SIO,OOO FOR 100 WORDS.
" The Million Dollar Mystery" story
trill run for twenty-two consecutive weeks
in this paper. By an arrangement with
the Thanhouser Film company it has been
made possible net only to read the story
in this paper but also to see it each week
in the various moving pioture thoaters.
For the solution of this mystery story
SIO,OOO icill be given by the Thanhouser
Film corporation.
CONDITIONS GOVERNING THE
CONTEST.
The prixe of SIO,OOO will be won by the
man, woman, or child who writes the most
acceptable solution of the mystery, from
which the last tico reels of motion pioture
drama will be made and the last tiro
chapters of the story written by Harold
MaoGrath.
Solutions may he sent to the Than
houser Film corporation, either at Ch'ioago
or Hew York, any time up to midnight,
Jon. H. This allows several weeks after
the last chapter has been published.
A board of three fudges will determine
which of the many solutions received is the
most acceptable. The judges are to be
Harold MacGrath, Lloyd Lonergan, and
Miss Maa Tinee. The judgment of this
board will be absolute and final. Nothing
Of a literary nature will be considered in
the decision, nor given any preference in
the selection of the winner of the SIO,OOO
prize. The last two reels, which trill give
the most acceptable solution to the mys
tery, will be presented in the theaters
having this feature as soon as it is pos
sible to produce the same. The story corre
sponding to these motion pictures will ap
pear in the newspapers coinoidentally, or
as soon after the appearance of the pic
tures as practicable. With the last two
reels will be shown the pictures of the win
ner, his or her home, and other interesting
features. It is understood that the news
papers, so far as practicable, in printing
the last two chapters of the story by Har
old MacGrath, 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.l —What becomes of the millionaireT
No. 2 —What becomes of the SI,^OO,OOOt
No. 3—W/iom does Florence marry f
No. k —What becomes of the Russian
count esst
Nobody connected either directly or in
directly with "The Million Dollar Mys
tery " will be considered as a contestant.
SYNOPSIS OF PREVIOUS CHAPTERS.
Stanley Hnrgreave, millionaire, after a
mlrneuloua eacupe from the den of the
Kanx of brilliant thlevea known an the
11 luck Hundred, live* the life of n rerluae
for eighteen yearn. Hargreave acci
dentally meeta Dralne, leader of the
Dlnck Hundred. KgonlnK Dralne will
try to get him, he eacapra from hla own
home by n balloon. Before raraplny he
wrltea a letter to the girl*'
where eighteen yeara before he mywterl
oualy left on the doorstep hI a baby
daughter, Florence Gray. That day Hnr
greave alao iliana one million dollara
from the bank, but It la reported that
thla dropped Into the aea when the bal
loon he eacaped In nai punctured.
Florence arrlvea from the glrla' achool.
Countea* Olga, Bralne'a companion, vla-
Ita her and clnlma to be a relative. Two
bogua detectlvea call, hut their plot la
/oiled by Norton, a newapnper man.
By bribing the captain of the Orient
Norton lnya a trnp for Dralne and hla
tang. Counteaa Olga alao vlalta the Ori
rnt'a captain and ahe eanlly falla Into the
reporter'* anare. The plan provea abor
tive through Dralne'a good lack, and
only hlrellnga fall luto the handa of the
police.
After fnlllng In their flrat attempt the
Black Hundred trnp Florence. They aak
her for money, but ahe eacapea, again
foiling them.
Norton and the counteaa call on Flor
ence the next day, once anore aafe at
borne. The vlaltora having gone, Jonea
remove* a aeotlon of flooring, and from
■ cavity takea a box. Puraued by mem
ber* of the Dlack Hundred, he ruahea to
the water front and aucceeda In drop
ping the box Into the aea.
Counteaa Olga, achemlng to break the
engagement exUtlng between Florence
Bargraava and Norton, Invttea them both
to her apartment* and pretend* to faint
In the reporter'* arms. Florence ap
peara In the doorway Juat at the plnnned
moment, and a* a reault give* Norton
back hla ring.
Accomplice* of Dralne ancceed In kid
naping Florence while ahe 1* ahopptng
■nd hurry her off to aea. Norton re
ceive* a wlrelen* later Informing him
that the girl hnd leaped into the aea
anji been drowned.
CopyrltfM: 1914: By Harold MacGrath.]
CHAPTER X.
THE PAST A BLANIC.
