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Show Written by Hcreward Carrinton, The Distinguished Authority on Psychic Phc- t' noniena. pramatized by Charles W. Goddard, The V-'ell Xnoim Author of "The Perils of Pauline;" "The Exploits of Elaine;" "The God-Jess;" God-Jess;" "The Misleading Ladv;" "The Ghost Breaker;" "Tlu- Man From the Sea." Everything Yen Read Mere Today You Can See ' This V et'k at the Leading Motion Picture Theatres in Vivid Motion Pictures Produced by the Famous W harton Studio for This Newspaper. lth Mr. HOWARD ESTABROOK Vs Dr. Alden, Mis JEAN SOTHERN as the Cliarmin Myra Maynard. Next Sunday Another Chapter of "The Mysteries of Myra" and New Pictures. CapVS" Star Company, 1916. EPISODE ONE CM Vl'l KB I. Tli Gamins ( Uenih. ' ,-.v- t;M. l'". bv St.ir mim i-s .? VuN' AL.PISN h'..:;cd ,i:u:.il'iv in )T.;.v-.l of r.v.'.y su-'t'-C which J ed Vi--.:.i tr c !'v:v,';i w indow s. V.cr thi-iy-r.vo And 1 .uo j. jV." t v ; : !; P ' c : c."-r 1'i.i.n t nine "' ,T ,', Virr.e-.! t ifil ho I-. I. room for c sK.cw er be parked broad '- ' '.-.- i !'. eo -i w:(h thr; .1 of r-'.'-p- d-e.untr.--c of ths wni afr.ur"" ' . w '. h.:,."t,lf- t-'' t'r''!i'. of bis P-i- ". V-i iwrr.ei tt p.ece n.-t.-p.ivi-r. k- s"m'. he sat ilon n on t i.e e.t i;e c V ; - i :. Vi1 a ! :t , -'t -;aSi was s.mp'e. f(n In i t mys- - its jour Invrittpjailon of thr or-n:t or-n:t rhc hnd (ktnC ilfr-d (hta MarnliiK r-r Tnr krJtrf en ulna Cop If b-at- . p :-se,1 h:s into a qu'.srua! snr.Ie ... -.'serol '!'.':ii rirsl surprise1. A ,, h. n;e:iil!il pr.iiquf :i:l oi,-itirtc 1 : ..- i - h .5 t!ol e;'.sii t o n o r ir oj bv & 17 ;i:vr. however un.inny it mes-..' mes-..' 7-. tv.it:er-o(-.t.t i-hrivfulufss cf mo-m the !t:n'.uVAt thrill of :-t ;e- whLi-h t e.i with th -: cf t e h.::-opei w::".1'w ihesa .. -.,:h'e arnv-.'.fs of ir.orbiJ :t y. - r-.-r.'---:i .TiVireJ ,-.!.;,.:.!, a .9 ; t.k-.a or-er of the note. ii :V. vr.n t:!e:r t1 m:t.s m u:I:iih-- s ;rroui: -c.l Uy so!?.e t".t;tly drawn : ;':'-:,.:.iriti of te Plark ? Ir. u icla ns " - - , -i- i : f i. ' N ve .f n-y ruA kiov : exevt :i i;i Ana he never joSios -i--s ire 5e.-!.-i:s:ie?3 of :t " -' r arv-se ?.'. and wa k-d twp.rd . - of t -V..;nt er U w.. Km-ice J. . : i'. u:t it wrirn en;rir:g the room -i . r. i . -:r.-a toward the indow. hIf ; - - '- -i -r-e ton. --- :.v a. i w iis just the s.ime as he - a exar-:ed the niper portion of .s.:ed wi-.n a r.id.:. The !;t of t-s. d"r'.-s ted duriiic toe C"d.;:-'.irrT-d on either f;d-i of tre -i :a ir.a ft:. ire u hid been brushed u:Tere :. l-ch:?".?: clcrotte and ' z s: : " ' ti w : h re i f w i c co n- --e c-vii-: .-ar". ot fly throu-rh the i- er.i:!; tn-:r selves so they .-.in a-.", or.i-'lis. Th1..- ;';irt:cuiar - t1 'V n-A'e h:a call t:h the aid ::-r h:a private l.i oratory In h t..i--e was fiirn: Sd with a -. .rr.:..:i r.t a i -. :a r.r e s f.-r the invea-.r. invea-.r. r:.-.':;i.i: a:vi ev: spiritual ihe-: ihe-: a- r:?re were ir.o !!i"-r noiern crci- : 'j r.uve so er.t:.- :s for the re'-"rd- : ce..i-.i;e r s ychok-pir al i nstru w en ts. .. f"iiic:is -1? love. hnte. f"ar cf . .ii iue rad:a::or.s eTuttsd by the " (f.a.ed hurriedly about the lab- i - --.us pd nothir;ff disturbed." ho -"i i-i r?.-."f. Then he fi t--err.ed a r.:-;:;'l dr.twer in the filing cabinet r. was h'. o'.i5'irn to r-i- ih od ially - - : . 'leiims r,if his in vest i -rat lORS. - was a pr-vise man. tie remem-' - -. : r.ci. y nav: :iz closed all these : --? it.ght tj.:-:"ore on leaving his ily he opened thi3 one now, to n n-.i'.iv iilied envelope in order. - " ur.iu he cane to one marked J ' -'. It wi.s empty. m - - ' 1 " - .in . e n - em n rand a had h- n stolen "'N !--,t anenda to this baffling: sub-' sub-' ' m rd-d the niht beforp. j-5 ,. -;r garr:e. eh?" His brows con-''.'". con-''.'". "Xc-, they know my trame! I i-i' niu:uie'l for my devotion to this ih tr.e triumphant proof that -,; t--:' :r-ii"wing the r:&ht trail in the "r". ir.fjory. . . . Th"v cannot ter- " r- v heavens, I will iWht them : r. weapons from behind the t ' 'i i-- i ' '"..'i ' e ti e." T-. io h's ci t : k to t-'lpbone for a T::n ainio.-t f'.-ver;h:y he wrote . r:is Drf'-.iinr.al pr-pc-r, : - - i ever i:-.n ai-.ie to meet her yet ;j dc-unij- fortunate to have my chance . '""e circumstances" he told himself ''J the envelope. , a.a a timid knock upon the labora- - j. '-'jor. t v-- mea.ienfrer boy, sir." It was the : ,,:t? r-i'n to rush this and not to read a : '-'; "l on the trip." '7.- -r' to the other servants, the doc- man of uncanny ways. L"- Payson Aiden was a puzzle to z.-r V -r a 'r:er,,13 and relatives. Unusually - ' V. ,J' 'or a rran of his years, after a ' 1 arfT in American and Continental .. "isuLiitionK. he had surprised every -' n!H strange retirement from active i, --nation in his lucrative medical prac- -1" ' v'.'. 13 f comfort by a modest compc-. compc-. .; hermif:2ed himself. n'-t-'leotiriL' his -.-.: i a! connection.-?, ar.'l. to- their ' ' .' frarrin, even his kinspeople. who had '- .:,'r, rard his career as a fnrnily poa-. poa-. - . s absorption in laboratory work, .. t . ' rifjus. urti:oronlcied visits to India, . v1' '-rJ J-'"-nt. and other ridiculously . ""t.