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.
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