IT was perfectly true that Florence had
oast herself Into the sea. It had not been
an aot of despair, however. On the con-
trary, hope nod courage had prompted
her to leap. The night was clear, with only
a moderate sea running. At the time the
great sbiptras passing the Banks, and almost
within hail she saw a fishing schooner riding
graoefullf at anchor. She quite readily be
lieved that If she remained on board the
George Washington eh* was lost She nat
urally forgot the marvel of wireless telegra
phy. No longer may a man hide at sea.
So, with that quiak thought which was a
part of her inheritance, she seized the life
buoy, climbed the rail, and leaped far out.
As the t>»eat dark tossing sea swooped tip to
meet hdr she noted a block of wood bobbing
np and down. She tried to avoid It, but
could not, and struck it bead on. Despite
the blow and the shock of th* chill water she
Instinctively clung to the booy. The wash
from th* mighty propellers tossed her about,
hither and yon, from one swirl to another,
Hke a chip of wood. Then everything grew
blank.
Fortunately for her the master of the fish
lag schooner was at th* time standing on bis
qnerter deck by the wheel, squinting through
his glass at th* liner and envying the ease
arid eeoifort of those on boeed her. The
ttatei sitting OB th* steps and smoking hla
turning-in pipe, BOW the master lean forward
suddenly, lower the glass, then raise it again.
"Lord a'mighty!"
" What's the matter. Cap'n?"
"Jake, In God's name, come 'ere an' take
a peek through this glass. I'm dreamin'!"
The mate jumped and took the glass.
" Where away, sir?"
" A p'int off th' sta'board bow. See some
thjn' white bobbin' up?"
" Tessir! Looks like some one dropped a
bolster 'r a piller overboard. . . . Cod's
whiskers!" he broke off.
" Then I ain't seein' things," cried the
master. " Hi, y' lubbers!" he yelled to the
crew; "lower th' dory. Tney's a woman In
th' -water out there. I seen her leap th' raiL
Look alive! Sharp's th' word! Mate, you
go 'long."
The crew dropped their tasks and sprang
for the davits, and the starboard dory was
lowered In shipshape style.
It takes a good bit of seamanship to haul
a body out of the sea into a dancing bob
tnfled dory, when one moment it is climbing
frantically heavenward and the next heading
for the bottomless pit. They were very tender
with her. They laid her out in the bottom of
the boot, with the life buoy as a pillow, and
pulled energetically for the schooner. She
was alive, because she breathed; but she did
not stir so much as an eyelid. It was a stiff
bit of work, too, to land her aboard without
adding to her Injuries. The master ordered
the men to put her in his own bunk, where
he nearly strangled her by forcing raw bran
dy down her throat.
"Well, she's alive, anyhow!"
When Florence finally opened her eyes the
gray of dawn lay on the sea, dotted here and
there by the schooners of the fleet, which
eeemed to be hanging in midair, as at the
moment there was visible to the eye no hori
zon.
" Don't seem t' recognize nothln'."
" Mebbe she's got a fever," suggested the
mate, rubbing his bristly chin.
"Fever nothin'! Not after bein' In th'
•water half an hour. Mebbe she hit one o*
them wooden floats we left. Them dinged
liners keep on crowdin' us," growled Barnes,
"with a fisherman's hate for the floating ho
tels. " Went by with never a toot. See 'er,
jes' like th' banker's wife goin' t' church on
Sunday? A mile a minute; fog or no fog, it's
all the same t' them. They run us down an'
never stop. What th' tarnation we goin' to
do? She'll haff t' stay aboard till th' run is
over. I can't afford t' yank up my mudhook
th's time o' day."
" Guess she can stand three 'r four days in
our company, smellin' oilcloths, fish, kerosene,
an' punk t'bacco."
" If y' don't like th' kind o* t'bacco I buy,
buy your own. I ain't objectin' none."
The mate stepped over to the bunk and
gingerly ran his hand over the girl's head.
" Cod's whiskers, Ca>p'n, they's a bump as
big's a cork on th' back o' her head! She's
struck one o' them floats all right. Where's
th' arnica?"
For three days Florence evinced not the
slightest inclination to leave the bunk. She
lay on her hack either asleep or with her
eyes staring at the beams above her head.
