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Show Written by Hereward Carrington, The Distinguished Authority on Psychic Phenomena. Phe-nomena. Dramatized by Charles W. Goddard, The Well Known Author of "The Perils of Pauline;99 "The Exploits of Elaine;99 "The Goddess;99 God-dess;99 "The Misleading Lady;99 "The Ghost Breaker;9' "The Man From the Sea.99 Every thing You Read Here Today You Can See This Week at the Leading Motion Picture Theatres in Vivid Motion Pictures Produced by the Famous Wharton Studio for This Newspaper. ' With Mr. HOWARD ESTABROOK as Dr. Alden, Miss JEAN SOTHERN as the Charming Myra Maynard. Next Sunday Another Chapter of "The Mysteries of Myra" and New Pictures. Copyright Star Company, 1916. All foreign rights reserved. ' SYNOPSIS OF PREVIOUS CHAPTERS. Myra Maynard, a beautiful heiress, in pernued by a band of criminals, known an the Black Order, under the direction of a Htrnnge mystic, whose object is to kill the Klrl by OCCUIt metinn, in urucr uim 111c it-jtuij ahlppers, mny fall to the evil order. Arthu uttor of the eirl; In reality he 1 the tool etrretly ossUts in the evil plot. Dr. Paynon np his practice to devote his time to studies the mysteries of the unseen. He discovers i terrupts, with his own knowledge of mental while In a sonnnibulistic trance. Thwartei the girl by means of a ulranse plant from I secreted a deadly powder. Myra. at the n pluut In his room during the night, and th her, warns her of the physician's death-str him. The Devil Worshippers embark on a u Hunpected Yarncy u the jco-between. By ; noticing machine, Alden releases Myrn's ns cutom. In a tremendous mental struftgle to defeated by the Grand Master. He detcrmii to the w I cited organisation. He Is raptured Master to be buried alive. Rescued from thl Is a member of the orgntion, Alden has arrives at the Maynard home Just in time phlxiation. , EPISODE FIVE CHAPTER XXIII. The New Campaign. MYRA MAYNARD paced the floor of her bedroom anxiously, as she studied the little French clock on her chiffonier. "Dr. Alden is .late again with his telephone call. I must try to reach him," her thoughts ran. "Oh. if we could only drop this whole pursuit and have peace. I hardly believe that revenge is worth the terrible risk he is running." Her maid came upstairs to announce the arrival of a visitor. It was Arthur Varney. His dark eyes glowed with pleasure and renewed confidence as he greeted the girl. But their conversation was interrupted by Willis, the butler, who had gone to answer a ring at tbe front door, t "Miss Myra, here's a letter which I found under the door. When I opened' it there was not a soul in sight," he said, anxiously but politely trying to scrutinize the unusual unus-ual handwriting on the black envelope. A curious smile seemed to twist Varney's voluptuous lips for an instant, and Willis shot him a questioning glance. But the expression ex-pression died away, and the well-bred calmness calm-ness on the visitor's face disarmed the momentary mo-mentary suspicion. Myra's fingers tremblpd as she tore open the "envelope, to draw out the black paper message within. The lustrous blue eyes dilated in sheer horror when she saw in the lower corner, in place of a signature, the outline of two Jists, with thumbs upturned, drawn in white ink! It was the sign of the devil -worshippers! - "Oh, mother!" she screamed, averting her glance before she dared to finish the message mes-sage which was written above the dread symbol. "What is it, dear?" and M rs. Maynard's heart sank in apprehension as she rushed into the drawing room. "Look! Look! That awful sign and see what it says!" cried the girl, weakly. Her mother took the black paper with a sceptical frown. She adjusted her reading glasses, and then suddenly evinced more of a shock than the young girl. . , . The message was simple. ''-Myra Maynard i "When you receive this letter. Pnyson Alden will be 'beyond human aid. " Then she handed it to Varney, who smiled I at its words. "It's some joke," he said. "Perhaps Alden sent it." He looked down again at the symbol, and then his expression changed. "By George. I forgot. I heard that the police had tried to raid this Black Order under Alden's directions. A patrolman told me