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T Louis Joseph Vance < MOVELIZ.AVTION OF THE MOTION NAI1ET. PRODUCED FOR VAC IMTFRWj liMDLR THE" .DIRECT/ON OF WHARTOp,^ THE CAST. MRS. VERNON CASTLE as Patria /Charming. MILTON iSILLS as DonaJd Parr. WARNER OLANO as Baron Hurokj. nr?RnTw>v r. r p p w 9C r3nnu Adair. SYNOPSIS. llnron Hurotei, chief of the Japanese aeciot service in America, conspiring to embroil tlie United States with Mexico, desires control of the Mr eat Chancing munitions plants owned by Putria?last of "The Fighting v'hanninus" and sole executrix or the SiW.O'O.i.xhi trust secretly ereaie.d by patriotic progenitors to combat the national ;>? riis inherent in "unprepareilness." ! ils schemes failing through the opp< dtlon of l'atria and lit r fiance, <'npt. 1'or.t ld Parr, Huroki in revenge causes tlu destructn n by five of vast stores of mi..' it ions in the i'h&Rning freight yards tie.-r liayonne a hulorat;: i in which Pat riu .in! PonaM est tpt onuiliilution by tlie n: v iwi st of chancesi. NINTH EPISODE Cat's Paw and Scapegoat. THE CONVENTIONAL THING. 'That night had lwvn sultry, n nicrht <>i heat rendered tin- more oppressive by humidity, a true '.Manhattan nipht ?of August. P.ut the *2?v that followed .broke upon tlie uneasy eitv in dawnJight so pitilessly elisor that at least one belated wayfarer, half dulled senses suddenly slirrlciir to appreciate that tlie friendly cloak of dai'KHess was no more for him. was seized with a little tit of shivering, as if cliilJed. Ilis trembling Anders strive to draw 1 ogctber the front of his ,-oat. .a fruitless effort. Looking down stngrilv. he discovered a wine spattered expanse of white gaping between the edge of Ids dress coat?something, of course, not btlilt t o he hlJl toiled. Mumbling pettishly mm inane oath, vhe belated one glanced furtiwly round to cee whether. by mischance, anybody else wore abroad to bo a witness to itlie wltlessness; then. roat? mi red to ?<*rj himself the lonely tenant of an empty nide street, pulled ljimself together after a fashion and resumed a desultory course toward bis lodgings. This was the figure, in the role of r: Voted suitor for the hotel of I'atria Channlng, out by Mr. Rodney Wrenu ?in his sober senses not inaptly to be yenned a gentleman. >%s his struggling feet wove their fiUioert/jfn way upon the sidewalk, a motorcar of the touring type overtook ' blip, folded the next corner, and (lis- ( nppeftwah Mr. Wrepr) was aware of its transit, blft WJJS likewise sufficiently Htviire of hi* condition to wish not to be seen, even by strangers, fie held Ids face averted till the car had passed. Had he looked up be would 1 have recognized the face of the worn* j pn*: he ioved, or thought lie loved, fuit 1 the vP1* >Lrnitlon would have been one- ' sided. S| She lay. with s closed, as If she slept, In the arc- of Oapt. Donald j-arr, nor noad pillowed on III? slioulWnB* <* >; I IffiR Donald Wrested the Instrument From Her. ders, her body envoi oped In a coarse, damp blanket,.her hair in a disorderly tangle framing a face whose pallor was the shade of parchment. Captain Parr was scarcely less patof though his eyes were open wide and his face set in a cast of grave solicitude for the woman in his arms. With him In the touring car were two operatives of Miss Channlng's recently organized secret intelligence bureau?Mr. Ryley and a subordinate, t>oth showing the effects of an experience scarcely less trying than that which Mlfcs Channing and Captain Parr .toad patently undergone. # ** * he Great Romance $ Preparedness picture: playof t+if same ational film service. inc., kc. COPVr<iCMT STAK CWPAMY I! any of these identified the man in tiie street as Mr. Wreim, he kept it to himself. After an indeterminate duration in his befuddled consciousness, lie found himself unexpectedly at home, the door lliu vittill.r riWIIIl ulvm Htlir ,m( Mill vv *? ?- >"111111^ ? 4,- i4 w ? i l i 11-, Hiv, wakening world. He shivered again, bethought him of ? certain decanter whose contents ought to provide teniporu* y relief for .lung led nerves, and in search for it cutne abruptly upon a framed photogr iph which decorated hb- study table. 