She ate just enough to keep her alive; and
the strong black coffee did nothing more
than to make her wakeful. No one knew
what the matter -was. There was fne bump,
now diminished; but that it should leave her
in this comatose state vastly puzzled the
men. The truth is she bad suffered a slight
concussion of the brain, and this, atop of all
the worry she had had for the last few
•weeks, was sufficient to cause this biankness
of the mind.
The final cod was cleaned and packed
a-way in salt, the mudhook raised, and the
schooner Betty 6et her sails for the south
west. Barnes realized that to save the girl
she must have a doctor who knew his busi
ness. Mrs. Barnes would know how to caro
for the girl, once she knew what the trouble
was. Tnere would be some news in the pa
pers. A young and beautiful woman did not
jump from a big Atlantic liner without the
newspapers getting hold of the facts.
A fair wind carried the Betty into her
haven; and shortly after Florence was sleep
ing peacefully in a feather bed, ancient, it
is true, but none tho less soft and inviting.
In all this time she had not spoken a single
word.
"The poor young thing!" murmured the
motherly Mrs. Barnes. " What beautiful
hair! O, John, I wish you -would give up the
sea. I hate it. It is terrible. I am always
watching you in my mind's eye, in calm
■weather, in stoma. Pieces of wrecks come
ashore, and I always wonder over the death
and terror hack of them."
" Don't y* worry none about me, Betty. I
bever take no chances. Now I'm goin' Int'
th* village an' bring back th' sawbones. He'll
tell us what t' do."
The village doctor shook his grizzled head
gravely.
" She's been hurt and shocked at the same
time. It will be many days before she comes
around to herself. let her do as she
pleases. Only keep an eye on ner so that she
doesn't wander off and get lost. I'll watch
the newspapers, and if I come across any
thing which bears upon the case I'll notify
you."
But he searched the newspapers In vain,
for the simple fact that he did not think to
glanoe over the old ones.
Florence was soon able to walk about. Or
dinary conversation she seemed to under
stand; but whenever the past was broached
she would shake her head with frowning
eyes. Her msin diversion consisted of sitting
en the sand dunes and gazing out at sea.
\* ' .
9
THE TELEGRAPH, HARRISBURG, PA„ AUGUST 1914.
One day a stranger came to town. He
said he represented a life insurance coinpmy
and was up here from Boston to take a little
vacation. He sat on the hotel porch that
evening, surrounded by an admiring audi
ence. The stranger had been all over the
world, so it seemed. He spoke familiarly of
St. Petersburg, Vladivostok, Shanghai, as
the villagers—some of them—might nave
spoken of Boston. There were one or two
old timers among the audience. They had
been to all these parts. The stranger knew
what he was telling about. After telling of
his many voyages he asked if there was a
good bathing beach nearby. He was told
that he would find the most suitable s>pot
"GIRL, GIRL, I LOVE YOU BETTER THAW UFEf
near Capt. Barnes' cottage just outside the
village.
" An' say. Mister, seen anythin' in th' pa
pers about a missin' young woman?" asked
eoine one.
"Missing young woman? What's that?"
The man told the story of Florence's leap
into the sea and her subsequent arrival at
the cape.
"That's funny," said the stranger. "I
don't recollect reading about any young
woman being lost at sea. But those big
liners are always keeping such things under
cover. Hoodoos the ship, they say, and turns
prospective passengers to other lines. It
hurts business. What's the young girl look
like?"
Florence was described minutely. The
stranger teetered in his chair and smoked.
Finally he spoke.
" She was probably insane. That's the
way generally with insane people. They
can't see water or look off a tall building
without wanting to jump. My business is in
surance, and we've got the thing figured
pretty close to the ground. They used to get
the best of us on the suicide game. A matt
would take out a large policy today and to
morrow he'd blow his head off, and we'd have
to pay bis wife. But nowadays a policy is
not worth the paper it's written on if a man
commits suicide under two years."
" You ain'f tryin' t' insure anybody in
town, are you?"
"O, no. No work for me when I'm on my
vacation. Well, I'm going to bed; and to
morrow morning I'll go out to Capt. Barnes'
beach and have a good swim. I'm no sailor,
but I like water."
He honestly enjoyed swimming. Early the
next morning he was in tbe water, frolicking
about as playfully as a boy. He had all the
time in t'ne world. -Over his shoulder he saw
two women -wandering dowij toward the
beach. Deeper he went, farther out. He
was a bold swimmer, but that did not pre
vent a sudden and violent attack of cramps.