-jie rcsoris" elK-ited unrcastia " ; v.;;1 fr0r" the blood-tie busy-bodies. z't -V '? Aljn had smiled with Imperturb-,- . , uiMiuy at all remonstrance and ad- is devoted to a task that means - . " ,' ." ,J 1 " a n 1 1 v ' n ti n you can conceive," ho 0' "ridmg the insult of cross- ' ' 10 E"e injury of withheld confidence. e.iMiod tM(. conference with: "Many have amassed fortunes by toiling - An crops instead of those of their -...org"' V these two years of solitary plod-V plod-V V'tv1 attatned a distinguished reputa- the investigation of the OHyohLc. f"8 had b--h secretive for he had r-'i n a fl e i d of t h ' occult barely )...-." J by the moat forward-looking -, had discovered nn ominous, in-yet in-yet t-hocking-ly powerful force of v-l in the life about Mm. Mysterl-. Mysterl-. ' i'ucanie trkeednis crimes hod ..'i Y' Police of the ' -itv. In every case "Jerneri subtle similn ritlK of moth--tart lint? n their evil re-.'-mblaiioea 1 ,,;if! even confided to the president . r3"'h!eal research societv his convlc-::'h,hf-y Vfirn a!! the work of a single -Ytw n fjf "Iilack Magicians. " had elicited nothing more than --I'.'.'Jina though amiable incredulity. ,.'fl.: rr.ornlg had corne the juslina-..tni juslina-..tni uunplcions. Instead of the fear . m i l-n t have ben supposed to gnaw ' there was the undeniable glow - '"-n expectancy. ..;.;rn who labors with his brawn In the rjf 1'is fellows finds outlet for hia :(V.f PhvMeal rombativeness In toil, in i the stress, tiie f.r.-iin, tlio k -tn--ii in:' 'vorkndriv en v i ron in cri t . . :. '-h'- n-ai, who l.roodM in ..o!i t ud.;. crf-.'u-- -1 0i!';ly universe of whhdi ho h tLo All foreign rights reserved. iMily l.iiLiblrt i-eulre, yearns fur an oppor-tunily oppor-tunily to bave b.t:i :ui bjrc 1 1 ve world for an advem urous relief of iu-.-unuilated vitalltv. A I r. A I lion ret ur nod to his hod-olmnihe.r he nailed ly his chiffonier to open u dtuwer trom Hindi he took a .-nmll lauueied box. This com. mud n newnpapcr clippinK, which i- ' i a i ; ,i ! ! v un folded and ret; aid od with a uiious s.iule in h:s kiinily tyes. U was t-ut from the oci-tv pue of a met-ropohlan met-ropohlan dally. In the cntre was the photn-N photn-N rai'h of n yount? nr. w hose- low. broad l ore head was framed on either aide hv a c.lorv of bl -ud wavelets, moduhlv yet in-divtduuUy in-divtduuUy i-oiil.'d. clear, deep i-ves. a per-feoi per-feoi o a I fa.o .1 :id an ndoraldy nllurtiiK mouth. co:m plot in a pK-turv which Riir Just i.i.io for the Pro of admiration in the phy-avian's phy-avian's la : ice. Ceneatli the "cut" wus th aimpl caption: ' M i!-s M ra Ma t;ard. one of the season's n 1 . St .li.ii'iiiliii; d t im t a ri t " As I'uion Alden replaced the. cMppitiR he sin-led at his own rerieetion m the mirror. "N ell. doctor' To-day ou embark on the (.Jreat Adventure: and oil will win If science and love can make u winning team!" Cll 1'TIIU U. The Pre ant I.ady. tysterie. likij intsturtuncs. are said to cor.-.e in threes! The second mystery of this curious forenoon fore-noon was destine. t to bo staged far from It. Pay?, Hi Alden's laboratory, yet close, In-ded, In-ded, were the mystic bonds betwen the two "theatres of action." At 1 11 o'clo, k M y ra Maynard had risen froin the bewildering dreams of a century-Ions century-Ions nitht. to discover certain matters, simple sim-ple in themselves, which cast a shallow of apprehension into the. depths of those blue eve.;. Sne s:it by her bed. her boudior slipper in hand, studying it with bewilderment. "1, cannot understand if" flirt murmured, sora'f lur.e the silken toe. "Cand le-Krease how could I put candle-grease on the tee of the slipper'." Mvra walked toward her dressing table to examine the candlestick with increasing amazement. The wick has been burned, and et I'm sure I didn't lipht it when I went to sleep . . What did I dream?" In vain she looked about the tasteful boudoir to conjure up by the faint memories mem-ories of those queer night hours. "1 must have been walking in my sleep npim." she ihouirht. "How silly! Where can the other slipper be?" Even as she searched the room sha heard a knock at the door. "Yes"' Who is it?" she answered. "I beg your pardon. Misa Myra." It was the reassuring ly domestic voice of the butler. "Come in. Willis. What Is it?" The servant rattled the knob obsequiously and s!"wlv opened the door. "Your slipper. Miss Myra. I found it on the library Moor. I'm sorry, Miss Myra." The Kirl laughed nervously as she took It from hum "Kidb-ulous! "Whv should you be sorry. I"ve simpiv been walking In my sleep again. Why do you look so worried, you silly old persn" The butler was disturbed. "Whnt silly stuff '." she murmured, as she brushed the goiden glory of her hair. "Ah if there were anything really dangerous in somnambulism !" Yet even Willis retreated to the kitchen 'with a look of concern foreign to his customary cus-tomary placidity. As he entered the room he beheld a disturbing dis-turbing scene. The cook and the maid were glaring at each other with rage and horror. tm the floor between them lay the glitter-ire glitter-ire fragments of a broken mirror. Cook was the first to speak. "1 10 von know what that means?" "I didn't do it a-purpose'" re ponded the maid. "I was Just a-dressin my hair!" "Somebody's hair will be drosBed for the last time for that glass means there's to be a death In this house." and the cook shook a vigorous fist at the shattered mirror. mir-ror. "Sure there's been a curse over the place ever since old man Maynard died-" 'Tion't be so superstitious." interrupted V," ! 