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Once upon a ti the Ocean of Life wi the craft into the Sea At the Isle of St? Then gradually One night the < the First Mate-and I -shined like it had i Morai: You kno So all th Is to pr For the 1 The I 1 ? THE MILLION HOLLAR MYSTERY j "The Million Dollar Mystery" will run for twenty-two consecutive weeks in this paper. Hy an arrangement with the Thanhouser Film Company it has been made possible not only to read the story in this paper but also to see it euch week in the various moving picture theatres. For the so lution of thiB mystery story $10,000 will be given. Conditions Governing the ConieHt The prize of $10,000 will be won by the man, woman or ch.ll who writes the most acceptable solution of the mystery, from which the lost two reels of the motion picture drama will be made and the last two cnapters of ?he story written by Harold Mac Gratli. Solutions may be sent to the Than houser I'M]m corporation, either at Chicago or Now York, any time up to midnight, Dec. 14. They must, bear postofflce marks not later man that ilate. ThiB allows four weeks after the first appearance of the last Aim releases and three weeks after the last chapter ls published in the paper n -bleb to Bubmlt the solutions. A board of th re.- Judges will deter mine which of the many solutions re ceived ls the most acceptable. The judgment of this board will be abso lute and final. Nothing of a literary nature will be considered in the de? cisi?n, nor given any pr?f?rence in the selection of the winner of the $10, 000 prize. . The last two rebut, which will ?lve the most acceptable solution to the mystery, will be presented in the theatres having this feature .as soon as it 1B possible to produce the same. The story; coresnondlng bo these motion pictures will" appear; jin the newspapers coincidentally, br as soon after the appearance of the pic tures as practicable. ' With the last two reels Will be sboWn the picture of the winner; his br her home, and other interesting features. It is un derstood that the newspapers, so far as practicable, in printing the last' two chapters of the story by Harold Mac Grath, will also show a picture of the successful contestant. / Solutions to the mystery must not be more than 100 . words long. Here are some questions to be kept In mind in connection with the mystery as an aid to a solution: No. 1-What becomes of the mil lionaire? ? No; 2-What becomes of the $1,000. 000? No.. 3-Whom does Florence marry? No, 4-What does becomes of the Russian countess? Nobody connected either directly or Indirectly with . "The Million Dollar Mystery" will be- considered as a' Con testant. Synopsis of Previous Chapters. Stanley Hargreave, mlllonaire, after a miraculous escape from the den of the gang of brilliant thieves known as the Black Hundred, lives the life of a . recluso for eighteen' years. HargreaVo one night enters a Broadway restau rant and there comes face to. face with the gang's leader; Bruine. After the meeting;' during which neither man apparently recognizes tho other, >Hargreave hurries to MB mag nificent Riverdale home and-, lays plans for making his escape from the country., He writes' a lotter tn tho giris' school in New Jersey: wheeo 18 years before he had mysteriously left on the doorstep his . baby daugbtor, Florence Gray. ' Ho also pays a visit to the hangar of ? daredevil aviator. Bratne and members of bis band surround Hargreaves home at night, but as they enter tho house tho watch ers outside see a pailoon leave the roof. vTb? sbf? la found empty-the million which Hargreave was. known to havo drawn that day waa gone. Then some ono announced the balloon had been punctured and dropped into the 'sea. . ... Florene? arriv?s from the . girls' school, Princess Olga, Bralne's com panion, visits her and claims to bo a relative. ' Two bogus detectives call, but their plot is foiled by Norton, a ?iGW?Dfti?cr niQD By brlblng the c?ptam' of the Orient Norton lays a trap for Brains and his gang. Princess Olga also visits th? Orient's captain and she easily falls Into the reporter's snare. The. plan proves abort Ive through Brai n o's good luck and only hirelings fall into the hands ot the police. - After failing In their first attempt, tho Black Hundred trap Florence. They ask her tor money,, but she es