T& MILION DOIIAR MYSTERFS
SIO,OOO FOR ONE HUNDRED WORDS.
I tFhe Million Dollar Must cry" story
• trill run for twenty-two consecutive weeks
pin this paper. By an arrangement with
I the Thanhoustr Film company it has been
j made possible not only to read the story
J in this paper but also to see it each week
f in the various moving picture theaters.
j For the solution of this mystery story
[ SIO,OOO will be given by the Thanhouser
Film corporation.
CONDITIONS GOVERNING THE
CONTEST.
. prize of SIO,OOO will be won by the
rmats woman, or child who writes the most
i acceptable solution of the mystery, from
which the last two reels of motion picture
drama will be made and the last ttco
chapters of the story written by Harold
! MacQrath.
t Solutions may be tent to the Thanhouser
Film corporation, either at Chicago or New
York, any time up to midnight, Jan. 14.
This allows several weeks after the last
i chapter has been published.
A board of three judges will determine
Which of the many solutions received is the
most acceptable. The judges are to be
Harold MacQrath, Lloyd Lonergan, and
Miss Mae Tinee. The judgment of this
board will be absolute and final. Nothing
Stanley HirrrriiTr, millionaire, after a
miraculous escape from the den of the
(lag of hrllllnnt thieves known aa the
Black Hundred, llvea the life of a re
tinae for eighteen yearn, llargreave ac
cidentally meeta limine, leader of the
Black Hundred. Knowing; Bralne will
try to get him, he escapes from his own
borne by a balloon. Before escaping? he
writes a letter to th« girls' acbool where
eighteen yeara before he mysteriously
left on the doorstep his hnby daughter,
Florence Oray. That day llargreave
also draws $1,000,000 from the bank, but
it is reported that this dropped Into the
aea when the balloon he eacnped in was
punctured.
Florence arrives from the girls' school.
Countess OlKa, Bralne's companion, vis
its her and claims her as a relative. Two
bogus detectives call, but their plot Is
foiled by Norton, a newspaper man.
By bribing the captain of the Orient,
Norton lays a trap for Bralne and his
(u(. Countess Olga nlso visits the Ori
ent's captain, and she easily falls Into
th« reporter's snare. The plan provrs
abortive through Bralne's good luck and
oaly hirelings fall Into the hands <|f the
police.
After falling in their first attempt, the
Black Hundred trap Florence. They ask
Iter for money, bat she escapes, sgaln
f«lHn« them.
Norton and the countess call on Flor
ence the next day, once more aafe at
home. .The vlsltora having gone, Jones
removes n section of flooring and from
m cavity takes a box. Pursued by mem
bers of the Black Hundred, he rushes to
tha water front and succeeds In drop
ping the box Into the sea.
(Copyright: 1914: by Harold Mac Grath.)
CHAPTER XV.
ANOTHER TRAP RET. /
IF the truth in to be told, Jones was as
deeply chagrined over the outcome of the
counterfeit deal us was Hraine. They had
both failed signally to reach the goal
•ought. But this tinie the organization had
broken even with Jours, and this fact dis
turbed the butler. It might signify that the
turning point had been reached, and that in
the future the good luck might swing over to
the side of the Hlack Hundred. Jones re
doubled his cautions, reiterated his warnings,
and slept less than ever. Indeed, as he went
»ver the ground he conceded a point to the
Black Hundred. He would no longer be able
to keep tabs on the organization. They had
leserted their former quarters absolutely. The
■gent of whom they had leased the building
knew nothing except that he would liave to
repair the place. The rent had been paid a
year in advance, as it has been these last eight
years. He had dealt through an attorney who
knew no mora of bis clients than the agent.
80 it will be seen that Jones had in reality
Mceived a check.
More than all this, it would give his ene
mies renewed confidence; and this was a
iseper menace than he cared to face. But he
went about his affairs as usual, giving no hint
to any on« of the mental turmoil which had
possession of him.