And it was a rare piece of irony that the
poor girl should save the life of that scoun
drel who was without pity or mercy. As she
saw his face a startled frown marred ner
brow. But she could not figure out the puz
zle. Had she ever seen the man before? She
did not know, she could not tell. Why could
not she remember? Why must her poor head
ache so when s'ne tried to pierce the wall of
darkness which surrounded her mentally?
The man thanked her feebly, but the grat
itude was on his lips and not in his heart.
When he 'nad sufficiently recovered he re
turned to the village and sought the railway
station, where the Western Union had its
office.
" I want to !<end a code message to my
firm. Do you think you can follow it?"
" I can try," said the operator.
The code was really Slav; and when the
long message -was signed it was signed by
the name Vroon.
Tne day after the news came that Flor
ence had jumped overboard off the Banks.
Vroon with a dozen other men had started
out to comb all the fishing Tillages along the
New England coast. Somewhere along thi»
"Way he felt confident that he would learn
•whether the girl was dead or alive. If she
vas dead, then the game was a draw; but if
she was alive there was still a fighting chance
for the Black Hundred. He had had some
Idea of remaining in the villnge and accom
plishing the work himself; but after delibera
tion he concluded that it was important
enough for Braine himself to take a hand in.
Bo the following night he departed for Bos
ton, from there to New York. He proceeded
at once to the apartment of the princess,
where Brnine declared that he himself would
go to the obscure village and claim Florence
as his awn child. But to insure absolute
success they would charter Morse's yacht
am' steam right up into the primitive harbor.
When Vroon left the apartment Norton
saw h/m. He was a man of impulses, and
he had found by experience that first im
pulses nre generally the best. He did not
know who Vroon was. Any man who called
on the Princess Perigoff while Braine was
with her would he worth following.
On the other hand, Vroon recognized the
reporter instantly and with that ever rea.ly
and alert mind of his set about to lure the
young man into a trap out of which ue mighi
uot easily come.
Norton decided to follow his man. He
might be going on a wild goose chase, he
reasoned; still his first impulses had hitherto
served him well. He looked careworn. He
was convinced that Florence was dead, de
spite the assertions of Jones to the contrary.
He had gone over all the mishaps which had
taken pla<e and he was now absolutely con
vinced that 'nis whilom friend Braine and the
Princess Perigoff were directly concerned.
Florence had either been to'ng to or coming
from the apartment. And that memorable
day of the abduction the princess had been
in the dry goods shop.
Vroon took a downtown surface car, and
Norton took the same. He sat huddled in a
corner, never suspecting that Vroon was
watching "nim from n corner of his eye. Nor
ton was not keen today. The thought of
Florence kept running through his head.
The car stopped and Vroon got off. He
led Norton a winding course which at length
ended at the door of a tenement building.
Vroon entered. Norton paused, wondering
whnt next to do, now that his man had
reached hie destination. Well, since he 'nad
followed him all this distance he must make
an effort to find out who he was and what
he was going to do. Cautiously he entered
the hallway. As he was about to lay nis
hand on the newel post of the dilapidated
HAP SHE EVER SEEM THE MAN BEKWfc?
stairs the floor dropped from under his feet
and he was precipitated into the cellar.
This tenement belonged to the Black Hun
dred; it concealed a thousand doors and a
hundred traps. Its nistory was as dark as
its hallways.
When Vroon and his companion, who had
been waiting for him, descended into the
cellar they found the reporter insensible.
Tliey bound, blindfolded, and gagged him
quickly.
"Saunders," said Vroon, "you tell Corri
gnn that I've a sailor for him tonlg'nt, and
that I want tbis sailor booked for somewhere
south of the equator. Tell him to sny to the
mcster that this fellow is ugly and disobe
dient. A trnmp freighter, whose captain is a
bully. Do you understand me?"
" I get you. But there's no need to go to
( Corrigan this trip. Bannock is in port and
sails tonight for Norway. That's far
enough."
"Bannock? The very man. Well, Mr.
Norton, reporter and amateur detective, I
guess we've got you fast enough this time.
You may or may not come back alive. Go
and bring around a taxi; some one you can
trust. I'll dope the reporter while yeu're
gone.
Long hours afterward Norton opened his
aching eyes. He could hardly move and his
head buzzed abominably. What had hap
pened? What was the meaning of this slow
rise and fall of his bed? Shanghaied!
" Come out o' that now, ye skulker!" roared
a voice down tne companlonway.