about it as I came uptown all the police are talking about it now. Perhaps this is connected with it. Didn't Alden say this was their sign?" "Yes, yes!" and Myra caught the paper to study it again. She rushed to the telephone. "I will try to reach ifim at' his home. If that fails we must do something else at once." she declared, jiggling the receiver Impatiently. The servant at the physician's home said that the doctor had not telephoned, nor had Vie been seen around the house since early morning. "Oh, Arthur! What can I do? Can't you advise something?" Myra cried, helpless as a wounded bird, as she turned her plaintive eyes toward the half -sneering countenance of the club man. "Well, if he's in trouble it is of his own making. You know I warned you both of fooling with this sort of stuff. I have heard that people lose their reason and their health, i V,ID matr hair A Inat hia 1 i fo hv intruding in what was none of his business!'' Therft was undercurrent of hate in -his voice which did not go unobserved by Myra. "Arthur, you must not be so bitter. He is a friend of mine, and saved my life more than once, at a terrible effort and risk. Tf you are as good a friend as you say you are. you will help me," she pleaded. "Oh, well, I don't like the fellow; he is a bore. But he's human. I'd advise calling up the police station, to learn if they have seen him." The lieutenant at . the desk gruffly answered an-swered her call. When the girl mentioned her name his manner changed, and he called the captain to the instrument. "Have you seen anything of Dr. Pnyson Alden?" she demanded. "Was he Injured this morning?" "No, Miss Maynard. We came very near being blown To' bits by those crooks, but we couldn't find a sign of them. The doctor stuck around there just tho same, after we pave up." "Well, hasn't he telephoned you? Is that all you know about him?'' she asked. "Yes, Miss Maynard. the . last wo saw of Dr. Alden he was prowling around near the ruins." Myra repeated the vague news to her mother and the visitor. Varney repressed a smile of satisfaction, and then shook his head in nssumed apprehension, appre-hension, "That's terrible. If he is alone there, and thse men actually did blow up the place, there is no telling what may have happened to him. Perhaps that letter was true after all." Myra wa Iked the floor, tugging at her gown in nervous abstraction. As she approached ap-proached the window to look down the driveway drive-way of the beautiful old estate Varney approached ap-proached her. "J have an Idea," he said in a low tone. "'"01110 into the library away from your mother and I will tell you." Making an excuse she led the way to another an-other room, while her mother won dered vaguely at the meaning of it all. Mrs. May-nard May-nard was floundering these days in her vain eliorts to understand Myra's psychology. The girl had changed so greatly since the odd meeting with Dr. I'ayson Alden. Her growing grow-ing Interest in hinj was patient to the fn-btinct fn-btinct uf a mother, and. despite her dlsap- r Varney. a wealthy elub man. In the favored of the High Master of the Black Order and Alden, a brilliant young ohysieiun, has giveu In the occult, in spiritunlism. hypnotism, and the conspiracy against Myra Maynard and in-scienee, in-scienee, in time to save the girl from suicide J, the Devil 'Worshippers attempt to murder he Orient, In the blossom of which they have 'quest 4 T)r. Alden, nllows him to Keep the e art of crystal-gazing which he has taught uggles In its fumes, in time for her to snve tew and more sinister campaign, with the un-means un-means of a scientifically constructed hyp tral body, which goes in search of her prose-r prose-r the control of Myra's spirit, Alden Is all but ties to break into the order and put an end I 4o the attempt and sentenced by the Grand Is awful death by his Hindoo accomplice, w h a tens to assure himself of Myra's snfety. He to save Myra. from a horrible death, by as proval of the occult experiments, Mrs. Maynard May-nard could not combat her own growing liking for the physician. As they reached the seclusion of the other room Myra turned her nervous face to Varney. Var-ney. "What do you think we can do?" "Well," and his words were