capes again toling them (Copyright: 1914: By Harold MftcGralh) CHAPTER. V The Problem of the Sealed Box. "Gono." .Jones kept saying to himself that vhe. must, strive to be calm, to think, Despite , all his , warnings, the ?l A FABLETTE mei ci Courtship was steaming alor ten a minister came aboard as pilot of Matrimony. ark, they took aboard a passenger, the boat be came a Battleship. Cap brought aboard an electric pc the messroom-and the next day th lever shined before. s w life's not all roses, at one can do ovide home comforts little family "crew." V??11?01 B ? warnings of Norton alie had tricked them and ran away. It was madden ing. He wanted to rave, tear his hair, break thingB. He tramped the hall. It would be wasting time to send for the police. They would only sputter about furiously. The Black Hundred knew bow to arrange these abduc tions. How bad they succeeeded in doing lt? No one had entered the house that day without his being present. There had been no telephone call he had not heard the gist of, nor auy let ters he had not glanced over. How had they done it? Suddenly into his mind flashed the remembrance of the candlelight under Florence's door the night before. In a dozen bounds he was in her room, searching drawwers, paper boxes, baskets. He found nothing. He returned in despair to Susan, who. during all thia turmoil, had sat as if frozen in her chair. "Speak," he cried. "For heaven's sake say something 'bink something! Those devils are likely to torture her. hurt her!" He leaned gainst the v.all his head on his arms. When ho turned again he was calm. Ho walked with bent head toward the door, opened it and stood upon the threshold for a space. Across the street a shadow stirred, but Jones did not see lt. His gazes was attracted by something which . shone dimly white on the walk Just beyond the steps. He ran to lt. A crumpled I letter, unnddret'sed.. He carried it back to .the house, smoothed it out and jV?a?^'tW?^?t?hls'. ' Florence in her haste bad dropped the letter. . H? clutched his hat,^ put it on and ran to Susan. j "Here!" he cried, holding out an automatic. "If any one comes here that you don't know, shoot!. Don't a*k saestlone. shoot." . : "? cm afraid!" Sho breathed with difficulty. "Afraid," he roared at her. He put the weapon in hor hand. It slipped and thudded to the floor. He stooped foy it and slammed it into .her lip. ''You love your live and* your honor. You'll know bow to shooot when the time comes. Now, attend to me. ;f I'm not back here by 10 o'clock, turn this note over to the police. If yon can't do that, then God help ns all-" And with that he ran from the house. 'Susan eyed the revolver with grow ing terrbr. For what had she left the paece and quiet of Miss' Farlow's as sassination,-robbery, thieves, and kid napper. She Wanted to shriek but her throat was aa dry as paper. Gin gerly she touched the pistol, i The cold- steel sent a thrill of fear over her. He hadn't told her how to shoot it! U - . Two blocks down the street, ap 's/u ai j ey, vf is the garage whet ein Hargreave kept his car. Toward this ?Jones ron With the speed of a track 'athlete. There-might be half a dozen taxicabs about,, but he would not van the risk of engaging any one of them. The Black Hundred was. capable ot I anticipating his every movement. .' . The shadow across the street stood undecided. At length he concluded to give-Jones ten minutes to return. If he did not return within that time, the watcher would go up to the; drug store and telephone for lnsruclons. But Jones did not come back. "Whore's. Howard?" he demanded. . "Hello Jones: what's up?" , '.Howard, get that car out at once'.'.' "Ont She comes. Walt till I give her radiator a bucket of 'water. Gee! whispered Howard, whom Hargreave often used aa his chauffeur, "get on to his nibs! First tune I ever ssw him awake. I wonder what's doing? You never know what's back of those mummy-faced head Walters .... Al! ?right JonesI" . |, Tho. chauffeur-Jumped'up into the i car . and'. Jones took the ' seat, beside him. .?Where to?" . "Number 78. . . . " and the rest of it trailed away smothered in -the violent thunder of the big six's en gines. . . ...During the car's flight several po 8cemon balled it ' without success, own this street, up that; round this corner, fifty miles on hour ; and til