"Shanghaied!" the reporter murmured. He
sat up and ran through hJs pockets. Not a
sou-markee, not a match even; and a second
glance told him that the clothes he wore were
not his own. " They've landed me this time.
Shanghaied! What the devil am I going
to do?"
"D' ye hear me?" bawled the strident
voice again.
Norton looked about desperately for some
weapon of defense. He saw an engineer's
spanner on the floor by the bunk across the
way, and with no small physical effort he
succeeded in obtaining it. He stood up, his
hand behind his back.
" All right, me bucko! I'll come down au'
git ye."
A pair of enormous boots began, to appear
down the companlonway, and there gradually
rose up from them a man as wide as a
church door and as deep as a well.
" Wait a moment," said Norton, gripping
the spanner. " Let us have a perfect under
standing right off the bat."
" We're goin' t' have it, matey. Don't ye
worry none."
Norton raised the spanner and, dizzy as he
Tas, faced this seafaring Hercules coura
geously.
" I've been shanghaied, and yon know it.
Where are we bound?"
" Copenhagen."
" Well, for a month or more you'll beat me
up whenever the opportunity offers. But I
merely wish to warn you that if you do
you'll find a heap of trouble waiting for you
the next time you drop your mudhook in
North river."
"Is that so!" said the giant, eying the
spanner and the shaking hand that held it
aloft.
"It is. I'll take your orders and do the
best I can, because you've got the upper
hand. But, God is witness, you'll pay for
every needless blow you strike. Now what
do you want me to do?"
" Lay down that spanner an' come on deck.
I'll tell ye what t' do. I was gon' t' whale
th' daylights out o' ye; but ye're somethin'
av a man. Drop th' spanner first."
Norton hesitated. As lithe as a tiger the
bulk of a man sprang at him and crushed
bim to the floor, wrenching away the span
ner. Then the giant took Norton by the
scruff of his neck and banged him up the
steps to the deck.
" I ain't goin' t' hurt ye. I had t' show
ye that no spanner ever bothered Mike Ban
nock. Now, d' ye know what a cook's gal
ley is?"
• "I do," said Norton, breathing hard.
" Well, hike there an' start in with peelin"
spuds, an' don't waste 'em, neither. That'll
be all for th' present. Ye were due for a
wallopin', but I kuida like yer spunk."
So .Tim stumbled down to the cook's galley
and grimly set to work at the potatoes. It
might have been far worse. But here he
was, likely to be on high seas for months,
and no way of notifying Jones what had
happened. The outlook was anything but
cheerful. But a vague hope awoke in his
heart. If they were still after hjm, might it
not signify that Florence lived.
Menntime Braine had not been Idle. Ac
cording to Vroon the girl's memory was in
had shape; so he had not the least coubt of
bringing 'ner back to New York without mis
hap. Once he had her there, the game would
begin in earnest. He played his cards ex
ceedingly well. Steaming rp into the little
fishing harbor with a handsome yacht In
itself would allay any distrust. And he wore
a capital disguise, too. Everything went well
till he laid his hand on Florence's shoulder.
She gave a startled cry and ran over to
Barnes, clinging to him wildly.
" No, no!" she said.
"No what, my child?" asked the sailor.
She shook her head. Her aversion was In
explicable.
"Come, my dear; can't you see that it is
your father?" Braine turned to the captain.
" She has been like this for a year. Heaven
knows If she'll ever be in her right mind
again," sadly. " I was giving her an ocean
voyage, with the kindest nurses possible, and
yet she jumped overboard. Come Florence."
The girl wrapped her arm* all the tighter
around Barnes' neck.
An idea came Into the old sailor's head.
" Of course, sir, y've got proo* tbet she's your
daughter?"
"Proof?" Braine was taken aback.
" Yes; somethin* t' prove thet you're her
father. I got skinned out of a sloop once
berause I took a man's word at It's face
value. Black an' white, an' on paper, wys
I hereafter."
" But I never thought of such a thing, *•
protested Braine, beginning to lose hia pa
tience. " I can't risk sending to New York
for documents. She is my daughter, and
you will find it will not pay to take this
peculiar stand."
" In black an' white, 'r y' can't have her.'*
Braine thereupon rn»hed forward to selst
Florence. Barnes swung Florence behind
him.
" I guess she'll stay here a leetle longer,
Time was vital, and this obstinacy made
Braine furious. He reached again for Flor
ence.