'The face that was pictured therein was the face of 1'atria, smiling, c.vqUDlte. provokingiy coqtiei tivh. L phase of mock sobrb'i.t possessed the mind of Kodnev Wrrntt as he pieled up the photograph ,v:id stood siat dig hungrily at it. El.' recalled a day that war scarcely six weeks old. when I'atrta. ' h" selfsame girl whose counterfeit /presentment was smiling into his eves. had s'"i'iiv d to be wholly his. pledged to become his bride hy an understanding no hs-'s complete if tacit. Th'xy had heen light-hearted '.'overs on rluyt day, and on many a tiny that had gose before. Thep. in a twinkling, Donald Fanhad Copped between them. Irj 1'be opinion of Rodney his .^uhsequent sufferings had aired him swiftly to full manhood. Hut he was heroin s If-de'ipb'd ; he remained a hoy. of mn's stature but of youthful inent.?1;ty. As fee was presently t? prove. His loev. grew still more morose as lie reviewed the events which had followed 'oaiiair of Captain I'arr. Ttiore K?d been a brief time when Hone-l had seemed to he hiirh in the ??f the ?zirl. So roust;i in ly wore tIm* two together th:it th?? gossip of Newport n:??{ excusably bruited their ngag? merit. And that w.ms somclhing which Rodney. for till his redoutiiteuf. bad heeu able f?# undnrstatel. The boyish hero-worship which he had always accorded Donald Parr still maintained its sway upon Ids thoughts. It was unite eonceivahie that the girl should hnonme?perhaps only temporarily?infatuated with such a mail, P.ut till the time she was changing, her very nature was changing incomprehensibly. Hardly had society settled itself to accept Captain Parr as the fortunate suitor when, following one of Patria's business trips to New York, all that was off. Donald was in deep disfavor and Huron Huroki. that sly, suave Japanese, and his constant associate, Honor Juan de I.ima, the lanky, crude Mexican millionaire, were constantly at Palria's elbows, with Fanny Adair forming a triumvirate of her intimates. Coincident had been the banishment of Rodney and his mother, who since Pntria's childhood had stood in loco parentis to the girl, managing her sevcrtd households in town and county. - - A. * % supervising fief* education, chaperoning her social hfe^ And but a few weeks late??-1 Aveeks unnutrked by any token oT con-*t .trHion froin^ Pjitria <?r even of remeni hrnnce of their existence?the papers \vfre publishing formal announcement >f her betrothal to Juan de Lima! Tt was all Incredible to Rodney. Such" herr.-tlr-Tsm^. such inconstancy, | passed comprehension. Rage clouded bis wits and senses. "Jmle!" he muttered sullenly. Heedless of risk, to his hands, be shattered flic glass in the frame with :i blow (if his fist, ripped <<m ;h<? photograph, and tore it across and aura in. Then, as the fragments fell to the floor, he sank Into a chair, dropped his head on a forearm on the table, and sobbed gustily. Ainiost Immediately he fell asleep. At precisely Hie same time Donald was carrying the semi-conscious girl into the sitting room of his own 1 o? 1 u"intrs. his assistant Kylev hovering in attendance, ready to lend assistance if needed?or permitted. The door was opened hv a half-frantic woman of middle aire?Patria's maid?who took the girl to her maternal bosom as soon as Parr relinquished her. "Oh. my dearie!" she cried. "Where have you came from in such a state?" "Out of the jaws of death, out of the mouth of hell," Parr answered for Patrla. "If you had obeyed orders, Anne, and stayed awake till she was asleep, this would never have happened. She followed me to the Bnyonne docks last night; there was a fire?caused by those accursed Japs ?and we were caught In it. How we escaped?ask Ryley. I don't know. I - . . . But don't stand there, star ing. Get Miss Channlng to bod lmme' dlately?get her out of those wet clothes and wrap her wp warmly, 1 Don't talk! Do as I bid you !" The girl had revived sufficiently t<i walk. As, supported by the maid, she disappeared in the direction of the bed< | chamber, Parr turned to Ryley. "It's six," he announced, taking out his watch. "Don't sleep till you gel hold of a magistrate and swear ou1 warrants for the arrest of Iluroki ant] De Lima on charges of criminal con splracy, and causing the Bayonne ex plosions. Bring the warrants here t< j ine at one o'clock. I'll execute then per*oruflV. and with hrttKJr venscowe.'