1 EOLIAP MM f f ? . ( ft v HAROLD MAC GRATH -#L llMlllliilliil ___ _____ Itlßlll'BililMllf $lO 000 FOR ONE HUNDRED WORDS. "The Million Dollar Mystery" story board uiH be absolute and final. Nothing will run for twenty-two consecutive weeks of a literary nature will be considered in in this paper. By an arrangement with Ihe decision, nor given any preference in the Thanhouser Film company it has been the selection of the winner of the SIO.OOO made possible not only to read the story prue. The last tioo tcels, which will give in this paper but also to see it each leeek the most acceptable solution to the mys in the various moving picture theaters. tery, tcill be presented in the theaters For the solution of this mystery story having this feature an soon as it is pos slo,ooo tcill be given by the Thanhouser lible to produce the same. The story corre- Film corporation. sponding to these motion pictures will ap- CONDITIONS GOVERNING THE V far newspapers coincidental!y, or CONTEST. " *°o" af'er the appearance of the pic- The prise of SIO,OOO tcill be icon by the iures a ? Practicable. With Ihe last two man, woman, or child who writes the most feels will be shown ihe pictures of the win ecceptable solution of the mystery, from I,er ' his or er . h° me - a "<l other interesting which the last two reels of motion picture features. It is understood that the news drama will be made and the last tw» papers, so far as practicable, in printing chapters of the story written by Harold Ihe ,ast two cha P tc « of the story by Har- MacGrath. c/d MacGrath, tcill also show a picture of Solutions may be tent to the Than- successful contestant, houser Film corporation at 5 South ll'a- Solutions to the mystery must not be iash avenue, Cnicago, 111., or Thanhouser more than 100 words long. Here are some Film corporation, 71 West Twenty-third questions to be kept in mind in connection ttrcet, New York City N. Y., any time up W the mystery as an aid to a solution: to midnight. Jan. 1.), 1915. This allows No.l—What becomes of the millionaire? several weeks after the last chapter lias No. 2—What becomes of the $1,000,000T teen published. No. 3—Whom does Florence marry f A board of three judges will determine No. 4 —What becomes of the Russian which of the many solutions received is the count ess T most acceptable. The judges are to be Nobody eonnected either directly or in- Harold MacGrath, Lloyd Lonergan, and directly with "The Million Dollar Mys- Miss Mae Tince. The judgment of this tery" will be considered as a contestant. SYNOPSIS OF PREVIOUS CHAPTERS. Stanley Harsreave, millionaire, after a miraculous r«rapr from ihr den of the Cans of brilliant thieve* known an the Black Hundred, Uvea the life of a re cluse for eighteen years. Harpreate ac cidentally meets ilralur, leader of the Blaek Hundred, ksonlng Brnlne will try to («t him, he escapes from his own home by ■ balloon. Before escaping he nrltn a letter to the girls' school where eighteen years before he mys teriously left on the doorstep his baby daughter, Florence Uray. That day Har greave also draws 91.000,000 from the bank, but It Is reported that this dropped l>to the sea when the balloon he escaped In was punctured. Florence arrives from the girls' school. Countesa Olga. Bralne's companion, visits her and claims her as a relative. The Black Hundred then see a means of mak ing Florence a target for their attacks. They are after the $1,000,000. and Bralne, their leader, sets traps for Florence. The Black Hundred, after a number of attempts, fall, due to the wisdom of Jones, the Hnrgreave butler, and Norton, • newspaper man. Concealed at the rendezvous of the Black Hundred, a man learns of the re {Copyright: 1914: By Harold MacGrath.] CHAPTER XXII. A NIGHT OF ADVENTURES. THK federal government agreed to s?.y nothing, to put no obstacles in tlic way of the Russian agent, provided be could abduct his trio without se riously clashing with the Xew \ ork police authorities. It was a recognized fact that the local police force -wanted the newspa per glory which would attend the crushing of the Black Hundred. It would be an ex ploit. But. their glory "was nil: nor did Ser van take his trio back with him to Russia. Many strange things happened that night, the night of the final adventure. Florence sat in her room reading. The book was " Oliver Twist." not the pleasant cst sort of book to read under the existing circumstances. Several times —she had reached the place where l-'agin overheard Nancy's confession —she fancied she heard doors closing softly, but credited it to he' imagination. Poor Nancy, who wanted to be good but did not find time to be! Florence possessed a habit familiar to most of us; the need of apples or candy when we are reading. So she rang the bell for her maid, intending to ask her to bring up some ap ples. She turned to her reading, presently to break off and strike the bell again. Where was that maid? She -waited perhaps