1 1 i s The rr.nid added tremulously: "Maggie. It ain't safe to talk about such things, you k n 0 w." . ., "I know I know entirely too much, ejaculated Maggie. "I'm tfoing to hunt another an-other place. Don't you know what killed them other two sisters of Miaa Myra? Them two poor girls were cursed each one died sudden on her eighteenth birthday." Willis touched the cook on the arm. "Maggie, "Mag-gie, atop It! Last night Miss Myra was walking In hr slee-p. and I'm beginning to be afraid for her." Maggie devoutly crossed herself to ward off a personal attack of this malignant influence in-fluence Willis hurried into the dining room with the first course of the breakfast. break-fast. "No good will come from this place, murmured mur-mured Maggie, as she absent-mindedly broke two eggs inttthe pan of Hteamlng oatmeal. "I seen a blacTt cat spitting at nothing with its back up and sparks In Its eyes last night. To-day is Friday, the thirteenth, and I'm going to hunt another place before the banshee ban-shee gets me, too!" CHAPTKH ITF. The Hlgn of the IJevll-WorMppr. Mrs Maynard read the last of the morning letters as she waited for Myra The old-fashioned old-fashioned dining room, with its dark wainscoting, wains-coting, the quiet elegance of the carved furniture fur-niture the well-chosen paintings and etchings etch-ings on the walln. the great glass bowl of roses In the centre of the white oval of damask linen all these combined to give evidence of substantial aristocracy, unaffected un-affected by parvenu fads. Myra's mother, Swet-fard, silver-haired and to the manner man-ner "born in every poise, sat with her hands in her lap, now lost in thought. An ineffable ineff-able look of sadness stole over her iace as her fancy went back to the happy mornings about this same breakfast table a few short years before. The tragedy of the room oppressed op-pressed her. Yet she forces the tnoughts away to greet the young girl who entereu "flood morning, dear. How do you feel? "Splendid, mother. Did I keep you wait- '""Xot at all- But you look tired not like yoursel f to-day. What will you have for breakfast'.'" m, . , . , "J don't feel hungry. ' Then she laughed at the anxiety of the butler. "Willis is so worried because I walked in my sleep last 11 'Sirs Maynard drew back as though she had been struck with the lash of a whip. The girl, with her face burled In a fresh red rose had not noticed her mother's agitation' agita-tion' llt'-Ie did she suspect the searing echoes of thoe moribund days when her father had ar-ted so quecrlV. before his death; preoccupation preoccu-pation by dav, bitter tempers and mysterious disappearances by night. More than once, in hN sleep, had he spoken of evil powers and eerie associates until the years that followed vo'.d been one hideous nightmare of apprehension appre-hension Unknown to Myra. his curious will' left his entire fortune to some mysterious mysteri-ous society in case his daughters should die yefn'rf their coming of legul age. Mrs Mavnard Wondered If it were wiso V- her to keep Myra in fur..;-j? jg;9l- Jt -.ir- t'b"'i ilnvecra !'?r. '.n.' ;;, "You nif nervoiiH. child," can ! loned Hie mother "Tin 1 1 Ih en U.M iij- your rnun mi 1 11 bu 1-inin. 1-inin. We will take 11 lone, walk In-day." As tho buller entered thelu whh 11 ringing of (he doorbell. The in. ml brought In a b'ttrr delivered by a m-:o;eni-' er boy fur M I'll. Al a y nurd, who tore the envelope ncrvoindw ll.r u ppl't-hi-11 -hiihi was u naccuu 11 1 a b I v renewed. 11 wad the nie.-.M(,;o from I r, A ide 11. inn nmlimuH phrase tient terror to her heart: "Kindly allow 11m to on II 011 ymi (his morn 1 11 r, . on vi'i tain mailers rei;a nil ng y uur tin u v. h t e i'm bin hdu ." .Mrs. M a v nn id cm -bed the note In her hanil. us Mvra 111 1.1, h le vomd v leaned forward to peep. She w.i -a surprised at her inolh'-i a limitation and ank ha. I. Into heir chair, Willi a pout on the erlm.-Hoi lips. I'ne terrorizing tln-ucht surged throunh the tni.Ilirr'H mind : Who con Id It. I'uy; on Aldetl be? Why did he w udi to see. h..r about Mvru's birthday? Am Mnt sat there, v.a.lng at her mother with a look whleh had changed from Je:;tinK petulance to disturbed nnMetv, she uncon-Heloii.sly uncon-Heloii.sly placed her elbows mi the table, resting rest-ing her eheeks upon bur eloped 11 Mm. vv 1 1 h th' t hum hs poin 1 ed upward. Mrs. Mayiuird looked up suddenly. Ah :die Was about to lift u cup of coffee. she ecream.d: "1 'It. in v Clod ' Pon't do t hit t," and, to M era's const eruat Inn. her mother rushed lit her n Irnosi sa vagely, to pull down lor w rists from the accidental position. "Why did von in aU e t hut umn ? W ho taimht you to do It", You will drive inn mad if you ever do it ftfculn!" The mother was shaken with a paroxysm of sobs, , "Pon't von put vonr thumbs hv your cheeks that wav. Mvra Your laMn-r used t" do that in his sleep; it is the sin of the Pnvil-wnrshlppers.