It is needless to state that Norton did not
scoop his rivals on the counterfeit story. But
he set to work exploring the cellar of the
guttad building, and in one corner he found a
battered die. He turned thim over to the
sucret service men. There was one man he
wanted to find—Vroon. This man, could he
find him, should be made to lead him, Norton,
to the new stronghold. He saw the futility of
trying to trap Braine by shadowing him. He
desired Braine to believe that his escape from
the freighter had been a bit of wild luck and
not a preconceived plan. Braine was out of
reach for the present, so he began the search
for the man Vroon. He haunted the water
front aaloona for a week withomt Bucoess.
He did not know that it was the policy of
the Black Hundred to lay low for a month
after a raid of suAi a serious character. So
the Hargreave menage had thirty days of
peace; always watche'd, however. For Braine
never relaxed his vigilance in that part of the
game. He did not care to lose sight of Jones,
whom he was positive was reail.v for flight if
the slightest opportunity offered itself.
Norton went back to the primrose paths of
love ; and sometimes he would forget all about
such a thing as the Black Hundred. So the
summer dayn went bv. with the lilac* and the
rosea embowering the Hargreave home. But
Norton took note of the fact that Florence
oj 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 will 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 nexespapers coincidentally, 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 ttco chapters of the story by Har
old MacQrath, will also show a pioture of
the successful contestant.
Solutions to the mystery must not be
more than 100 words iong. Here are some
questions to be kept in mind in connection
with the mystery as an aid to a solution:
No. I—What becomes of the millionairet
No. 2—WJiat becomes of the $1,000,000
No. B —irfcom does Florence marry t
No. 4—What becomes of the Russian
countess f
Nobody connected either directly or in
directly irith " The Million Dollar Mys
tery " will be considered as a contestant.
SYNOPSIS OF PREVIOUS CHAPTERS.
Accomplices of Bralne kidnap Florence
while she is shopping and hurry her off
to sea. She leaps overboard and ia
picked up in a dazed condition by fish
ermen. The Black Hundred locate her,
and Bralne, disguised as her father, takea
her back to aea with blm. Florence sets
Are to the boat and is rescued by a' ship
on which Norton has been shanghaied.
Norton and Florence, aafely nshore,
take the train for home. The train la
wrecked. Norton, who trlea to rescue
her, is tied to the railroad tracks. Flor
ence snvca him and finally Jones comes
to the rescue of both.
Concealed above the rendezvous of the
Black Hundred, a man learna of the re
covery from the sea of the box of Jew
els by a sailor and of Its subsequent re
turn to the bottom of the sea, and he
quickly communlcatea the fact to Jonea.
A duplicate box Is planted and later se
cured by the band, hut before ita con
tents are examlaed the box myaterlonsly
disappears.
Owing to the fslllng off of contribu
tions to the parent orgnnlsatton in Rua
sla, an agent nrrlves and assumes th
leadership of the American branch o
the Black Hundred. Through the con
nivance of the eonntess and Brnlne tha
new head Is thoroughly humiliated.
Finding himself cheekmnted at ever,
turn, Bralne endenvora to cnonesh the
llargreave household In the law in or
der to gala free access to the house.,
The timely discovery of the plot by Nor.,'
ton srts the police at the heels of the
pack and results In a raid on the gang's
rendezvous, which, however, provea to
be barren of resnlta.
was no longer the light hearted schoolgirl he
had first met. Her trials had made a serious
woman at her, and perhaps this phase was all
the more enchanting to him, who haJ his seri
ous side also. Her young mind was like an
Italian garden, always opening new vistas for
hij admiring gaze.
He went about his work the same as of old,
interviewing, playing detective, fattening his
pay envelope by specials to the Sunday edition
and some of the lighter magazines. Sometimes
he had vague dreams of writing a play, a
novel, and making a tremendous fortune like
that chap Manders, who only a few years ago
had been his desk mate. He really began the
first chapter of a novel; but that has nothing
to do with this history. .
Already, then. The chess are once more on
the board, and it is the move of the Black
Hundred.
The day was rather cloudy. Jones viewed
the sky wearily. He could hear Florence play
ing rather a cheerless nocturne by Chopin.
Fourteen weeks ago this warfare had begun
and all he had accomplished, he and those
with him, was the death or incarceration of a
few inconaequent members of the Black Hun
dred. Always they struck and always he had
to ward off. He had always been on the de
fensive ; and a defensive fighter may last a
long while, but he seldom wins; and the but
ler knew that they must win or go down in
bitter defeat. There was no half way route to
the end; there could be no draw. It all
reminded him of thunderbolts; one man knew
where they were going to strike.
The telephone rang; at the same moment
Florence left the piano. She stopped at the
threshold.
"Hellol You? Where have you been?
What has happened?"
" Who is it?" asked Florence, stepping for
ward.
Jones held up a warning hand, amd Florence
paused.
"Yes, yes; I haar perfectly. O! You've
been working out their new quarters? Good,
good! But be very careful, air. One never
knows what may happen. They have been
quiet for some time now. . . . Ah ! Yoa
can't work the celling this time? . , . Win
dow over the way. Very good, sir. But be
careful."
The word " sir" caught Florence's atten
tion. She ran to Jonew and seised him by the
nrm.
" Who was that?" she as he turned
away from the telephone.
" Why?"
" You said ' sir.' "
Jonee' eyes widened. " I did?"
'* Yes, and it's the first time I e*er heard
you use it over the telephone. Jones, you
were talking to my father!"
THE TELEGRAPH, HARRISBURG, PA.. OCTOBER . 1914.
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" Please, Miss Florence, do not ask me any
questions. I cannot answer any. I dare not."
" But if I should command, upon the pain
of dismissal?" coldly.
" Ah, Miss Florence," and Jones tapped his
pocket, "you forget that you cannot dismiss
m» by word. I am legally in control here. I
am sorry that you have made me recall thL»
fact to you."
Floience began to cry softly.
" I am sorry, very sorry," said the butler,
torn between the desire to comfort her and
the law that he had laid down for himself.
"It is very gloomy today, anW perhaps we
are all a little depressed by it. I am sorry."
" O, I realize, Jones, that all this unending
mystery and secrecy have a set purpose at
back. Only, it does just seem ajt if I should
go mad sometimes, with waiting and wonder
ing."
"And if the truth must be told, it is the
same with me. We have to wait for them to
strike. Shall I get you something new to
read? I am going down to the drug store and
tl'.ey have a circulating library."
" Get me anything you please. But I'd feel
better with a little sunshine."
" That's universal," replied Jones, going into
the hall for his hat.
Had the telephone rung again at that mo
ment it is quite probable that the day would
have come to a close as the day before had,
monotonously. But the ring came five min
utes after Jones had left the house.
" Is this the Hargreave place?"
" Yes," said Florence. " Who is it?"
" This is Miss Hargreave talking?"
"Yes."
" This is Dr. Morse. I am at the Queen
hotel. Mr. Norton has been badly hurt, and
h» wants you and Mr. Jones to come at once.
We cannot tell just now how serious the In
jury Is. lie is just conscious. Shall I tell
him you will come immediately?"
'• Yes, yes !"
Florence snapped the receiver on the hook.
She wanted to fly, fly. He was hurt. How,
when, where?
" Susan! Susan 1" she called.
" What is it, Florence?" asked Susan, run
ning into the room.
" Jim is badly hurt. He wants me to come
at once. O, Susan 1 I've been dreading some
thing all day long." Florence struck the
maid's bell. "My wraps. You will go with
me, Susan."
" Where, Miss Florence ?" asked the maid,
alive to her duty.
" Where? What is that to you?" demanded
Florence, who did not know that this maid
waa a detective.
" Why not waij till Mr. Jones returns?"
she suggested patiently.
"And let the man I love die?" vehemently.
" At leaat you will leave word where you
are going, Miss Florence."
" The Queen hotel. And if you ray another
word I'll discharge you. Come, Susan."
There happened to be a taxicab conveniently
near (as Yroon took care there should be),
and Florence at once engaged it. She did not
sei the man biding in the bushes. The two
young women stepped into the taxicab and
were driven off. They had been grroe less
t'nan five mlnniaa when Jones returned with
hia purchase, to find the house empty of its
moat valuable asset. He was furious, not only
at the maid, who, he realised, was virtually
helplees, but at his own negligence.
In the midst of his violent harangue the bell
sounded. In his bones he knew what was
going to be found there. It was a latter on
the back of which was drawn the fatal black
mask. With shaking fingers he tore open thct
envelope and read the contents: " Florence
is now in our power. Only the surrender of
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the million will save her. Our agent will call
in an hour for an answer.
"THE BLACK HUNDRED."
As a matter of fact, tbey had wanted Jones
almost as badly as Florence, but her desire
for a book—soma popular story of the day
had saved him from the net. The letter had
been written against this possibility.
Jones became cool, now that he knew just
what danger to face. The Queen hotel meant
nothing. Florence would not be taken there.
He called up Norton. It took all the butler's
patience, however, as it required seven differ
ent calls to locate the reporter.
Meantime the taxicab containing Florence
and Susan spun madly toward toe water
front. Here the two were separated by an
effective threat Florence recognised the man
Vroon and knew that to' plead for mercy
would be a waste of time. She permitted
herself to be led to a waiting launch. Always
when she disobeyed Jones something like this
happened. But this time t'ney had cunningly
atruck at her heart, and all thought of her
personal safety became as nothing. For the
present she knew that she was in no actual
physical danger. Sat was merely to be held
as a hostage. Would Susan have mentality
enough to tell Jones where the taxicab had
stopped? She doubted. In an emergency
Susan had proved herself a nonentity, a bun
dle of hysterical thrills.
As a matter of fact, for one® Florence's
deductions were happily wrong. When th«
chauffeur peremptorily deposited Susan on the
lonely country road, several miles from home,
she ran hot-foot to the nearest telephone and
aent a very concise message home. Susan
was becoming acclimated to this strange, ex
citing existence.
NoTton arrived in due time, and he and
Jones were mapping out a plan when Suaan'a
message came.
"Good girl!" said Jones. " She'a learning.
Can you handle this alone, Norton? They
want me out of the house again, for I hellere
they were after me aa well as Florence. Half
an hour gone!" •
" Trust me!" cried Norton.
And he ran out to his auto. It was * wild
riJe. Several policemen shouted after himi
but he went on unmindful. They conld take
his license number a hundred times for all he
cared. So they had got her? They could
wait till their enemy's vigilance slacked and
then would strike? But Susan! Tha next
time he saw Susan he was going to take her
in his arms and Alss her. It might he a new
sensation to kiss Susan, always so prim and
offish. Corey street—that had been her direc
tion. They had put Florence in a motor boat
at the foot of Corey street He was perhapa
half an hour behind.
Florence never opened her iipa. Bhe stared
ahead proudly. She would show these seoua
drels that she was her father's daughter.
They plied her with questions, but she pre
tended not to hear.
" Well, pretty bird, we'll make you apeak
when the time cornea. We're got yoti this
trip where we want you. There won't be any
jumping overboard this session, believe me.
We've wasted enough tim*. We've got yoa
and we're going to keep you." __ _
" Let her be," said Vroon morosely. " WeH
put all toe questions -we wish when we're at
our destination." And he nodded significantly
toward the ships riding at anchor.
Florence felt her heart sink in spite of her
abundant courage. Were they going to take
her to sea again? She had acquired a horror
of t'ne sea, so big, so terrible, so strong. She
had had an experience with its sullen power.
They had gone about four miles down when
she looked back longingly toward shore.
Something white seemed to be spinning over
the water far behind. At first s'ne could not
discern what it was. As she watched it it
grew and grew. It finally emerged from the
illusion of a gigantic bird into the actuality
of an everyday hydroplane. Her heart gave
a great bound. This flying machine was com
ing directly toward the launch; it did not de
viate a hair's breadth from the line. Fortu
nately the men were looking toward a huge
freighter a quarter of a mile farther on. and
from their talk it was evident that that
freighter was to be r ner prison—bound for
where? Nearer and nearer came the hydro*
plane. Was it for her?