given with studied slowness. "You remember the doctor claimed that he hypnotized you and that he projected your spirit, or your . . . What was it he called it?" "My astral body." prompted Myra. "What has that to do with his danger now?" Varney nodded impressively. . "That's just it! A whole lot. Now, tell me truthfully, was it actually the case? Did your astral body really go somewhere? la all that rubbish true?" "Why of course. I actually saw the men in the Black Order. Just as though it were a dream. I left my 'own body, asleep there in the chair. I seemed to float through space and then found myself in a black room, wirh men kneeling on the floor, chanting some terrible words which I could not understand." under-stand." She trembled at the recollection. "Yes," she continued. "It is almost unbe-lieveable. unbe-lieveable. Arthur. But It actually happened. I suffered, oh, such agonies! And I saw that horrible face of a man, with his thumbs upturned. Every day I see that face appear sometimes on the glass of picture frames, sometimes in my goldfish globe! And T saw a vision of Dr. Alden in his bedroom, suffering suffer-ing from that queer gas which came from ' the plant the night he stayed In the house here to protect us. Oh. Arthur, it is all too real it is a waking nightmare!" "Then it was the hypnotism whi,oh sent your astral body on its journey ?" queried Varney ingenuously." "Yes! I saw the other visions without it. but when I took the spirit trip the doctor hypnotized me." "Ah, there's the answer, then. Why don't you let me try to hypnotize - you, and perhaps per-haps your astral can go hunt him up and save him?" he volunteered. The girl shook her head slowly. "No; you couldn't do it. It is a very scientific matter, you know, Arthur." "Well, why not let me try! I've seen it done several times in exhibitions," he persisted. per-sisted. "You ought not to stop at anything that might save A, den." This appeal succeed ed, as Arthur Varney craftily intended it should do. "Well, we can try. Perhaps I am more susceptible sus-ceptible to it now, and can do it myself, to help." said Myra, as she sat down in a big lounging chair. Varney looked into her eyes with all the strength of his soul; lie made the curious hand passes with which the first stage of hypnotism is induced. Myra, relaxed and subjective, kept her eyes fixed upon his, but the experiment was a failure. "It's no use, Arthur. I'm too nervous," she said, despairingly. Then a new inspiration came to her aid. "But there is a wonderful wonder-ful machine in Dr. Alden's laboratory. We might be able to use that if you wish to go there with me!" Varney nodded enthusiastically. "Splendid!" he cried. "Now that we are started we should carry the idea out. But how can we get in?" "I'll call the i'ar and we can be there in a few minutes. The maid will surely remember remem-ber me and will let us wait for the doctor," she declared. "I'll get my hat and coat right away." In a few minutes they had slipped out of the house, unobserved by her mother. The family automobile carried them to Alden's house, and they were soon in the physician's watting room. "We will wait until Dr. Alden returns." Myra told the servant, who nodded and withdraw. with-draw. "Now where is the laboratory?" aRked Varney. "Upstairs," replied the girl. "I had a wondeful time there before. I wonder if wn couldn't go up now. Jf the maid has gone it will be all right." "Yes," and Varney looked at his watch significantly. "It Is high time. I'll look out." The hal Iw.ay outside the reception room was empty, and, under Myra's leadership, they hurried up the steps to the big room which contained the psychic apparatus of tho investigator. "But the door is locked!" Myra tried it vain ly, in disappointment. She drooped her head. "We cannot do a thing," she said sadly. "I'm not so sure. I have a bunch of keys," and Varney's lips gave the hare suggestion of that cunning smile. "Perhaps one of them may fit. Who knows?" He tried several before the lock finally yielded, as he pushed the door open. "Well, wasn't that a lucky coincidence!" he exclaimed. "I guess the fates must be with ns after all. Now 1 wonder what sort of a place It Is?" Myra hurried in. while her companion