answered Avery with a grin. "It's all right, partner." "What d'yer mean?" "The tlare bomb's hidden in the basket of the car, and it's set to go off at halfpast eight o'clock this evening. Am t that what you wanted, One 1 Lamp?" Leontlne felt no fear as the earth seemed to slip away beneath her. She leaned dreamily over the edge of the basket and watched the crowds grow j smaller, until the black sea of heads beneath was only a blur. She fell to watching her silent companion, who busied himself with his anemometer and hygrometer. Already, under his guidance, Avery's balloon had taken the lead, and the rest tapered off in a straggling line, the last disappearing in the mists of the horizon. Slowly the sun dipped into the west. The fleet of balloons had vanished in the distance. They were high above j the clouds now, floating in a trans? A. ,11 ^ m ^ _ i A. a. i fm pa rem iueuiuin 01 paieai uiue. xue ; gorgeous dying orb dipped on the horizon. It disappeared in a yell of redden-1 ing clouds. These faded. The stars appeared. The moon shone, hard and brilliant, overhead. Night fell. Leontine was aware that her companion was looking at her. "Are you happier?" he asked gently. Two tears stole down Leontlne's checks. She could not answer him. Again the thought of the mysterious llavengar came to her. Who was this Ravengar? And who was this Avery? Suddenly Leontine saw a look of horror in her companion's eyes. He was looking at the bottom of the car. Leon 1 , <' . . . s>r ,.* * - . -tV. * V ,V - >V Down Safely," He Said. :ii.?* 5jereei ved a small wisp of sinokc coiling up among the basket-work. Instantly the man had leaped forward to where a small lire extinguisher hung. lie snatched it up, inverted it,and directed a steady stream from the nozzle upon the blaze. Leontine heard a sputtering sound. The smoke disappeared, to reappear in half a dozen other places. The whole bottom of tin car was smoldering, and the fluid from the lire extinguisher seemed to have in effect upon it, unless to intensify tin conflagration. A little spurt of fire was seen. It seemed to leap into existence. It rat along the bottom of the basket. The fire extinguisher was empty. The man in the car cast a frenzied look upward at the great balloon, its? silken coat filled with inflammable hydrogen gas. Already the gas was expanding under (ho influence of the heat, and the balloon was shooting up wurd with prodigious rapidity. "There's going to he an explosion* In ir> seconds," said Lcontlne's companion, dragging the parachute from Its rest, lie thrust the handle Into hot hands. "This will carry you down safely," he said. "Don't let go. Un" derstnnd me? Don't let go. Now, jump.' And he drew her toward the edge of the car. The basket was ablaze from end tc end. Yet Leontine hesitated. It wa> fearful, standing there in the midst of the circling llames and looking dowi into those lleecy clouds beneath. "Jump!" cried the man, and forcec her over the car's edge. Leontine fell into space. As sh?v, did so the other pulled the cord tha. opened the valve. The great ballooi shot downward, passing her. Then shl<V fell swiftly, and the parachute passerT the balloon in turn. The dizzy downward turned Leontine faint. \\\M* * all the intensity of which she wi.'' capable, she clung to the parachute handle. Then the swift descent ceaset as the wind opened the parachute. Sh< was falling earthward softly, as i feather might fall. Above her hea< was the black outline of the burn!in balloon. And standing in the mlds ( of the flames Leontine saw her com paniou. The parachute plunged down. Tin sea rushed up to meet it. Leontine fel ( the dazing shock of the icy water. Sin felt the surface close above her head Then the parachute bobbed up lik? a cork, and, faint and dizzy, the gir found herself afloat on the waves, tin parachute and cork supports holding her buoyantly. Above her head she saw the her; mass that hurtled downward. As she watched, horror-stricken, sh< | saw a column of flume shoot upward I For one moment the lurid light playe? about the balloon, gilding It agalns | the sky. Silhouetted beneath th I sphere she saw the figure of the pilot ' standing bareheaded, a tiny outlin I thftt riinannanraH an u>UK o tavniAn o* %?V%i M *7f TTIMI U iV * * * a V. V* plosion, the balloon burst and vaD lshed. Then something cnrae falling fror above. It was the long rope that hun, from the bottom of the balloon. Leon 1 tine's companion was clinging to H He had jumped for it at the moinen J when the explosion occurred. Nov 1 from a height of 200 feet, he fei | plunging Into the waves, i Leontine cried out in horror as h fell Into the wuter, not a dozen pace 1 from where she flouted.. She sprang t ' r :