It was impossible for the men not to take
notice of the barking of the engines at last
"The thing's heading for us!"
"Vroon stared under his palm. It was not
credible fnst pursuit had taken place so
quickly. To test yonder man-bird he ab
ruptly changed the course of the launch. The
hydroplane veered its course to suit.
Florence heard her name called faintly.
One of the men drew his revolver, but Vrooa
knocked it oat of his r aand.
" There's the police boat, you fool!"
" Jump!" a voice called to Florence.
She flung herself into the water without the
slightest hesitation.
All this came about something after fhlt
fashion. When Norton arrived at the foot of
Corey street a boatman informed him that a
young woman of his description had gotten "
into a fast motor boat and had gone down
the river.
"Was there any struggle?"
"Struggle? None fnat I could see. She
didn't make no fuss about going."
" Have you a launch?'
" Yes, but the other boat has half an hour's
start, and I'd never eatch her In a thousand
years. But there's a hydroplane a little above
'new. You might interest the feller that
rnn» it."
"Thanks!"
But tfie aria tor would not listen.
"A life may hang in the balance, man!"
expostulated Norton, longinj to pommel the
stubborn man.
" What proof have I of that?'
Norton showed his card and badge.
"O, I see!" jeered the aviator. "A little
newspaper etunt in which I am to be the
goat. It can't be done, Mr. Norton; it can't
be done."
"A hundred dollars!"
"Not for fire hundred.'* and the avlatoi
callously turned away toward the young wom
an with whom he had been conversing prior
to Norton's approach. The two walked
dozen yards away.
Norton had not served twelve years at •
metropolitan newspaper man for nothing. He
approached the mechanics who were puttering
about the machine.
" How about twenty apiece?" he began.
"For what?" the men asked.
" For sending that peddle around a fen
timss."
" Get up tnto that seat, but dont tooeS
any of those levers," one of them warned*
"Twenty is twen'.y, Jack, and the bose Is c
sorehead today anyhow. Give her a shore for
the fun of it"
It was a dumfonnded aviator who saw Ma
hydroplane skim the water and a moment
later ssil Into the air. These swift moving
days a reporter of the first caliber Is supposed
to be able to run rsilroad engines, subma
rines, flying machines, conduct a war; able te
shoot, walk, run, swim, fight think, go with
out food like a python, and lire without water
like a camel. Norton had flown many time#
daring the leat four years. At the moment
he called out to Florence to jump he dropped
to the water with all the skill of an old timei
and took her aboard. And he could Dot oae a
line of this exploit for his paperl
• e •••••«
Jones heard the bell. It was the agent
from the Black Hundred. He smiled jauntily.
" Well, old fox, we've cornered you at last,
haven't we? I wajit that money, or Har
greave's daughter takes another sea voyage*
and this time she will not jump overboard.
A million; and no more nonsense."
" Give me fifteen minntes to decide," begged
Jones, hoping against hope.
" Fifteen seconds!"
"Then we can't do businees. What! Glre
yon a million, knowing you all to be a peek
of liars? Bring Mlse Florence back end the
money Is yours. We are tired of fighting."
As indeed Jones really wae. The strain had
been terrific for weeks. t
"The money first. We don't lie any better
than yon do. Fork over. You'll have to truet
us. We have no oae for the girl once we get
the cash."
" And yon'H never touch a penny of it yon
blackguard!" cried Norton from the doorway.
The agent turned to behold the reporter and
the girl. He did not stop to ask questions,
bat bolted. He never got beyond the door,
however.
" Alwsye the small fry," sighed Jocee,
"And if I oould have put my handa on the
money I'd have given It to him! Ah, girl, it
does»'t do any good to talk doee ttf"
" But tfcev told me he was dying!"
Jones shrugged.
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