- "oh. mother, dear, you're absurd' What a Joke! You mean like this?" and aaln alio repeated the posture. "M v ra, ,1 v ra ' You nre hren k Ing tny heart'" and Mrs. Mnvn.ird covcn-d her eyes with her shaking lingers, to run from llm room. "Mow silly' I can't understand mother I never saw her so up.et," murmured Mdra, di itress. d and yet amused nt the inexplh able outburst. She sprang to her feet to follow her mother, hist as Willis entered the room. "Mr Arthur Vurncy Is culling. Miss Myra." he annoiin.-ed. The virl's face lit happily ns she nodded. Here was a w el come f rlen) who would not be morbid She could ask him for a solution of t he riddle. Tiie vi.-ltor had been inhered Into the quiet library, which still reflect -,1 the booklr.li, an-1 an-1 1 1 1 1 a i tan tastes of i's fat her. He looked about villi a furtive glance nn he drew oft his gloves. A i;t:ue-e at the.ruir ami his eyes Pirhfed with 1 1 1 sf ae t but. ile stooped to sera 1 1 h the waxen droppings of the eand'e. "(To.nl inirnliu'rthiir." and Mvra' smile :s she entered vW radiant as she -v-i:.!... her hand. "Wont y. u take off your overcoat over-coat and make 1 1 tt re a 1 morn 1 1 1 1 ' ca 11 "" "I'n lort una' elv. 1 caniji.t." answered the other, walklp.r toward flie librnry table, aft- turning his dark e ve t o w ji rd her with a s;rnpe, nlmost hunrrv look, uhb h brourht a llush to Mvra's white brow she knew not why. "I Just drooped In to nsk yen to po to the opera on the rilcht of v-..ir bir'c.day. It will be I'.m-.-l Will you "I sniuld love to unless mother has made other plans. I'M ask her. Put lis'.-n." and she leaned toward him with a confidential w b I c p.t : "do vmi know t h 1 yi i: n Tilpng back' her happv fa.-. she startled him hv repeating th- mvster'.ous gesture which had frightened her mother. Varnev's tn e reiMstered a surprising gamut of exnresslor.s. "Y here d td vou- lei rn that "Ha. hn' Isn't It f.innv? That's what mother wants to kn-v Ht, Arthur, tell modo yon know anything about levll-worshippers? levll-worshippers? T am so curious about It .( Varney smiled as though relieved of some great f-ar. "Then no one taught vou thn t ?' "No. I Just did It unconsefouslv. nnd vou should have seen how ab-psrdlv mother noted ( "h. she was so upot. Tell me what you have heard of them." Varney mopped his forehead as he laughed to gallantly add: . "I don't know anything about Devil-Worshippers I. dear girl, am an angel worshipper." worship-per." Mrs. Maynard entered The room. "Mother, dear. I'm so sorry I teased you." she hgan. impulsively. "It's already forgiven, denr but don't do it again. It makes me nervous." ".Mother. Arthur has invited me o go ti the opera on my birthday." said Myra. "Tt is 'F'ausf I'd love to see the Devil again. May I go?" Mrs. Maynard had another struggle to conceal con-ceal her agitation, but answered softly: "No, my dear, we have other plans. It Is nb-solutelv nb-solutelv impossible any other night in the week will be all ritrht. Myra pouted In girlish disappointment, hut Mrs. Maynard's negative was adamantine. After a few bits of chatter Varney made his departure. At the door he pressed Myra's hand with unusual warmth. "Never mind, dear girl I'll try to surprise sur-prise you on your birthday night, even If mother Is so selfiBh as to want j'ou all to herself." And bo he went, leaving Myra wondering. C'lMPTF.R IV. The Intruder. The entrance of "Willi:-, forst ailed further discussion. Mrs. Maynard studied the card v.'lth bewilderment. "Pr. IJayson Alden who is he?" Then she remembered. This was the same man who had written the disquieting message. mes-sage. "Tell him to wait, "Willis," she Instructed. As Mrs. Maynard entered the drawing-room drawing-room she was astonished to see the visitor rapt In admiration before Myra's portrait. "What Is It you wish, sir?" Dr. Payson Alden turned abruptly. "Mrs. Maynard, I apologize for what may seem presumption. I have come to see you for the sake of your daughter." Myra's mother bowed icily. "To make a long story short, I have been devoting myself to a peculiar study for several sev-eral years. My purpose In your daughter's case "is to prevent the commission of a great crime, for I have learned 'rotn my knowiedge of the occult that " Mrs. Maynard's face stiffened at the mention men-tion of what was to her the most dreadful word In the language, "occult." "You must excuse me," she began. "Uut it Is a matter of Ili'e and death." "I will not discuss this subject. If ':hat is your purpose our intorvtew Is at an end " .She nervously left the room. Alden turned to leave by the front entrance. He paused, Irresistibly, before the portrait of the girl. Why had she beon marked for death? Why had her two older sisters met mysterious mys-terious deaths on thoir eighteenth birthday? birth-day? Must there not be some reason deeper than the possibility of obtaining her inheritance, now that the two older Bisters had bean put out of the way? How, Indeed, was he to strike back a,t that intangible band of human devils to Thorn stone walls and distance meant nothing