tho while Jones shouted: "Faster, faster." Within twelve minutes from the time hf lett tho garage the car atop* ped opposite No.. 78 Grove Street, abd 'Jones got out. "Watt here, Howard. If several men come rushing out, or.if I don't appear within ten minutes, fire your gun a couple of times for the police. I don't want them if wo can manage "Without They ?Ally, bungle." v 7' , "A\i right, .Hr;,"";Tones,", said the .chauffeur. V Ho had. ia the last quarter oi" hour, acquired a deep and lusitag ?pect for tho butler chap. ; He waa * -^gular fellow, for all his brass but erons. ig nicely on and steered ?rcolator for e sun shined ====== n Doll y Harold MacGrat As Jo?os reached the curb, Florence I come forth as if on invisible wings. Jones caughte her by the aim. She flung him aside with a strength he had not dreamed existed in her slim body. "Florence, I am Jones." She stopped, recognized him, and without a word ran across the street to the automobile and climbed into the tonneau. Jones followed Immediaely. "Home!" The car shot up the dimly lighted street, shone palely for a second un der the corner lamp, and vanished. "Ah child, child-" groaned the man at her side all the tenseness from his body gone. He was Jones again. Still she did not speak but stared ahead with unseeing eyes. No ? arther reproach fell from the butler's lips. It was enough that God had guided him to her at the appoint ed moment. Ho felt assured thai nev- I er again would she be drawn into any trap4 Podr child! What had they? done to her, said to her? How In God's; name had she escaped - from them Who never let anybody escape? Pres ently she would become normal, and then she would tell him. "I found the lying note. You drop ped it." "Horrible, horrible!" she Bald al mast inaudibly. jy'Wbat did they do to you?" "' "He said he was my father. . . He put his arms around mc. . . . And I knew." ^*TR?D^t,what ?" "That he Tied. I can't explain." "Don't try." . ? Suddenly she laid her head against I the butler's shoulder and cried. ' It [ was terrible to bear youth weep In this fashion. Jones tried tc console ! ir. /Lj?H?rrlble!" she mumured between Uje violent hiccoughs. "I was wrong, Wrong! Forgive me!" Unconsciously the arm sustaining lijar, drew her nearer. - * ".Never mind," he consoled. "Tell no dn? what bas happened. Go about as usual; Don't let even Susan know. ?natever your poor father did was j t% your sake; He wanted you to be ppy, without a care in the world. "Hut I feel so old, Jones; so very j old, I threw over the lamp. I threw a'' chair through the window. They sobs ceased. '-'I promise." And gradually the thought that lt was I who had Jumped o?f, That gave me the necessary time. I "don't understand how I did it. ? wasn't frightened at all till I gained th> street*"' > They found Susan still, seated In the chair, the automatic in her lap. She bad not moved in all this time. ? . '." . ' Braine paced the apartment of the Princess Perigoff. From the. living \ room to .the .boudoir and back; full twenty times. From the divan Olga watched him nervously. ' He was Uko j a tiger, freah In. captivity. All at once he paused In front of her. "Do you realize what a mere chit did?" "I do." "Planned to tho minute.. We had 7 of .ns? doors locked, and all that. No weeping, no watling. . I could not un derstand .then, but I do now. It's in j ?h??'blood. 'H?rKf??ve'was as peaceful aa a St. Bernard dog, till you cornered him, and then he waa a lion. O, the devil!. . Slipped out of my fingers like an eel. And' across the street, Jones '!n>:a racer-; v i never paid any parti cular attention to Jones, but from now on I shalt. The girl, may or may not. know where. the money ls, .but Jones doos, Jones does! .Two men shall watch. Felton on the street and Orloff from the windows bf'the de serted house. . With opara glasses be ! Wilt be able to take note of all that happens In the house during the day.' ? He will bo ab! ot o see the girl's room. And that's the important point; It was a good plan, little woman; and lt would have been plain ealing it only We'had remembered that he girl waa Hargreaves daughter. Be very care ful hereafter when you ; call on her. A night like thia wilt have made her suspicious ot every one. Our hope lies with you. Anything on your mind?" ? - "Yes. Why not Insert a personal In the