. "At wimt 11 mo?" "One olook?I must got' a littl* sloop." "To ?WMjr hotel?" "No?iacre. I'll call here about twelve-fin rt.v to take Miss Clinnnlng to breakfast. If we're not In, Anno will toll you whore to find us." "Very good. Captain Parr." The door closed behind Ityloy. Too tired to .think, unconscious oven of the fait that he still held his wutch between f!humb and fore linger, Donald dropped into a chair to await Anne's return. Naturally, It was impossible for bins to leave before be nvelved first-haitd assurance that Patrla was resting twrnfortably. llis eyes closed. He was instantly asleep. . . , It was Hiijih noon when he awoke. Profoundly fatigued as he had been, a constMwt'inn inured to all manner of hardship *Ji.'l fatigue had profited tremendously by those scanty hours of repose. If his muscles ached a trifle from resting in tin unaccustomed pose, his head w.t*s clour and all his faculties alert almost with his first blink. ITe started rto his feet with an ex (imitation of dismay; by the watch thai: remained In bis grasp the hour was twelve. "The deuce!" he grumbled anxiously. It was too bad : to have turned himself out of his lodgings to provide Motrin with a sate hiding place from lluroki. to have moved ostentatiously to a hotel in order to forestall evilminded gossip if it. ever should by mischance transpire that the girl had used his rooms, and limn to have this happen! Nothing, not even the lit most liberality in the matter of tin ping, would prevail to stop the tongues of the hall attendants /f'om clacking! And it couldn't be remedied. "Why didn't you awake ineY" he demanded angrily of Anne when that one appeared from the direction of the bedchamber. "You were so tired, poor dear!" she told him, with a beaming affection that thc Wrcckagc of th$ H< ^ r\. . ' disarmed his temper. "I just couldn't hear to disturb you, after all you'd been through." "\Vell," "... he grumbled tincomfortably. . . . "How is Miss ('banning?" "Mill asleep?the lamb!" "I'll run over to the hotel. . Or. wait a minute." A hapchanee glance at himself in a pier-glass had shown him at figure elothed in garments shockingly the worse for close contact with tire and prolonged immersion iri salt water. He was in no shape to be seen in the st reel s. "You'll find a change of clothes for me in that hall closet," he said. "I'lease fetch it instantly. 1 want to clear out of this with the least possible delay." The woman bustled off, brought back all he desired, made herself scarce, lie effected tile change with all possible expedition, but was still in his shirt sleeves, knotting his tie, when a knock sounded on the hull door. Donald hesitated only an instant hefore opening the door. This would undoubtedly prove to lie Ryley, a hit ahead of time. And Ryley was both intelligent and trustworthy. But It was Rodney Wrenn who stepped In over the threshold as Donald opened the door. For a moment embarrassment blinded Donald to Rodney's eondition. But as soon as the latter spoke, it was un mistakably manifest. "Look here, Don; I'm sorry to tronide you, but . . . Well, It's thh wav. mother's nil broken up about thh ' row with Tatria and . . . And so'n: ' I. It's driving me mad. I've always been foolish about her and?and al * ttiat?and It seemed pretty tough to b< ' rut out even by you. Hut you were a' least white. And now the papers snj she's going to marry that dami tireaser!" Tho hnv nmmnrl hnriulrt I liim uneasily. There was no question ing the evidence of his furred enunda tion, his abnormally flushed face am unsteady eyes; he had been drinking } and drinking heavily. A dungerou I caller, ?one to be prof rid of. with nil rfn^rilblo haste. "Welt?" Donald suggested coldly. ' W011 ... 