followed, fol-lowed, with a touch of apprehension in his manner as he gazed about at the cystic of the arch-enemy of the Flack T.odge. "Well, and where is the hypnotizing machine?" ma-chine?" asked Arthur Varney. "There, that' big apparatus with the mirrors. mir-rors. I remember that, the doctor started it with some electrical switches," ;ild the girl. Varney stepped forward to examine tho machine with deigned ignorance. Myra c-gan c-gan to explain its workings to him, hut he looked at his watch once more and interrupted inter-rupted her. "I believe I saw one of these manipulated om-o before." he said. "You sit down in a chair and look up when the lights are on and and the wheels begi n to revolve?" "Yes. that's the Idea." answered the girl. "A nd I'll sit down now, for the sooner wc can try it the better." "I agree with you." echoed Arihur Varney, smiling. "There's no time to ! se! And as Myra. assumed an easy position in the chair, facing the grr-nt wheel, covered with its mirror planes. Varnev, hv another coincidencc,-manaedvl' toucJu, tho-fisMwclac-j trlcal connections to adjust the apparatus. The big circle tilted forward and the ivheels began to move more and more rapidly. EThe lights glowed, and any one observing the eager Myra would have Imagined that Varney Var-ney was quite familiar with the mechanism. CHAPTER XXIV. The Master's Revenge. Alden, finally despairing of any new clues, looked at his watch and decided to report the strange occurrences to Myra. He strode nervously across the uneven ground to the roadway. As he quickened his pace upon the more level thoroughfare, a small boy Tiding a bicycle tinkled his bell and stopped abruptly. The youngster looked at him quizzically and then called out sharply. "Hey, there; are you Mister Alden?" The physician whirled about in surprise. "Who do you want?" "What's your first name?" was the shrewd inquiry, by way of reply. "Who sent you to ask for me?" "That's my business," responded the lad. "What's your first name ? I know what I got paid for." The doctor smiled. The boy, despite his juventile cock-sureness, was the possessor of an honest grin, and Alden instinctively trusted him. "Well, my name is Payson Alden. If you have anything to tell me don't hesitate. Here is my card." and he proffered the youngster the tiny square of pasteboard. The boy grinned and handed him an envelope. en-velope. "A guy that looked just the same as a ?hinaman only different he gave me that. Ho told me what you looked like or I w spiringly entangled with his own. He wondered won-dered what might be her thoughts at this moment and whether Myra were as warmly interested as the apparently increasing cordiality seemed to indicate Again he looked at his watch. "Late! This is the first time vou ever railed to keep an appointment with friend Haji! he muttered anxiously. Another half hour passed." Fears for Myra's safety began to torment him. It was cool, yet the nervous perspiration perspira-tion bedewed his forehead. He walked down toward the edge of the stream, nervously tossing pebbles into it Then he saw it! Floating down with the current was a half-submerged human body. Alden ran into the water a few feet and clutched at it He drew It to the bank and turned the corpse s face upward, the bitter tears springing spring-ing to his eyes. It was faithful Haji, who had sacrificed his life in the cause of "white magic." "Poor fellow!" he muttered, as he tested the various signs of life. The Hindoo was stone dead. ' As he tore open the shirt to examine hi3 heart he saw a peculiar burn upon the dark-skinned dark-skinned breast. It was the devil worshipper's worship-per's sign, oddly branded on the flesh. How death had actually occurred was a mystery, yet the expression upon the dead man's face proved that it must have been one of horrible torture, mentally, if not physically. "I must tell the police!" and Alden sprang to his feet and hurried to the station house. "Great Scott!" exclaimed the captain. "I thought this business was quieted down for the day." "Tap tain. I must be hurrying to the Mav-nard Mav-nard home to see it any developments have I ' .v j - ' ,s I J J ti ii ?' A - 7 1 wj f.rrzzy w rz& y?? $ 'vr- ' j-v-rjs- ;r" ii ft J ' ? - ' , ... . ? I i "'? . , . : i 1 , - f r - ' , r., i - J . 