Herald." She drew some writing paper toward her and scribbled a few' words. He read; . ".Florence-the hiding place Io discovered. Remove it tc a more secret spot at onco.. a H "-He laughed and shook bis head. "I ara afraid that wJJl never do.!' r:C^'*; >,'*If Bhe reads ft, Jones, will.,-Th? man with the opera glasses might see something. There's a chance Jones might become worried," "Well, we'll give lt a chane*,1*. It was midnight when he made his I denature* As he atepped into the] ^SMe Qan J all the Electrical C street, ho glanced about cautiously. On the corner he saw a policeman swinging lils night stick. Otherwise the street waa deserted. Hralue pro ceeded jauntily down the street. And yet, from the darkened doors of tho house across the way. the fig ure of a man emerged and stood con templating the windows of the Feri goff apartment. Suddenly the lights went out. The watcher made no ef fort to follow Braine. Thc knowledge he was niter did nqt necessitate any such procedure. Of course. Florence read the "per sonal." She took the paper at once to Jones, who smiled grimly. "You see, I trust you." "And so long as you con in nc to trust me no harm w^U befall you. You were left in my care by your fath er. I am to guard you at the ex pense of my life. Last night's affair was a miracle. The next time you will not find it so easy to escape." Nor did she. ; "There will be no next time," she said 'gravely. But I am going tc*.ask you a,direct question. "Is my fauier: alive." The Amtierte brow -puckered. "I j have promised to say nothing, one way or, the other." She laughed. . "Why do you laugh?" I laugh because if he were dead lhere would be no earthly reason for your not, saying so af, once. But 1 hate money, the name pf it, the sound of lt, the sight of fjjQ li. is at the bottom of all the wars-,and. crimes. I despise it." . "The root of all evil. Yet lt per forms many noble deens.- But never mind the money. Let us give our at tention to this personal. Doubtless it originated in the same'mind which conceived the letter'. "Your' father would never have Inserted such a personal. What! Give his enemies a chance to learn his secret? Np. On the other baud 1 want, (? show this personal to all that you meet today. Susan, the reporter to everybody. Talk about it. Say that you' wonder what you shall do. Trust no one with your real thoughts." "Not even you, Mr. Jones," thought tho girl as she nodded. ' , "And tell them that you' showed lt. to mo and that I appeared worried." Thut night there was a. meeting of the organization called tho Black Hundred. Braine asked if ' any one knew what the Hargreave butler look ed like. "I had a glimpse of him the ^.ner night; but being uprepared, I might not recognize him again." Vroon described Jones . 'minutely. Braine could almost see the portait. "Vroon, that memory of yours la worth a lot of money," was his only comment "I hope it will be worth more soon." :'i'-t believe i'll be able to recognise Mr. Jones if I see bim. Who ls he and what is he?" He has been with Hargreave for fourteen years. There was a homici dal case In which Jones Waa active. Hargreave Bayed him. He ia faithful and uncommunicative. Money will not touch him. If he does know where that million ic, hot irons could not make him own tip to it. The only way ls to watch-him. walt for- the moment when he'll grow careless.- No man is always on his mettle; ho lets up soon er brVtater*"' ' . "He ts being watched, as you know;" Vroon nodded approvingly. "The captain of the.tramp steamer Orient, by- the way was seen with a roll of money. He,waa In one of thc water front-saloons, bragging how he had hoodwinked-Borne ono." "Bid he say where, hc got the cash ?" asked Braine. ."They tried to pump him on that, but h? abut up, Well, wa have agreed that Felton shall watch from -he street and Orloff from the window. Orloff will whistle If he sees Jones re moving, anything from any of the rooms, The-rest will bo left to Fel ton.":- . - . "And, Felton, my friends.", said Br?ine Botfly-he alway? spoke when ho was in a deadly humor-"Felton, yon slept Od duty the other.night. Har greave stole up. consulted Jones, and got away after knocking me, down. Tho 'next fallure' will mean short shrift,: Be warned." 