In their annihilating power? How was be to locate their secret place of communion? Unconsciously his thoughts turned to his own personal interest In this beautiful voung girl. It was curious how hia early professional interest had been turned Into a "strong love for a sjirl he had never formally for-mally met. In the days when he had first gained inklings ink-lings of tho mystery overshadowing her future he had made it a point to ntudy her Impersonally without her knowledge. He had observed her at theatres and at da nces. Ke had broken his rule of hermit life to attend ana study her every action. "Here am 1," he mused, "a man many years older than Myra Maynard. as sentimental as a schoolboy. I never believed in love at first sigh t and yet each time I have seen her it has been an additional first sight for every day I have discovered new charms. Love love, as mysterious as anything else of tho spiritual. All my science canr.ot drive ft out of my heart." He turned disgustedly away, just as a silvery "Good morning" greeted him. There before, him stood the incarnation of all his secret dreams and hopes. "What Is tho mystery about me?" nho asked with rrirlinh curiosity. "You mus; pardon m Miss Maynard," no replied, courteously. Aldon believed in play- lug fair, ami Ihero whh ho much nt slake thai ho daied not antagonize, bi-r tuollier. "What in ill! llm iuatl about this lunl da y or mi 1 ',"' .She Illli. In the forbidden ''Til' Aid. mi was. idi-.i I.e. I mil of hl linual calm. "hv, why, that is the nirn nf the .b-vll-vvoi sh lp pern ! Y mi mea n thin?" Sit 1 1 nr. (he table he rested Ills head II poll ll I M rbTl'lled Paia. wiih IhiiMil.M poiutinr upward, .Myra r.-ali'.ed now thai the i inm is aitiiudn nave, the se.mldai.ee of din oal liori.M. Nho klllKlMd al thin ridlculnmi u h I ma I . a 1 1 1 "t ch. ian't it runny ?" and nho faced him. holding her own hands in .similar poalllon. At Ibis Juncture her mother returned 1o 1 ho room, to behold 1 1 mi phaal I y np.-.'lne, ,,f her own flaur. nter and ihis Ininisiy id ni nre r ma k I nr. ' h" b "i' n-ndo n s mi'li to rueh other. She noie.i.l.cd mid calh-,1 tor llm butler a a Abbm Nprutit: ahaim j'a. edly to his feet. "Vou mounter'" idie cried, h v Hi e rlen 1 In her terror. "Co! Leave, my home! Wllhii, idmw this person out'" She caiirbl nt Alvru and dragged Iht frnn-ti.allv frnn-ti.allv fn.m Mm room, as the glaring Willis m.ii ched behind Alden. Alden riluincd lo bis laboratory, to work vvllh feveriah hop" upon bis ibdiutlonn of the case IPs heart was hinging, despite. I Im a p p:i i'en I i v 11 n solvable 11 a t u 1 of the 11 f-talr. f-talr. for had bo not met and spoken with tilr. dlvlnitv? That evening Arthur Varney whh the guest of Mrs Mavnard and Myra at dinner in the rharmmg old limine. A skulking' Mr. ore moved across tho ground: of the Mavnard estate. The man appfoiuhed a window from which a Minam of light poured genially fori 1 "tiering in, he io h. Id the thr. o Hilling at th- table. . Ho h- incd Hatir lb-d, ami with a surprising famillarilv with tne ioU:.e, hr dartud d-.wn the, ride of Ibe building,, uylntf ca li window. At last he found m e unlo. l e l. Hn open, d It s-.iiiy and clambered through the aperture. The intruder had entered the library. on I 1 doe he w ; I ked toward the stairs, using a pocket bulb-llghl to pick bin way The dagger point was now (Irmly penning Hgai11.it h.T lucid. .Suddenly tin- :.ia matin mat-in a power la-emeil t O Jel ll her .'ll m high ill the Hlr, plunging tho cold i-;t.-e blade, downward - nut jnlo her lti-:,li, but Into the altar. Wliete. ll once more Impaled tin; ihp lirin-iil. Her hand relaxed limply, und dropped to Iht Hide. Tim i lguhiy of In r pu.-e, now melted nwav. mid nhc drooped Ilk.; a dying IP. wi r 11s i-lte buried her (ace in her hando, to nob inlimrably. Then Mho spoke the flrat nound whbh had come p-mii Ihe wan lips Hinni li'T entry. "Ye:;, yes - I will obey at I In; nppolntcd hour." Willi a low moan Ihe girl roae nn:;le.idlly to her Je.-t, caught Up the candle. JPt p t hand oil I at retched ati ic-l'o, c. t.ln- :-.a-eitdei ihe lit eep ni eps us though I'd by b'-r m-VIMlblo m-VIMlblo guide. Mm cloned tin- panel mo; -etc: "IV. 'I In 1 1 an ce wns. unbroken w h n 'he ex -ting ill. died Ihe light, lo fall e;. ham. ted into the comfortable embrace of ihe rovrlHii. ju a twinled position of diMoomforl. Mvra. lay 11s one dead until the sunl-ianix itiavd into her window, lo Jday thoir tonal reveille upon the fantastic Jlgur.-u ol ti.o Pokhain 1 ug by her bedm.le. When .M y ra a woke rhe o I ncfJ veri-i) a pe-cuhar pe-cuhar htaiu upon ih.; Iingeis ol her left hand. "What can this mean?" :di I ! ...u g. h t. I tniial not tell poor no.l h'-r, or ;.he vould have anolh- r Im, vmig i,j,. II " Im r ilig bi en k f a. si the 1 'lephone mi in moned Willis to Km library. He niiurii-.-d to 11 n -noun en that Pr. Alden v. a :: inflating on an Interview whh M r:;. .Maynard. Mjra'H mother fairly jumped in her '-hair then, with a frightened look, nlw answered: "Tell thai 11 an lhaL I do not care lo tspeak to him a ga in." And Mvra, her nn bed brows in nn nr.ximjs frown, dropped her tyts to a roue as die nervously plui ked the petals one by one. 11 a i"i 1 :it vi. The NpHI of lllnek Mjigdc. Late that afieinoou Atthur Varney dropped into the Maynard home for lea. lie ob- --ft sJL lti ir ;;" ,v-.. "'. .tM--:'s : . ' ' '; -v :X ; ? c r v A f -V V,r,:T;''-''. y; .