"Clear out o' here, 'r show your author
ity," growled Barnes.
" She goes with me, or you'll regret It."
" All right. But I guess th' law won't
hurt me none. I'm in my rights. There's
the door, Mister."
" I refuse to go without her!"
Barnes sighed. He was on li\nd a man of
peace, but there was a limit to his patience.
He seized Braine by the shoulders and hus
tled him out of the house.
" Bring your proofs, Mister, an' nothin*
more'll be said; but till y' bring 'em, keep
away from this cottage."
And, simple minded sailor that he was, he
thought this settled the matter.
That night he kept his cars open for un
usual sounds, but he merely wasted his
night's rest. Quite naturally, he reckoned
that the stranger would make his attempt
at night. Indeed, he made it in broad day
light, with Barnes not a hundred yards away,
calking a dory whose seams had sprung a
leak. Braine had Florence upon the char
tered yacht before the old man realized what
had happened. He never saw Florence
again; but one day, months later, he read
all about her in a newspaper.
Florence fought; but she was weak, an!
so the conquest was easy. Braine was kind
enough, now that he had her safe. He
talked to her, but she merely stared at the
receding coast.
"All right; don't talk if you don't want to.
Here," to one of the men, " take her to the
cabin and keep her there. But don't you
touch her. I'll break you if you do. Put
her In her cabin and guard the door; at
least keep an eye on it."
Even the temporarily demented are not
without a species of cunning. Florence had
never seen Braine till he appeared at the
Barnes cottage. Yet she revolted at 19t"
touch of his hand; hated him with a violence
which would have stirred the scientific in
terest of an alienffrt. She wanted to hurt
him, torture him, heat him down and trample
on him- But as this was a physical impos
sibility, she did the next most agreeable
thing to her disordered mind. On the second
day out toward New York, she found a box
of matches and blithely set ifire to her cnbitfc
walked out into the corridor and thence to
the deck. When the fire was discovered it
had gained too much headway to be stopped.
The yacht was doomed. They put off in the
boats and for half a day drifted helplessly.
Fate has everything mapped out like a
game of chess. You move a pawn, and bang
goes your bishop, or your knight, or your
king; or she lets you almost win a game,
and then checkmates you. But there is ons
thing to be said in her favor —rail at he;
how we will, ahe is always giving odds to the
innocent
*•••*•
Mike Bannock was in the pilothouse, look
ing over his charts, wuen the lookout in the
crow's nest sang out: "Two boats adrift
off the port bow, »ir!" And Bannock, who
■was a first class sailor, although a rough
one, shouted down the tube to the engine
room. The freighter came to a halt in
about ten minutes. The castaways saw that
they had been noted, and pulled gallantly at
the oar*.
There are some things which scienc#, well
advanced as it is, cannot explain. Among
them is the shock which cuts off the past
and the countershock which reawakens mem
ory. They may write treatise after treatise
and expound, but they never succeed in truly
getting beyond that dark wall of mystery.
At the sound otf Jim Norton's voice and at
the sight of his fac»—for suhconsciously sho
must have been thinking of him all the
while—a great blinding beat-wave seemed to
burn across her eyes and when the effect
passed away she was herself again. A wild
glance at her surroundings convinced her
that both she and her lover were In danger.
" Keep back," whispered Jim. " Don't
recognize nae."
" They brieve tbat I've lo*t my mind, and
I'll keep that idea in their heads. Some
time tonight I'll find a chance to talk to
you." '
It took a good deal of cautious maneuver
ing to bring about the meeting.
" They shanghaied me. And I thought yoa
dead! It was all wrong. It was a trick of '
that Perigoff woroan, and it succeeded. Girl,
girl, I love you better than life! "
"I know it now," she said; and she klasod
him. " Haa my father appeared yetT "
" No."
"Do you know anything at all mboat
him?" sadly.
" I thought I did. It'a all a jumble to
me. But beware of the man who brought
you here. He ia the head of all our trou
blea; and if he knew I was on board he'd
kill me out of hand. He'd have to."
Braine offered Bannock a thousand dollar*
to turn back as far as Boston; and as Ban
nock bad all the time in the world, carrying
uo perishable goods, he consanted. But ha
never could quite understand what followed.
He had put Florence and Braine in the boat
and landed them; but when he went down
to aee if Braine had left anything behind,
he found that individual bound and gagged la
hia bunk.
TO BE CONTINUED.