1 ' , -t 1 , X ' t ' ' - ' r s ' " 3 5 j - h - 'j M " s - . - ' ' , . r r - . ,w v r 4;.. -X ?--r ' - f t ,,A U " "v'"- : .1. The nntrnl bodien of Myra and the Rlnck Mnnter were slowly transposed In the smoke. I wouldn't a-given it to you at that, for he gave me a dollar." "Thanks very much," and Alden added to the boy's wealth as he nervously tore open the missive. The message was in tho familiar handwriting hand-writing of his faithful Hindoo friend. Alden breathed a sigh of relief, for he had feared that perhaps Maji had been engulfed in the crumbling subt cr ran can passageways. "They have moved to new qua i ters. Meet me at noon near the overhanging willow," read the hasty script. "Wei I, not long to wait then." mu ttered Alden, ns he strode over the hillside to the appointed place. He sat down with a wary eve in all directions. direc-tions. The time dragged miserably. His thoughts revered to the beautiful girl whose fortunes had hecome so oddlv, yet so in- occurred there. This business is not quieting quiet-ing down It is just beginning to Hare up. We may expect tho worst of everything from now on!" And as tho policemen rushed a patrol wagon to bear the body of the dead man to the coroner's nfnccj Alden hurried with increasing in-creasing apprehension to Myra's home. f 'HATT-HR XXV. The cw Astral Intrigue. "Where is Miss Mvrn, Tharles?" asked Mrs. Maynard of the chauffeur, as ho brought the car to a stop before the house. "Why, I just took her with Mr. Varney, ma'am, over to Dr. Alden's house," was tho reply. "What is she doing there?" she demanded. "I don't understand this at all." "T don't know, ma'am." faltered Charles, scratching his head, as he tried to remember some of the things he had overheard. on, yes. she said something about a laboratory, I think, ma'am." , a . . Mrs. Maynard gave an ejaculation or alarm. "That terrible place again! And she promised prom-ised me that she would not go there again under anv circumstances. Charles, as soon as I get "my wraps 1 want you to take me right there." . Mrs Mavnard was soon speeding througn the crowded streets, urging the driver to more haste. At last they reached the physician's phy-sician's house, "1 want to see my daughter! she demanded, de-manded, trembling with a presentiment of further trouble. "Yes, ma'am. She's in tho waiting room, replied the servant who answered the ring. "Step right in, please." The loom was empty, to the surprise or both! "The laboratory !" cried Mrs. Maynard. "Take me to the laboratory at once. That is where she is." "But, ma'am, the doctor never allows any one there." objected the woman. "That s strictly against his orders. The young lady couldn't be there." "I'm going to see just the same! declared de-clared Mrs. Maynard, as she hurried toward the stairs. Within the darkened laboratory Arthur Varnev stood regarding the inert figure of Mvra as she sat limp in the easy chair, before be-fore the revolving wheel. He heard an excited ex-cited knocking at the locked door. "Who can that be?" he muttered, as he threw his cigarette aside. "If it's the doctor doc-tor " "Myra! Myra! Open this door!" called Mrs Maynard. He sprang to the levers controlling the hypnotizing machine and stopped its motion. "Myra! Myra! Arthur Varney, let me in!" Varney looked rxultingiy at the girl, and then rumpling his hair and taking off his coat, he went tn the door. "Arthur! What do you mean?' began Mrs. Maynard, as ho swung the door open. She caught a. glimpse of the still figure in the fhalr and gave a piercing scream. "Wba t are you d.ing to niv daughter?" she cried. "Myra! Myra!" The girl's eyes vf re" closed, her head rigid her lingers tensely gripping the arms of the eh a ir. Mrs. Maynard clutched the cold hand and burst inlo helpless yohbing. The girl's face was more tense, more pallid than during that en rl ier hypnotic sea hop. "Oh, she's dying!" moaned Mrs Mavnard "Why did you let her do this. Arthur?" You her friend, my friend Varney rubbed his forehead in assumed desperation. 'I've tried every way!" he said. "I'm not al b- to wake her up. She said she wanted t" he hypnotized and she turned on the machine ma-chine iist'lf. Why. it nearly afl"o-t.