-. . - ; i , .T .V- '.V-.; ' . '. - s" k ? .- C'--:' :-..:':--:. ?': -r' V ' : - -. ''- v.-.v- : :::- . ' - ;:.. : . -! . '.-.rv-';. :'; . t.': :v:;.'-:.;. -'i ? G lir. A Iden'n quick action prevent M ytn'tt n leept n k-vt a 1 k lug suicide. by occasional cautious flashes. He tried first one door, then another, until he found the room which seemed tho particular object of his search. He entered this; it was Myra's. lie !'"k a small glass phial from a pocket and with the aid of the pocket light he rapidly fmeared a dark stain over the knob. Then ho le'.'t as silently as he had come, taking no jew -Is r other valuables with him, tor this nocturnal visitant was no burglar. burg-lar. ni a i'tkk v. The L'nu rg round Chamber At midnight, as the last .stroke of twelve died our. from the dark belfry of the old church down the lured, Myra .stirred in her eler-p, sighing as in some un happy dream. The girl sat up in bed and stepped to the floor, slowly adjusting her b-.'drooin slippers. Her lips moved as thm-H-h she were speaking, speak-ing, yet no sound came forth. With a curious teiu-teiiesy she walked toward the dressing table, lmr eyes barely opened. The girl quietly lit tho candle and then nodded, as though indicating obedience to some unseen un-seen instructor. Turning toward the door of her bedchamber, bed-chamber, she turned the knob and advanced with the candlestick in one hand, the other hold forward as though she were being led by the invisible director of 'this curious trance. Unerringly sho walked down the stairs to the library. 1 1 or fingers brushed along the woodwork until they reached a secret spring. The panel slid back, and Myra advanced drawn by the irresistible urge of the unknown un-known potencies. She descended a steep stairway to a sinister sin-ister chamber cunningly concealed within a solid enclosure of the foundations of tho old house. This was the secret communion place of Myra's father, and since his death nothing had been disturbed. K had been constructed In the house by workmen from another city while Mrs. Maynard and the little girls had been visiLing at the seashore. The faded black velvet hangings which shrouded the stone walls made il seem much larger than its actual dimensions. Cobwebs hung' in the corners. A pall of dust covered tho strange altar which stood in the corner fartherest from the rickety stairway. This was black and covered with n moth-eaten scarlet cloth of some Oriental fabric. In the centre of this lay a parchment scroll held in place by a long Hindoo dagger, dag-ger, forcibly jabbed into tho wooden top of the altar. As the sleep-walker entered, tho candle casting grotesque- shadows across the barren bar-ren floor, a number of rats, absolutely whito, scurried In'.o the corners of th.3 stone chamber cham-ber In which they had Ijeen mysteriously dwelling -ough these long years. What they could Snd In t'.ils room to eat was a mystery; their small red eyes sparkled venomously, ven-omously, emittitu? a dull g.ow. Myra advanced to zha altar, placing tho candle beside the Impaled parchment. She k.ie". 'oefoi-3 it, and e 'en as a shudder paused througn her thinly clad shoulders her fin-gors fin-gors tremulously tightened and, she placed her e'enehed i'sts, thumbs up. In the position posi-tion wVilch Bha had so accidentally learned that morning. In the light of tho flickering taper Mvra leaned forward to read the threatening words. She drew tho dagger from the labia her hand moving as though It were pro-polled pro-polled by some unseen arm. Her muscles tightened against the force she was resisting resist-ing it with all her youthful vigor; and yet the glittering weapen came nearer and nearer near-er her breast. The girl was sobbing . Sho adverted her head, nn though p'ca":n inwarrfly with tbl ty?:'rJZ ' --H v.- -occult. ,. ' served the haggard lines of Mrs. Maynard's lace, and even Myra's nervousness was apparent. ap-parent. More curious still, however, was Varnev's lack of the usual sang fro id he smoked four cigars during the hour of enforced gayety. There was unusual tenderness in his manne." as he turned the music pages while Myra etr.nmed the piano skillfully but distravghtiy at this and that bit of classics. Once he walked to the window to watch the busy heavers shovelling coal down the chute to the furnace room in the basement. base-ment. Hut he did not see them. Myra was playing a heart-grlpptnq- nocturne noc-turne of Chopin's. Varney's face, unseen by either of the two women, was ;wisttid with emotion. - "I can't do it I love her I can't!" he muttered between clenched teeth. Then his thought changed a -.id a fritrhtcr.ed look came into the black eyes. "Put if 1 don't obey ugh!" and he shuddered us might one pinioned In tho choking grip of some monstrous reptile. A man approached up the drive, garbed the same as tho coal-heavers. He passed them unnoticed, reaching the kitchen door, where he asked the maid to admit him to tho