4"l estw only you. sJr. So help mo. t wai not-asleep. I saw Hwu down the street after the taxicab.. I did not see any one else;" - . . Braine shrugged. ' "Hemembor what I said/' Felton bowed respectfully, and made Ho wished In his soul that A* might some day catch the master ?riln.i free of his eternal mask. It wa? an iron hand ' which ruled ' them .and,there wera friends of bis (Feltbh'e) who nod mysteriously vanished after a Provide omforts ; stevy brief period of rebellion. Tho boa? was a swell; probably belonged to clubs und society which he adroitly pllferred. Tho organization always had money. Whenever there was a desperate job to be undertaken. Vroon simply poured out the money necessary to promote lt. Whenever Bruine und Vroon became engaged in earnest c?nj^rsation they talked to , Slav. Bruine was never called by name here; the boan, simply that. Well. 10 per cent of a million was a hundred thousand. This would be equally divided between the second ten of the Black Hundred. Another 10 per cent would go to eighty mem bers; the balance would be divided between Vroon and the boss. But hts soul rebelled at being ordered about like so much dirt' under an other man's feet. He would take his ten thousand and make the grand get away. The next afternoon the princess called upon Florence*. Nothing was said about the adventure, and this fact created a vague unrest In the scheming woman's mind. She realiz ed that she must play her cards more carefully than ever. Not the least dis trust must be permitted to enter the child's head. Once that happened good by to the wonderful emeralds. Was it that she really craved the stone? Was it not rather a venom acquired from the knowledge that this child's moth er had won what she. herself, with all her cl ever ne ssa waa not sure ?nf Bralne's love? Did he really care for ber or was she only the catspaw to pluck his hot chestnuts from the fire? When Florence showed her the "personal" her vogue doubts oecame instantly dissiapted. The child W0U1<1 not have shown her the paper. had there been any distrust on her part" "My child, your father ls alive, then?" anlmtatedly. "We don't know," sadly. "Why, I should say that this proves it."' "On the contrary it proves nothing of the sort, since I bave yet to discov er a- treasure in this house. I havo hunted in every nook, drawer: I've searched for panels, looked In trunks for fahie bottoms. Nothing, nothing! Ah, if I could only find it: "And what would' you. do with It?" "Take lt at once to some bank and offer the whole of lt for the'safe re turn of my father every peny of lt. I don't know what to do, which way to turn," tears gathering in 'her eyes and they were genuine . tears too. There are millions in stocks and bonds and I cannot touch a penny of lt because the legal documents have not been found. I can't even prove that I am his daughter, except for half an old bracelet, and my father's lawyers say that that would not bold in court." "You were, born in St. Petersburg, my dear. Have the embassy there look up the birth registers." "That would not put me Into pos esi?n." Nothing but the return of my father will avail me. And there's . a horrible thought always of my bot being his real daughter." "There's no doubt in my. mind. ' I have only to recall Katrina's face to know whose child you are. But what will you live ont". Here was a far greater mixup than she had calcul?t Cu. lipon. hvufPs/O?suft cauca* sais at W?*T. only a resemblance, that the child was not Hargreaves, a substitute Just to blind the Black Hundred? : To keep them away, from the - true daughter? Her mind grew bewildered'over such possibilities. The ?Ingle and only way to settle all doubts was to make this child a prisoner. If she was Har- ' gre ave's true daughter he would come out of his biding. She heard Florence answering her question:. "There ls a sum often or twelve- thousand in the Riverdale bank, under the control nf my father's butler. After that is gone, I don't know what, will happen to us, Susan and me." "The door of Miss Farlow's will always be open to- you, Florence," replied Susan, with love in ber eyes. - This Interesting conversation was; Interrupted by the advent of Norton. He was always dropping in daring the late afternon hours. Florence liked him for two reasons. One was ?hat Jones trusted him to a certain..ex tent and the other was, that. . . she liked him. She finished this sentence; Iii ber heart, defiantly. Today he brought fa?r a .box of beau tiful roses and at the sight of them the princess smiled faintly. Set the wind in that'quarter? 