live minutes, then laid down the book and be gan to investigate. There was not a servant to he found in the entire house! What in the world could that mean? Used as she was to heartrend ing suspenses, she was none the less terri fied. Something had taken the servants from the house. From whence was the danger to come this time. Where was Jones? Why did he not return as he had promised? It was long past the hour when he said be would be back. She went into the library and picked up the telephone. She was told that Mr. Nor ton was out on an assignment, but that he would be notified the moment he re turned. She opened a drawer in the desk. She touched the automatic but. did not take it up. She left the drawer open, however. Earlier, at the newspaper office that night, Jim went into the managing editor's office and laid a bulky manuscript on that gen tleman's desk. " Is this it?" "It is," said Jim. "You have captured them?" " Xo: but there if a net about them from which not one shall escape. There's the story of my adventures, of the adventures of Miss Hargreave and the butler. Jone*. You'll find it exciting reading. You might just as well send it up to the composing room. At midnight. I'll telephone the intro duction. It's a scoop. Don't worry about that." The editor riffled the pages. " A hundred and twelve pages. 300 words to the page: man, it's a novel!" "It'll read like one." "Sit down for a moment and let me skim through the tint ■lory." At the end of ter minutes the editor laid covery of the bo* from the aea by a sailor and of Its subsequent return to the bottom of the sea, and he quickly communicates the fact to Jones. A du plicate box Is planted and later secured by the band, but before Ita contents are examined the box mysteriously disap pears. Finding himself checkmated at every turn, Bralne endeavors to enmeuh the Hargrcave household in the law In order to gain free access to the house. The timely discovery of the plot by Norton sets the police at the heels of the pack and results In a raid on the gaag's ren dezvous, which, however, proves to be barren of results. The Black Hundrrd begin to fear Nor ton and plan to dispose of lilm. Again the unnutleed butler shows his hand by rescuing Norton and defeating Bralne. Florence secures a mysterious paper which Is of vital Importance to her father's safety. Brnlne loses hope of securing the $>,000,000 and turns to re venge. Henri Servan Is given documentary evidence against the Illack Hundred. They try to get It from him by a clever ruse, but agalu Jones heats them to It. down the copy. He opened n drawer and took out two envelopes. Tlie blue one he tore up and dropped into the waste basket. Xort<ra' understood and smiled. They lmd meant to discharge liini if he fell down. The other envelope was a fat one. " Open it."' said the editor, smiling a lit tle himself. This envelope contained a check for $2,500. two round trip first class tickets to - j IIPIII'IM || 111 iIIIIIWBWM MLWCALT, or CQUNTEkM OLGA Liverpool, together ■with innumerable cou tinental tickets such as are issued to tour ists. "Why two?" asked Jim innocently. " Forget it, my boy, forget it. You ought t" know that in this office we don't employ blind men. The whole staff is on. There you are, a fat check and three months' va cation. Go and get married; and if you return before the three months are up I'll tire you myself on general principles." .Tim laughed happiiy an.l the two men shook bands. Then .Jim went forth to com plete the big assignment. Five minute* later Florence called him up to learn that he had gone. What should she do? Jones had told her to stay in the house and not to leave it. Hut where was he? Why did lie not come? What ""s the meaning ot this desertion by the s _ She tvandered about aim- lessly, looking out of windows, imagining forms in the shadows. Her imagination lull not deceived her; she had heard doors close softly. "Susan, Susan!" she murmured; but Susan was in the hospital. Oliver Twist! What had possessed her to start reading that old tale again? She should have read something of a light and joyous character. After half an hour's wandering about the lonely house she ro. turned to Ihe library, feeling that she would be safer where both telephone and revolver were. And while she sat waiting for she knew not what, her swiftly beating heart send ing the blood into her throat so that it al most suffocated her. a man turned into the street and walked resolutely toward the Har greave place. He passed a man leaning against a lamp post, but he never turned to look at him. JIM NANAGiiD TO fLOOK. E>£ATNL This man, however, threw away his cigar and hot footed it to the nearest pay station, lie kpew in his soul that he had just seen the man for whom they had been hunting; all these weary but strenuous weeks—Stan ley Hurjjreave in the flesh! Half an hour after his terephone message the chief of the Black Hundred and many lesser lights were