1 just wairted to ask you for Patria's address. She was at the Jtitz, but she's left, and ... I thought \vou might know where I eould li?id here." '" I'm-sorry?I can't help you out." There was a little pause. Rodney's gaze wandered past Donald and he- ! came fixed. His face even more deeply congested. "Ton liar!" he said quickly. With a groan of dismay Donald ; 1 roumded on his heel, to see. poised liglit'ly on the threshold of the adjoining bedchamber, Patrin?a charming vision of .innocent loveliness in the negligee which she had donned over her nilghtdress when roused by the sound ?f -voices in the sitting room, but a svbdon of disastrous omeu in I>onaKT's sight. "So this?I" Rodney began furiously. | If he (Called to complete what he would linve said, it wns thanks only to 1he hand with which Donald forcibly sealed his tips. 4,Re quiet, you young idiot !" With an oulh the hoy broke awnv, ' aimed an uncertain blow at Donald and ran from the apartment. Without daring to look In the direction of the girl, Donald snatched up his coat and, .shrugging into it, pursued. Overtaking the younger man on the steps outside the front door of the building. Donald caught his arm and held it against his sti uggles. "Kodncy !M he pleaded. "Listen to nip. He reasonable. You're wrong? all wrong! I can easily explain?" "Liar!" The epithet sounded simultaneously with the impact ol a gloved hand on Donald's lips. Instinctively this lasr released Kodney who promptly took to his heels ami pelted up the street. Homeinhering that he was hatless and wore an unknotted cravat, Donald >ii8e Lay the Boc'y - Lima, I* " i ' reluctantly relinquished further pur-1 i suit for the time being. "I'll find him at his rooms," he reflected moodily as he turned hack Into the house. "I'll make him listen. It oughtn't to be difficult; Itod's sensible enough . . . sober!" AN EXIT. It was nearer two o'clock than one when Mr. Ityley found Donald and Patria breakfasting in the name of lunch-! eon in the grill room of a quiet hotel. "I'm sorry I'm late," he apologized. "I'd have been on the dot only for Mr. Muroki. Looks as if he's got wind of vvni'ivitift! iilronilv wttiiiohtiw nr rise he suspects it's high time we were talking some drastic action in his CUSP." "How so?" asked Donald. "He's been flying around pretty lively all morning?ever since nine o'clock j ?calling on the Japanese consul, visltj ing his hank and a couple of lawyor'a offices, and things like that. We had a man after him all the time, of course. Here's Ids report." The detective offered Donald a leaf from a pocket notebook blackened with memoranda in a minute hand; tiie majority of which was a simple, 1 concise record of an active man's busy morning, all going to indicate hurried preparations toward a change of address, the final item alone excited un' common interest on the part of Donuld. ! "Stopped at Walton," he rent! to himself?"lunched in grill with woman he ' picked up In lobby. Hoadwalter says * woman is Iris Mnyne, common to the 1 town. (Q.v.: Is this the Badger * Queen?) Joined at lunch by boy with * hang-over whom Mayne called from - me ofncr side or rne room, couldn't * find anybody who know hoy. Mayne r iiikI hoy hurried away before Hurokl x fin I shod. H. then returned to residence." ' "Is ho si.iii iliri?r Duuiiiu inquired, " returned the memoranda. "That's all I was waiting for?to got ^ blin bottled up. We're got cops and plain-clothes at both end? of the block 8 In addition to our own men. He won't 1 ? -? ? s4 get away from m so really this time." | ? "Aud Do Llmar n "Ar last accounts, still abed In his a hotel. If Huroki's planning an ova- si slon, he evidently moans to leave Do <j Limn to shift for himself. . . . Here are the warrants," Ityloy pur- tl sued, delivering the papers, "and hero's w a note that came for you just as I stopped at the house to ask Anno *j whore to find you. Thought perhaps j I'd hortor bring it along." "Thank you." With a word of apology to Patria. Donald opened the note. Written in Kodney's unsteady hand, it read as follows : i Dear Don: Pin frightfully sorry I was such an asa. I ought to have known better. But I'm so broken Tip about Patria and everything I couldn't see straight. As soon as I get over this kutzenjuminer, I'm going to ask her to