cellar to shove, the falling coal into the bin. The maid led the way. He began to work industriously. No sooner had she disappeared than he tossed aside tho shovel, tiptoeing up the stnirs again, to glide noiselessly through the d. surfed black hall into tho dining room. Then he slipped to the stairway. Upon the carpet of the steps were r.ome telltale candle droppings. Into the empty library he stole, to study the panelling of the walls. "Ah, there are the finger marks!" The etams left by Myra's Angers as they blindly felt for the secret spring of the sliding door were discernible. Ile paused to push back his lowered hat brim that he might search this panel the better. Just then Myra's voice came from the drawing room. "Just a moment, Arthur: there are more matches on tho library table. I'll get them for you " ' Before sho had completed the sentence sho had entered the room, to exclaim, as she recognized his features, "Why, Dr. Alden ! What are you doing hjre?" The physician drew off his hat for his disguise was useless now, he feared. "Sh! sh! Be quiet I am hero to help you." But Varney had followed the girl. "What is this tramp doing here? He is a burglar!" and he sprang townrd Alden, who leaped aside just in time to avoid a vigorous blow. Willis ran into the room and caught Alden's Al-den's arms. Mrs. Maynard screamed. "That man is a criminal'" she cried. The physician deftly wiggled out of his coat. At the same instant Alden sent a professional pro-fessional "right swing" to the jaw of Varney, Var-ney, who sank to his knees. Myra and her mother, transfixed with alarm, stood watching this unusual contest; before thoy realized it. the physician had disappeared dis-appeared down the hallway, through the front door. When Varney sought to pursue the phy?I-cian phy?I-cian was leaping over a hedge on the lawn! That night at six a pri vate v. a 'chman armed with a revolver, took his place in the library. At ten a belated delivery wagon brought up a large bundle. Willis reesived it a new rug, which the expressman deposit ari upon the library floor, still unrolled c.id tied as it had come from the shop. Willis did not disturb the ladles wi:h any inquiries about it; nf maior-domo he was accustomed to sign the receipts for all such bundle. jjga. . vTMn r.Ts tnouTlr? the watcn- man drifted into slumber, to be av:.i:c:isc by Ihe Hurprb'.lng ton-h of the rug. 1 1 wa u ioI hog on t he floor ! IP-fore he had collected bin drowsy senses be found him: -If covered by a revolver in the bands of no lens a in-raonage than the ul.i'iuiious Pr. J'avi-on AHcn! "Yell--and I'll blow your braliiH out!" vs the mil command. "i'ui a detective keen fjiuei and wal- ii vhal happentt. Put out Ihat light !" Mips n-.'.nv, In another underground chamber, cham-ber, mm h la i g'-r I ban the. compartment in the b;i s -m en t. of the M ay mi rd residence, a curious. ; ene was taking place at this pre-rpe pre-rpe ini:!:ii,l. Within I on r walls hung with black curia cur-ia r n a a ml b.-fore a :-l ra n g", revolving dine wen; kneeling t'.'.-'lvi: men in black r'-galia. Swaying lo right and left in rhythmic iniihon, the twelve 1 ebra n t s continually r I'h.'i.t-.'l a r .1 m:- ni ra "( rn Par! Hum!" An p pa r n t in a.ster of ceremonies ; rose b- foj-c i J,,- altar to renew the incense. St 1 11 per:ii!-;Pd the growing cadence of ihe mantra! man-tra! "'un Pari Hum!" Tin- veiy atmosphere of this den of all conceivable con-ceivable horrors vv a a oppress. I ve w i t h the con-cential'd con-cential'd energy of powerfully minded men devot'-d to Kill. :-'nideijy ominout echoes of a great gonfj caused abrupt cessation of Hie mantra. 'J be b ad'-r of the ceremonies rained hl hand while the myotic twelve waited 'or tho command from the inner :jh rl n e. In tig! ghastly Hilence came the tones of a sepul'diial voPt- from behind the black and ,' fjcarlet. altar! "Send Varnev hither'" The leader of the rites retired to the far end of the chrmber. to reappear followed by Arthur Varney, v.ari and tense, as ihourfi be had been o r a w n through a terrible strug- Fad n g the thirteen can d lest k-ks upon the altar he made the f, -t -a ml - tli um b nign. Th'ii' the newcomer was led to the velvet curtains b'-h i nd wh was coicealed the matter of the in vkPticm. Varney groped with his hands, but ro ma i 'i ed Hi and i ti g er: peetan 1 1 y, ' "Master, where art thou?" he asked, tim Idly. i I'pon the far wall a phosphorescent figure began to appear the appalling head of tha I devi). j A reddish haze from some mysteriou 1 source sifted into the chamber, to reveal 5 sitting be fore him, a rms upon a teakweed table with carved gob 11 n su p ports, hands ' I'-nched and thumbs upturned the minister Master of the Pla- k Order. Varney rai'-ed hi eyes to tn. jfTittering' gaze of this serpentine monarch of cunning, answering with the dread sign of the order, and then awaiting his bidding. "Have you a'-com p lsh ed your task? Lb all t prepared for the final moment?'" ; As he spoke his mouth did not seem to move; the words came through hard, rigid -lips. ".Master. I have followed your bidding, everything- has (been done as you planned and she advances Hopelessly toward destruction only only " The ees narrowed to slits as the Master' vr,P:e hissed: "Onlv onlv what?" Varney knelt before the Black Pontiff. "Master, master! Why must I lead her on? J have learned to love her. I have obeyed yoj in all tasks but let her live!" His voice rose to a wail of at-ony. "Let ma die in her place. Let me marry her, and I will secure her fortune. I will turn it ovei to the order. Her death Is unnecessary." The master snarled venomously: "Unnecessary? Whose word is law here? This fortune must come direct to the Blackc Order with the baptism of blood and the sacrificial sac-rificial flame of deaih!" His voice sank lower as he leaned forward. "And, although you do not realize it, Varney, Var-ney, that girl possesses a power of which she is unaware. The psychic "ability of her father, which he never learned to control, has been inherited in tenfold strength by her. She, holds that within her spirit which m ig'ht shatter the very existence of this order. I say, Varney, Myra Maynard must die!" Varnev shuddered as he replied, "Yea, master!" mas-ter!" As he spoke the reddish haze faded and the face of the master disappeared in Stygian darkness. The crash of the great gong sounded again. It was the signal for the death ritual. Varney Var-ney staggered to his feet and backed weakly toward the curtains through which he had entered the inner chamber. He fell headlong head-long to the floor of the larger room, and the leader of the ceremonies lifted him to his knees. CHAPTER VIII. The Iesftnge from the Dead. gTt was a dismal wait in the darkened II-Frary, II-Frary, but at Jest the nearby church bell dolorously chimed the hour of twelve. There was a creaking on the stairs and Alden drew the thoroughly frightened watchman watch-man into the corner behind some palms. Myra came slowly down the steps and the watchman's scalp tingled with a new sensation. sen-sation. Only Alden's grip restrained hirn from flight. The girl approached the panel, moaning-now. moaning-now. and seemed resisting the invisible pull of that phantom leader as she mechanically-pressed mechanically-pressed the secret spring. The door slicl back and she stepped into the dark opening. open-ing. Alden and the watchman crept across tha room behind her. They followed silently down the steep steps until she approached the altar. As she leaned to read the parch- ment, kept in place by the impaled dagger, the physician crept behind her to read over her shoulder the words written in some red liquid upon ts face: "At midnight upon yonr eighteenth birthday you will pns inte the next world. Here is the means," Myra hecr.ii to sob as the unseen hand directed her own. She lifted the datrger high in the air and the swift blade descended. It i-atticd to the floor as Dr. Alden caugh her rigid wrist. H'.-o- c opened and she gazed at the strar, surroundings, saw tho unfamiliai face a.- terror-stricken watchman, who stoc ; to the floor, revolver in hand mid a piercing scream lost conscious ness. "Quick, help me to the stairs with her! Alden commanded. They had just placed her on the davenport in the llbrarv when Mrs. Maynard and WilMs rushed Into thai room. Mrs. Maynard shrieked and pointed to Al den. "He saved her life !" cried the watchman equal to the occasion for once, while Alden; ignored them in his professional efforts to bring the girl back to consciousness. Thai watchman explained to them. Mrs. May nard knelt at the girl's side. Myra opened her eyes in a glassv stare devoid of recognition. Sho waved her tin gcrs as though writing a message. "He quiet!" commanded Alden. He drew foT-th a pencil and a memorandum pad ripping the former into the tense fingers. 'She is not sick. She is in a trance, believe she is a born psychic a medium." Myra's mother read what the girl had unconsciously un-consciously written, screamed and staggered1-to staggered1-to her feet. The pencil dropped from Myra's limp hand. Alden looked at the pad, to read: "Some one from thr other Trorld vrfshe to tell you that " "Oh, what a mistake to interrupt her!" ex claimed Alden. "It may have been the secre of it all. We must try again." Tho girl opened her hluo eyes the ligh of reason shone in them. "Mother, dear, it's my birthday, isn't it?" And her mother, weeping with joy, threw her arms about her ecstatically. Alden,-turned Alden,-turned away and beckoned to the watchmai and Willis to follow him into the hail. "So far science has had a good inning white magic has scored against the black But I wonder how love has fared?" he mut tered, as he lit a cigarette in the hal with1 a hand which trembled and not from fear! WMthing the chamber of the Black Ordei pandemonium reigned. Suddenly the sepulchral tones of the mas ter boomed forth from behind the black cur tains. "Varney! Come in here'" The man staggered to his feet and. with head bowed u pon his breast, moved unsteadily un-steadily Into the dark inner room. Hi companions listened with uneasiness. They heard a hoarse scream! A train and again this dreadful cry came to their cars, as they hiublld together, hold-in hold-in rr each oilier in panic-stricken coward i ' Then there was silence! t. Ci'o tOii'.iiiuc:i Ncx 3Uft'iR7). |