on their way to the house of mystery. Had they but known! Now, the man who had created this tre niendoys agitation went serenely on. He proceeded directly and fearlessly to the front door, produced a latch key and entered. He paused through the hall and reception room to the library and paused on the threshold dramatically, Florence stepped biuk with a sharp cry of alarm. She hud heard the hall door open and close and hail taken "f for granted that Jones had returned. Ther« war a tableau of short duration. HARRISBTTRG, PA.. NOTEMBER. , 1914 "Don't you know me?" asked the stranger in a singularly pleasant voice. Florence had been imposed upon too many times. She shook her head defiantly, though her knees shook 60 that she was certa'O that the least touch would send her over. "I am your father, child!" Florence slipped unsteadily behind the desk and seized Ihe revolver which lay in the drawer. The man by the curtains smiled sadly. It was a smile Ihat caused Florence to waver a bit. Still, she extended her arm. " You do not believe me?" said the man, advancing slowly. " No. I have been deceived too many times, sir. Stay where you are. You will wait here till my butler returns. O. if I were only sure!" she burst out suddenly and passionately. " What proof have you Ihat you are what you say?" HP came toward lier, holding out his hands. u This, tha tyou cannot shoot me. Ah, the damnable ••wetdies! What have they done lo yon. my child, to make you suspicious of every one? Mow I have watched over you in secret! I will tell jou what only Jones and the reporter know, that the aviator died, that 1 alone was res cued, that I Rave Norton the. five thousand, that I watched thp windows of the Rus sian woman, and overheard nearly every plot that was hatched in the council cham ber of the Black Hundred; tliftt I was shot in the arm while' crossing the lawn one night. . And now we have the scoundrel* jiißt where (ve want them. They will he i:i this house for me within half an hour, 'tnd not one of them will leav<* it in freedom. 1 am your father, .Florence; 1 am (he lonely father who has spent the best years of his life a waj- fc— — l— »« safety. Can't you feel the truth of all this?" " No, no! Flense do not approach any nearer; stay -where you are!" At that moment the telephone rang. With the revolver still leveled she picked up the receiver. "Ilello, hello! Who is it? . . . O. Jim, Jim, come at once! I am holding at bay a man who says he is my father. Hold him where he is. you say? All right, I will. Come quick!" "Jim!" murmured the man, still advan cing. lie must have that revolver. The poor child might.spoil th^.whole affair. "So what Jones tells me is tru": that you are going to marry this reporter chap?" She did not answer. "With or without my consent?" If only he would drop that fearless smile! she thought. " With or without anybody's consent," she said. " What in the world can I say to yon to convince you?" ho cried. "The trap is set; but if Braine and his men come and find us like this, good heaven, child, we are both lost! Come, come!" "Stay where you are!" At that moment she heard a sound at the door. Her gaze roved; and it was enough for the man. He reached out and caught her arm. She tried to tear herself loose. " My child, in God's name, listen to rea son! They are entering the hall and they will lir.ve us both." Suddenly Florence knew. She could not have told you why; but there was an ap peal in the man's voice that went to her heart. "You are my father!" " Yes. yes! Rut you've found it out just a trifle too late, my dear. Quick; this side <if the desk!" Braine and his men dashed into the library. Olga entered leisurely. "Both of them!" yelled Braiue exult antly. "Both of them together; what luck!" There was a sharp, fierce struggle; and when it came to an end Hargreav# was trussed to a chair. "Ah, so we meet again, Hargreave!" said Braiue. Ilargrc«ve shrugged. What he wanted \va« :itie. "A million! We have you. Where is it, • i- I'll twist your heart before your eyes." "Father, forgive me!" " i understand, my child." "Where is it?" Braine seized Florence by (lie wrist and swung her toward him. " Don't tell him, father; don't mind me," said the girl bravely. Braine, smiling his old evil smile, drew the girl close. It was the last time he ever touched her. " I.ook!" screamed Olga. Every one turned, to see Joues' face peer ing between the curtains. There was nil ironj<- smile on the butler's lips. The face vanished. "After him!" cried Braine, releasing Florence. "After him!" mimicked a voice from the hull. The curtains were thrown back suddenly. .Tones appeared, and Jim and the Russian agent and a dozen policemen. Tableau! Braine was the only man who kept his head. He floored Norton, smashed a win dow. and leaped out. The blow dazed Nor ton. but he was on his feet almost iustantly and, followed Braine through tbe window. Across the lawn the two sped, with an ex cbuuee of