forgive me. For the present, I must ask you not only to overlook rny boorislinees but to help me out of a bad scrape I'm In. It's a woman, and It Isn't my fault. I'm in wrong?that's all. Onlv it'll iret me in bad all round if anything pots into the papers. Please don't say anything to anybody?Just come secretly to this address as soon as you can. Respectfully yours, Rodney. The address was writ ton below tho signature :t "Hotel Baltimore. A. k for mo by my name." Thoughtfully, Donald refolded and pocketed the note. He was fond of Rodney, and could not refuse the boy's request. Ai the same time, its urgency complicated matters u trille. Summoning the waiter, he settled his account. i "i'lease take Miss ('banning hack to | my rooms," he requested Ryloy. "Then I go on 10 II uruki's. I'll join you there in the course of half an hour or so. | Don't; do anything pending my arrival. ... The Baltimore was well-known to Donald by unsavory repute. A sardonic clerk delivered Captain I'arr t? the guidance of a cynic bellboy, who left liim at the door of a f< room 011 the fifth Hour. His knock was d answered by a handsome creature of f> some thirty animated years, a woman whose complete self-possession and al- v luring negligee assorted well with the <1 implications latent in Rodney's note. | c "Captain l'arr?" Her tones were as professionally f dulcet as her smile was worldly wise. y Donald bowed coolly. h "I am looking for Mr. Wrenn." "He is expecting you. Won't you ? please come in?" Donald entered. The woman blo-ed " the door and paused momentarily with J1 back to it. Ho swung around sharply, NV suspecting that she had turned the key s and withdrawn it?for the lirst time suspecting that Rodney's note might s have been :i forirerv. !l CJ - v "Where is 31r. Wrenn?" ho demanded. >' "Ho was onllod away unexpectedly, r hut will ho hack ut any moment. a Please sit down." "Thank you?no." s Donald moved quickly to the door. '' The woman sought to interpose herself between him and it. but he was too y quick. A twist of the handle confirmed h his surmise; he was locked in with this tl dangt rous animal. a "He good enough." he said brusquely, " "to open without delay." "Bur surely you can wait?" 11 "I have no time to waste. Do as ^ I soy "Am I so repulsive, then?" *' He shrugged Impatiently. "I'm in 11 no mood for nonsense. Open that door!" a "iT.it listen to me . . ." She came closer, with a sudden lithe ^ movement threw herself upon him, '' arms clasping his neck. "You're right, it is a plant, dearie. Mr. Wrcnn Isn't here?won't he. I -s sent you that note because I'm mad " about you?wanted to get you here?" " "Oh?rot !" Donald ejaculated in disgust; and breaking her hold, threw her from him. "I'll give you one minute to r unlock that door!" i For an answer he received a mock- ? ing laugh. "I)o you hear?" he asked. i 11 She laughed again. Impatiently he turned from tier and looked round tne u room for something to aid him to break a open the door. A stand of fire-irons t near the cldmney-piece offered a sub- 1 stantinl brass poker. Seizing this, he 11 made for the door. Behind ids back, I the woman seized the telephone and ii screamed into the transmitter. <1 "Help! Help! A strange man has I me locked In here!" | ri 1 By the time she had said that much, e j Donald had wrested the instrument 0 l from her. i She relinquished it without much re- c wistnnee, then darting beyond his reach, ? ! paused and again laughed in his face | while hurriedly disordering her hnir t and attire in such manner as to indi- r cate a struggle. I jj This time Donald answered her < laugh with a quiet smile. I c "Well," he said, dropping the poker,! "you've got me?Mrs. Mnyne!" t That was a shot at random, suggest- ! > ed by sudden suspicion; but it told, i i The woman's hands fell limp; she stared and gasped. ] "How did you know?*' t He gave a gesture, signifying that < her question was immaterial. At the t same Instant a thunder of heavy blows I sounded on the door, and it yielded to 1 a passkey, Admitting three sturdy and i willing porters. j They made for Donald In a concert- t ed rush, but only to bring up with lift- i 1 ed hands at the point of his pistol. !] "Easy!" he ordered. "Steady! Into t that room there?all of you. Step < lively, and don't crowd I You, too, Mrs. Mnyne!" I Herding the quartette Into the ad- < joining bedchamber, he locked Its door, I and tossed the key out of the open I I i ln<low ?n Instant before three police- WM l?D entered. At sight of these Don- ] I Id quietly showed the badge of a BP [MM-lul officer of the New York police SI < pnrtineut. You'll find the people you want In iH icre," he said, jerking his thumb to* nrd the bedclininber door. "Take thA^H "Be Quiet, You Young Idiot." Mir of them to the station-house and fl on't let them k<? till you've put tlie H t>ar of the law into their hcurts." fl He walked out. summoned (lie ele- M utor, and paustd on his way Ihrouuh I lie lol.hy long enough to communicate fl onlideiitially with the sardonic clerk. "Just one more break like that, my riend," he said, smiling sweetly, "and ou'il lose your license. Remember I H a ve w a rued you." fl Without waiting for response, I >< nId left the hotel. ? As he did so, a taxicab drew up : t fl lie carriage block and Rodney Wrenn limped out and turned to help I'utria, V ho uttered a lit i 1 c cry of pleasure at Utht of her betrothed?a cry that, I rawing Rodney's attention to Honald, irurk the former limp with surprise 11?i Oisniuy. "W hy, 1 >on ! I didn't expect to find ou here! ltodncy persuaded me to fl oine witli him to see Mother Wrenu ^ ".fust wait!" Donald interrupted, j ignaling the taxi-man. To Rodney V e said quietly: II "Do I understand you told Patria fl our mother was stopping at this otel? Or is the truth of the matter I Hat Huroki put you up to this trielc, j ml you brought Patria here to see me m! away under arrest?disgraced?" The boy could neither hud words to nswer him with or endure his eyes, I ut stood with head bowed in shame, I Still no answer; but Donald knew I lint he had guessed shrewdly at t lie I "Come, dear," Donald said to Patria, J nd assisted her to re-enter the cab. Within ten minutes they joined I tyiey at the corner of that quiet street I i the Murray Illll quarter. J "You're just in time," he informed I hem; "the trap is ready to spring. JH Jobody has come otit since Huroki reurned over an hour ago ; hut De Lima as Just gone in." "Did he see you, or suspect??" "I think not. Only one thing^ wories me; he used u passkey to\tth n lie front door after ringing the *eli e vera I times and getting no answer." "Got your men together. We'll waste 0 more time." Kyley's whistle brought up half a oxen men, plain-clothes detectives mm nd subordinates of Patria's private oree. Together they moved toward I lie modest little residence ill the 1 niddle ol' tlie block. 1 As they approached, Donald, search- J ng its windows with suspicious eyes, 1 1 . 4, ^ A. - .1 ? # A " - * 1 iritTU'u ? iji<*<* jii one?a dkt inai >eeivd out furtively, then disappeared. \ i'lie brief glimpse he got of it remindid him of Do Idmn?n badly friyMAied ind bewildered De Lima. ^ Then they wore at the door. One >f the men produced a stout jimmy Hid stooped to apply it to the lock. , Simultaneously a frightful detonn- < ion thundered within ilie building. It J ocked upon its foundations. The ^ rlnvs panels of the door broke and fell ^ ?ut wards, shattered by the force of the j >x plosion. ! When Donald's party was able to en- ^ er, the entire interior of the house J vns found to he in ruins, completely j letnolished by dynamite. ? Near the front door the body of De j Jinn lay, pinned between two treat 1 imbers, his hack broken; the man's ' loath had been mercifully instantan?ous. d Further investigation cstabllshei^Uie ^ 'act that Huroki and his creat^R^* linking their escape by way of a secret . passage to a house on the downtown side of the block, had planted an internal machine at the mouth of the passage, so wired that the first attempt to follow would hrlnjr ?hnut the explosion. ! De Lima, arriving too late to acoom- J pany the fugitives, and seeking to en- M tape th# police, had thus been left to ^ iu*lng about his own annihilation. (END Or NINTH EPISODE.) 1