8ho could have laughed. Here was, her - revenge against this - meddler* who took no particular notice of her while Flor ence was in the room. She would en courage Mm, poor grubbing newspap- : er writer, with his beggarly pittance t , What chance had hs of marrying this' girl with millions within reach of , her hand? , v . , Southern Utilities NEW The very prettiest in town, of course. Big lot to select from; different styles, materials, colors. f1 The prices $5.00 and up NEW COAT SUITS For you early buyers. If you select one of v these now, we guarantee you'll see nothing prettier or more stylish later in the seasons $20,00 and up If you need anything i can buy it here at redu buy Quality.1 The peculiar thing about this was that Norton was entertaing the same thought at the same: what earthly chance had he? , In the second story window of tho house over the way there was a wor ried man. But . whon , his glasses brought in range the true contents of tho box he laughed sard?nica!!?, "This watching is getting my goat. I smell a rat every time I see a shadow." He wiped his glasses and proceeded to roll a.cigarette. , ' When the princess and Norton went away Jone? stole nuletly up to Flor ence's room and threw up the curtain. Two round- points of light flashed from' the watcher's window, but the saturnine smile on Jones' lips was not observed. He went to the door, opened it cautiously, a hand to hi? ear. Then he closed the doer,-turned back the rug and removed a section of the flooring. Out of this cavity he raised a box. There, was lettering orr the lld; In fact, the ' name, of ita owner, Stanley Hargreave. Jones re placed the flooring, tucked the box under bia arra and made his exit. The man lounging in the shadow heard a faint whistle. It was the sig nal .agreed upon. Thc man.Felton ran across the street and bol J ly rang the bell. It was then only then that Florence missed- the ever present but- ; 1er. She hesitated, then sent Susan to the door;'. . . "I roust see Mr. Jones' upon vitally Important business/V -.' "He bas gone'out," said Susan, and very sensibly closed, the door beforo Felton's foot succeeded in getting in side. ' It was time to act He ran around to the re?r. The ladder convinced bim that Jones .had tricked him. He waa over the wall in an instant. Away flown the back street his eye dis covered his man in full flight, ile gaye chase. As ho came to the first comer he waa nearly , knocked over "N*5^^ i n Summer Goods vy ou j iced prices-and you? '-Mi .rr 1IT1T f>A\? 'WILBUR PAN Y man coming the other way. ;.. . 4 "Who ? are you bumming into'.'" growled Feltons ; "Not BO fast, Felton!" v ^ "Who the devil oro yon?" .-. The stranger made a sign which. Felton Instantly recognized. t ,| "Quick- What has- happened?" / "Jones has the million and is mak ing his getaway. See him hiking to ward tho water front?" . The two mpn began to run. . , "A hundred if you overtake that boat," said Felton'B companion. Felton eyed him thoughtfully. There was 'something .familiar about that voice. . '. Jj Great plumes of water shot up into the air. It did not prove a short lace by any means. It took half an hour for the pursuer to overcome the puts ..ascot !? '?"? .. j "Is that Jones?" .. j "Yes." Felton fired his revolver in* to the air in hopos of terrifying Jones! engineer; but there was five hand rec dangling before that individual's eyes'. "I^ef them get a little closer." shout* cid .tho butler. . The .engineer let down the speed a notch. The other boat crept up with in twenty yards. Jones sought a pp"" feet range. ' He would have to this spot, again. 4 "Surrender," yelled Felton. In reply . Jones raised the preeld bot and deliberately dropped it ll tba sea. Then he turned his ant matte Upon his pursuers and succeed ed In setting their, boat afire, ???t?i All this within the space nt an hour". During dinner that night (there wai* a cook now) Jones walked about ffif dining table, rubbing his hands . ton gotuer from time to time. . > "Jones," skid Florence '?why do yM rumour- hands like thutr .. ,v^> "W.'.i I rubbing my hands, ; Florence ?" be asked innocently. * V' v (To Bo Continued) J(i > }