-fi me" The girl's mother sobbed, while the frightened fright-ened maid servant ra n down the st 'ii rs to e.-ape from the terrors of this o-orie room .The unconscious girl's lips twitched 'in mute echo of nome spi rit ua 1 sutYeriii"- "Oh, she's in agony." murmured Mr.'Mav-V1!?' Mr.'Mav-V1!?' ... "IC wc collld only reach Doctor Alden ? Arthur Varney shook his head with an 111-concc.i 111-concc.i led leer. "I think he Is otherwise engaged by tins .me! he remarked calmly. "Uv u 1us( hnvo to wai, for developments, I'm afraid, mv dear Mrs. M.Lvnatd. it. r.tsnii Alden was m.i.rd otherwise dmar.ed. but in lar more animated nun-tier nun-tier than ariicv supposed The physirian had reached t lu Mavnard homo in a taxh-ah. He. ran up the "steps engcrly, hoping th..t Mvra would greet him Hut it wa, Willis' anxiou:t11corunu:,m'o Vhir-h appeared at tho duor. i "no "Miss Maynard?" "Sorry, fllr, but I thought she was n-itK you, sir. She went over to your house Mr. Varney. She said something about laboratory, so Mrs. Maynard told me, sir" Alden's eyes opened wide. This wag tv biggest surprise of the day. Myra and thur Varney going to his laboratory, j, ' he was confident that the girl knew he ' not there! "What! Am I crazy or is she?" he w, claimed. "I'm sorry, sir, T don't know, sir!" aril ogized Willis, with an embrarrassed couKr "Well, there's only one thing to do!" V'. with the words, Alden ran down the stem He was just in time to catch the departtnr taxicab, and he ordered, the driver to tnak! speed. The machine whizzed up to the house ar.j Alden sprang out, tossing the man a yel0 backed bill, without waiting for cha:-g Into the house he sped, using his latch kv and straight up the stairs. As he reached the upper floor, he pay,ej outside his laboratory door, as a precautioi He heard the oily accents of Arthur Vartiv' "I tell you it won't do any good to ita't the machine again, Mrs. Maynard. "We must just wait and see what happens!" "Then I'll start It myself!" cried the gMi lady, tearfully. "If Dr. Alden could only reached." "Well, he can't be reached. And I doubt the fool could understand the case, anyway; was the impatient retort. Alden stepped into the room, his eyo blazing. "I understand more than you think I do Varney," he snapped, as he ran to the gtri side. The astonished interloper stepped baclc as though he were expecting a blow. But Alden had ms mina on onty one thhi He knelt by the girl's side and began i0 manipulate her wrists. Then, this failing to bring results, he com-manded, com-manded, begged, and almost shouted an order for her to "Wake up!" It amounted tB naught. Little did Mrs. Maynard and the doctcr dream as they worked over the unconsclou girl that at this very moment her form, an that of the dread Black Master, could bi seen floating hand in hand in the clouds incense which swirled above the altar of th Devil Worshippers. JOven Varney, ignorant of the full extern of his villainy, was not aware that a strange transposition of souls was taking place artf that when Myra awoke, it would be with the spirit of another animating her body. "Jf the machine made her go away, it ought to make her come back," persisted Mrs. Maynard. "Oh, Doctor, try anything, please, for poor little Myra's sake." The physician walked to the levers. His keen eye noted the butts of some cigarettes on the floor beside it. Even in that preoccupied preoc-cupied moment, he realized that Varnev must have been slow in the hypnotic work to have had time for smoking three! "Why not run the machine backwards? Maybe that will reverse the action," ventured Mrs. Maynard. Alden was 'about to turn the advice aside, ' when something prompted him to follow It The lights were soon glittering once more jn the whirring reflectors. The trio watched the unconscious face with varying emotions Suddenly the eyelids stirred, and were lifted, ever so weakly. "Hurrah !" cried Alden. "Mrs. Maynard, you've made a great psychic discovery!" "I don't care about that," cried the mother, kissing the wan face. "All I want is my daugh ter back !" "She's back!" exclaimed Varney, and then was disappointment on his astonished features. fea-tures. Myra stirred, and now looked at h't mother, with a strange expression. "Myra, darling, don't you know me, childT cried Mrs. Maynard fearfully. "Yes, it's mother! Isn't it?" Alden was puzzled at the speech, and evea at the curious stiffness of her tones. "Myra, come out of this dreadful placs. You must come home at once." L Varney put on his coat, and picked up his ' hat and walking stick. He cast a sulln glare at Alden, who was studying him with lingers which itched for a grip upon thai comfortable, heavy neck. "Yes, 1 think she had better go home and rest. And you two had better go home alon together, Mrs. Maynard," said the doctor. "No, no, I won't think of their going without with-out an escort," objected Varney. "Very well;. I will be in -the posse, then." observed the physician. There was a grim set to his lips as he followed the group downstairs and into the automobile. Alden was watching Myra with a shade of . misgiving, which he could not quite crystallize crystal-lize into a definite suspicion. "She wa Iks oddly," lie mused, as though she were not used to that skirt." When Myra stepped into the car she tripped trip-ped over the border of her gown, and would have fallen backward had not Varney caught her arm. "I'm so clumsy," she laughed, with embar rassment. "My head still aches." Alden sat beside Myra. "What did you see. Miss Maynard, whil you were in the trance?" he asked. The girl looked at him with a puzzlin? laugh in the blue eyes. "Not a thing!" "t"m-m!" muttered Alden, thoughtfully, and made no further comment, until they reached home. Varney escorted Mrs. Maynard into the library, while Myra paused in the vestibule to. allow Alden to lift her cloak from her shoulders. Suddenly the girl turned toward the phT sician and with face upturned to him, put her hands upon his shoulders. With a languorous look in her eyes ai expression absolutely foreign to every memory mem-ory of those usually demure depths the gin spoke in a low tone : "I love you !' Alden stepped back in astonishment. then the meaning of the sudden declaration overwhelmed him. "Miss Myra what did vou say?" hi asked, bewildered. "1 love you, Pavson." The girl raised her lips coquettishly. Shi I clasped her arms behind his shoulders, a' I their lips met. Alden was facing the mirror nf tha 1 hJf I stood there. Tho supreme moment of bli? the first kiss seemed disappointing to hi- somehow. He looked over her shoulder an saw their two figures reflected In the mirror. It was not the face of Myra Maynard which lay upon his shoulder. Even as his Hps brushed the glorious hak, he saw the face of a man. It wn.i the unrdonlc. erlmr-qrnnrled Tt of the illnster of the Hlnok Order! The slim white hands were gliding f hind his shoulders toward the revolver wlii1 protuded from his hip pocket. iPetrifl'1! with horror, the physician groped men tally-In tally-In that instant the revolver was snatched, and the muzzle pressed against his back. Alden sprang aside and grasped the si"" der wrist. The report of the phot, which shatter the mirror, brought Varnev and Mrs. Ma'" nard into the vestibule. The face of the girl was dove-like In IW innocence and gentle surprise. "What, is it?" cried Varnev. "Why did you fire that revolver?" manded Mrs. Mavnard. Alden was holding the revolver. Front'5 muzzle still trailed a thin line of snrnke. looked at the weapon which he snatched a w a y s o o p p o r t u n e 1 v . "Miss Maynard tried to kill me!" h "i"5-hardly "i"5-hardly hearing them, ns he stared into tW girl's eyes. , Myra shook her head and lookcl r'''' mgly, almost scnrnfullv, nt the phvsit'ia"- "Poor I'r. Alden!" she murmured, with laugh. "lie is so upset. We mustn't any attention to wlmt he savs!" A groat light burst into the mystify mind of the phvsloinn "It is not Myra's fault! She did not try to kill me." "Of course not." said the girl. Poet or A' dep. you will begin to boro me before lo I am afraid." "Vou nrr not llym cried the phvjicis11; Pointing an accusing finger, which tren1"; wan emotion. "Tbf NOuI of the mnntrr tito Klnrk Order Iin entered Mrra Mnynrd" body!" The girl laughed, nud Vnrnev turned ToUow her mother as tho two women wrnJ "to tho drawing rootu. Alden stare.l a''; them a thousand tcrrifving fears for'" leal Myra whirring through his brain! To be Continued IN'ext Hundny.) |