shots which eruoticd both auto- matirs but did no damage. Braine headed for Lis auto. He jumped in, only to b« hauled out again by the furious reporter. A hand to hand fight followed; and the cleatf life of the reporter told. " There, my angelic friend, T believe thM the game is up. There is one shot left i« this automatic. If you make any attempt to escape, I'll let you have it; not to kill but to disable. You and your preciona fountess will sail tomorrow morning for ths Baltic, and from there you will go to the lead mines." He dragged his prisoner toward the house. "Tour troubles are over, my child." said Hargreave, as he pressed Florence to his heart. "And mine hare begun," murmured th< countess. " But I have still one shot." The police stood encircling her. Calais she opened her handbag and took out hel handkerchief. It was a thick and heavj cilk one. Swiftly she unscrewed the top ol her walking etick (it will be seen now thai the carrying of it was not an affectation!), extracted a rial and threw it violently to the floor. An overpowering sweet odor filled the room. .Tones, knowing how deeply versed Braine was in oriental poisons and narcotics, made a desperate but futile effort to tear down a curtain to throw orer the liquid; but eren in the effort he felt hii senses going. The last he was conscious of was a mocking laugh. But the entrance of Jim, dragging Brains after him, shocked all the banter out of the countess. She turned and rushed madly for the stairs, without baring the least idea how she was to menage an escape from ths upper stories. She had thought Braine free. As she flew up the steps all the past re turned, all her warnings to that stubborn man. This was the end . . . Russia! The horrors of the cold and the deadly damps of the mines . . . forever! Jim, still holding the battered conspira tor. watched her flight in amazement. He could not understand—till he pushed Braine into the library and the vanishing odor as sailed his nostrils. What these fumes wera he was never to know, but they proved to be transitory. Five minutes sufficed to bring all back to their senses. For the while they forgot Olga. " This man is mine," said Serran, nodding toward Braine, " He's yours without charge," said Jim, " I am an American citizen," said Brain<\ who, realizing what the future held, readily preferred a long prison term in America to the horrors of Russian exile. "Tour certificate has been destroyed," said Servan, "and the state department consid ers your papers void because you obtained them under false oaths. Tou are an unde sirable citizen; and the republic is happy to learn that you will be taken off its hands.'' "And because," added Norton, "you hav# laid too many mines in the blackmailing business, and the government does not pro* pose to have them made known to the pub lic through a long and useless trial. It was a long run, old top; but right is right. And by the way, I want you to meet Mr. Jed son. formerly of Scotland Yard. He indicated Jones, who started. "Yes." went on the reporter, "I recog nized him long ago." "It is true," said Hargreare, taking Jones' hand in his own. "Fifteen years ngo I em ployed him to watch my affairs, and very well has he done so. And to you, you wretch," turning upon the haggard Braine, " listen: there is a million, and you havs been within a foot of it a dozen times. It has been under your very nose. Do you r« member Poe's 'Purloined Letter'? Ha! Under your very nose, within touch of your hand! Now, take him away, Mr. Serran. The police will be satisfied with the pris oners they hove." So, presently, Hargreare, Jones, Florence, and Jim were alone. That smile which bad revealed to Florence her father's identity stole over his face again. He put bis hand on Jim's shoulder and beckoned to Flor ence. " Are you really auxious to marry this young man?" Florence nodded. " Well, then, do so. And go to Europe with him on your honeymoon; and as a wedding present to you both, for every dollar that he has I will add a hundred; and when you get tired of travel you will both come back here to live. The Black Hundred has ceased to exist." "And now," said Jones, shaking his (boul ders. "Well?" said Hargreave. "My business is done. Still " Jones paused. "Go on," said Hargreave soberly. " Well, the truth is. sir, I've grown used to you. And if you'll let me play the butler till tbe end I shall be most happy." " I was going to suggest it." Norton took Florence by the hand and drew her away. "Where are yon taking me?" she asked. "I'm going to take this pretty hand of yours and put it flat upon ? 1,000,000. And if you don't believe it, follow? me." She followed. \Thig is the last chapter of "The Million Dollar Mystery" that will appear until after the SIO,OOO prize has been awarded, when th« , concluding chapters, written by Mr. MacOrath from the best solution offered, will be pub lished.]
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers