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Show MmY nrn CHAPTER I wherein eighteen beautiful chorus-girl- s appeared masked and black winged In costume of Brazilian bat-fu- r there were Bat club sandwiches ; Bat cigarettes and a new shade of silk hosiery called simply and succinctly "Bat" He became a fad a catchword a national figure. And yet he was walking Death cold, remorseless. But death itself has become a toy of Publicity In these days of limelight and Jazz. A city editor, at lunch with a colleague, pulled at his cigarette and talked. "See that Sunday story we had on the Batr he said. "Pretty tidy huh and yet we didn't have to play it up. It's an amazing list the Marshall Jewels the Allison murder the mall-tructhing two hundred thousand he got out of that, all negotiable, and two men dead. I wonder how many people he's really killed we made It six Riurders and nearly a million in loot didn't even have room for the small stuff but there must be more " His compnulon whistled. "And when Is the Universe's Finest Newspaper going to burst forth with 'Bat Captured by Blade Reporter'?" he Inquired, sardonically. "Oh, for lay off of It, will you?" said the city editor, peevishly. "The Old Man's been hopping around about it for two months till everybody's plumb cuckoo. Even offered a bonus a big one and that shows how 'razy he Is he doesn't love a nickel any better than his right eye for any sort of exclusive story. Bonus huh !" and he crushed out his cigarette. "It won't be a Blade reporter that gets that bonus or any reporter. It'll be Sherlock Holmes from the spirit world." "But look here. Bill you don't mean to tell me he'll keep on getting away with It Indefinitely?" The editor frowned. "Confidentially I don't know," he said with a chuckle. "The situation's this : for the first time the super-croo- k the super-crooof. fiction the kind that never makes a mistake has come to life real life. Atid it'll take a cleverer man than any Central Office dick I've ever met to catch him !" "Then you don't think he's Just an ordinary crook with a lot of luck?" "I do not." Tiie editor was "He's the Chapman type but he's brainier than Chapman. Got a ghastly sense of humor, too look at the way he leaves his calling card after every job a black-pape- r bat inside the Marshall safe a bat drawn on the wall with a burnt match where he'd Jimmied the Cedarburg bank a real bat, dead, tacked to the mantelpiece over poor old Allison's body. Oh, he's In a class by himself and I very much doubt If he was a crook at all for most of his life." "Tou mean?" "I mean this. The police have been combing the underworld for him I don't think he comes from there. I think they've got to look higher up in our world for a brilliant man with a kink in the brain. He may be a doctor, a lawyer, a merchant, honored In his community by day good line that. I'll use It some time and at night, a assassin. Well that's bloodthirsty our man." ,"But, Bill " "I know. I've been going around the last month, looking at everybody 1 knew and thinking are you the Bat? Try It for a while you'll want to sleep with a light In your room after a few days of It Look around the The Shadow of the Bat k man-hunte- d ' a Cat. From to thieves' along stirhangout the like the underworld passage the ring There were of an electric spark. bright stars and flashing comets in the world of crime but this new piano rose with the portent of an evil moon. The Bat they called him the Bat. Like a bat he chose the night hours for his work of rapine like a bat he and vanished, pouncingly, struck noiselessly like a bat he never showed himself to the face of the day. He'd never been in stir the bulls had never mugged him he didn't run with a mob he played a lone hand and fenced his stuff so that even Ikey the Fence couldn't swear he knew his face. Most lone wolves had a moll, at any rate women were their ruin but if the Bat had a moll, not even the grapevine telegraph could locate her. gunmen In the dingy back rooms of speak-easle- s muttered over In his exploits with bated breath. tawdrily gorgeous apartments, where gathered the larger figures, the proconsuls of the world of crime, cold, conscienceless brains dissected the work of a colder and swifter brain than theirs, with suave and bitter envy. Evil's Four Hundred chattered, discussed, debated sent out a thousand Invisible tentacles to clutch at a Hurtow to turn this shadow and Its listorted genius to their own ends. The tentacles recoiled, baflled the Bat worked alone not even Evil's Four Hundred could bend him into a willing Instrument to execute another's plan. Where official trailer and private ileuth had failed, the newspapers might succeed or so thought the disillusioned young men of the Fourth Estate the tireless foxes, nose-dow- n cn the trail of news the trackers who never gave up till that news was run cub, to earth. StarTeporter, veteran gray In the trade one and all they tried to pin the Bat like a caught butterfly to the front page of their respective Journals soon or late each gave up, beaten, ne was news bigger news each week a thousand ticking typewriters clicked his adventures the brief, staccato recital of his career In he "morgues" of the great dailies grew longer and more incredible But the big news the each day. scoop cf the century the yearned-fo- r headline, "Bat Nabbed With Police" Bat Slain In Gun-Dustill eluded the ravenous maw of the linotypes. And meanwhile the list of his felonies lengthened, and the rewards offered from various sources for any clue which might lead mounted and to his apprehension mounted till they totaled a small fortune. Columnists took him up played with the name and the terror used the name and the terror as a starting-poin- t from which to exhibit their own particular opinions on everything from the Immortality of the soul to the merits of the Lucy Stone league. Ministers mentioned him in sermons-cra- nks wrote fanatic letters denouncing him as one ot the seven-neadeboasts of the Apocalypse and a forerunner of the end of the world a popular revue put on a special Bat thieves' CORNg nnmber "You've got to get him,, boy get Mm or bust!" said a tired police chief, pounding a heavy fist on a table. The detectives he bellowed the words at looked at the floor. They had done their best and failed. Failure meant "resignation" for the police chief, return to the tinted work of pounding the pavements for them they knew It, and, knowing It, could summon no gesture of bravado to answer their chiefs. Gunmen, thugs, hijackers, loft robbers, murderers, they could get them all In time but they could not get the man he wanted. "Get him to h 1 with the expense I'll give you carte blanche but get him!" said a haggard millionaire in the sedate Inner offices of the best private detective firm In the country. The man on the other side of the desk, r extraordinary, old servant of government and state, sleuth-hounwithout a peer, threw up his hands In a gesture of odd hopelessness. "It Isn't the money, Mr. de Courcy I'd give every cent I've made to get the man you .want but I can't promise you results for the first time In my life." The conversation was ended. "Get him? Huh! I'll get him watch my smoke!" It was young ambition speaking in a certain set ef rooms In Washington. Three days later young ambition lay in a New Tork gutter with a bullet In his heart and a look of such horror and surprise on his dead face that even the ambulance doctor who found him felt shaken. "We've lost the most promising man I've had in ten years," said his chief, when the news came In. He n the luck !" swore helplessly, "I et him get "Get him get him him!" From a thousand sources now the clamor arose press, police and public alike crying out for the capture of a century of the master-criminlost voices hounding a specter down the alleyways of the wind. And still the meshes broke and the quarry lipped away before the hounds were well on the scent leaving behind a trail of shattered sifes and rifled Jewel cases while ever the clamor rose higher to "Get him get him get " Get whom, in God's name get what? Beast, man or devil? A spectera flying shadow the shadow of k hangout word passed Bat-face- d COUNTY PROGRESS. CASTLK DALE. UTAH A Novel from the Play a - - but she was more than that I'll but what's the use? I said a Attitude, had she grown old without growing now, but brains minute ago, you had touch with youth her or dull losing By Mary Roberts Rinehart by Judas, I doubt It! If anyone else delicate strength of a the had and Avery Hopwood wanted a chance at the Bat I'd give face mild and youthher and cameo fine It to them gladly I'm "The Bat." copyright, H20. by Mary Robert ful heart preserved an Innocent seat But you're too "valuable a man to be Kinchert end Ary Hopwood. for adventure, thrown away!" WNU Service Wide travel, social leadership, the "I'm no more valuable than Went-wort- h world of art and books, a dozen chariwould have been." an existence rich with diverse exties, "Maybe not and look what hapthing else I'm sick of the Bat and his perience all these she had enjoyed, pened to him! A bullet hole In his murders." and to the full but she energetically that work His companion rose as well, but It heart and thirty years of with Ingenuous vanity, that there ! No. felt thrown away done he have was evident that the editor's theory might s were still sides to her character whlcb had taken firm hold on his mind. As Anderson I've found wo even these had not brought to light desk they went out the door together he men since I've been "at this a As little girl she had hesitated behis for asked He and Wentworth you. recurred to the subject tween him wishing to be a locomotive enturned "Honestly, though. Bill were you chance I gave It to him or a famous bandit and when him lost gineer and to over the government serious really serious when you said had found, at seven, that the acclr she that so plentiful you didn't know of a single detective Good detectives aren't with brains enough to trap this devil?" I can afford to lose you both." "Wentworth was a friend of mine," The editor paused In the doorway. "Serious enough," he said. "And yet said Anderson, softly. His knuckles there's one man I don't know him were white dints in the hand that myself but from what I've heard of gripped the chair. "Ever since the Bat got him I've wanted my chance. him, he might be able but what's the Now my other work's cleaned up and use of simulating?" i "I'd like to know, all the same," said I still want it." "B'ut I still tell you" began the the other, and laughed nervously. "We're moving out to the country next chief in tones of high exasperation. week ourselves right In the Bat's Then he stopped, and looked at his new territory." protege. There was silence for a tir "We-ell,- " "Oh, well" said the chief, flnal.'v. said tlte editor, "you won't let It go any further? Of course --it's in a hopeless voice. "Go ahead comJust an Idea of mine but If the Bat mit suicide I'll send you a 'Gates ever came prowling around our place, Ajar" and a card 'Here lies a d n the detective I'd try to get In touch fool who would have been a great dei with would be " He put his lips close tective if he hadn't been so pigto his companion's ear and whispered headed.' Go ahead !" a name. Anderson rose. "Thank you, sir," he said In a deep voice. His eyes had The man whose name he whispered, oddly euough, was at that moment light in them, now. "I can't thank standing before his official superior In you enough, sir." a quiet room not far away. Tall, reti"Don't try," grumbled the chief. "If and well, if InconI weren't as much of a d n fool as cently spicuously clothed apd groomed, he by you are, I wouldn't let you do it And no means seemed the typical detective if I weren't so d n old, I'd go after that the editor had spoken of so the slippery devil myself and let you scornfully. He looked something like sit here and watch me get brought in a college athlete who had kept up his with an infernal paper bat pinned training something like a pillar of where my shield ought to be. The one of the more sedate financial Bat's supernatural, Anderson you houses he could assume and discard haven't a chance in the world but It Lizzie Could Go Hysterical Over a a dozen manners In as many minutes, does me good all the same to shake Creaking Door. but, to the casual observer, the one bands with a man with brains and dent of sex would probably debar her thing certain about him would probnerve," and. he solemnly wrung Anderfrom either occupation, she had reably seem his utter lack of connection son's hand in an Iron grip. solved, fiercely, that some time before with the seamier side of existence. Anderson smiled. "The cagiest bat she died she would show the world in The key to his real secret of life, howflies once too often," he said. "I'm ever, lay In his eyes. When In repose, not promising anything, chief, but" general and the Van Gorder clan In that a woman was quite as as now, they were veiled and without "Maybe," said the chief. "Now wait particular unusual quality but they were the a minute keep your sJiIrt on you're capable of dangerous exploits as a eyes of a man who can wait and a not going out bat hunting this minute, man. Siie threw down the morning paper man who can strike. you know " He stood perfectly easy before his lisgustedly. Here she was at. sixty-fiv"Sir? I thought rich safe settled for the summer chief for several moments before the "Well, you're not," said the chief, In a delightful country-plac- e a good latter looked up from his papers. "I've still some little redecidedly. excellent servants beautiful "Well, Anderson," he said at last, spect for my own Intelligence and It cook looking up, "I Cot your report on the tells me to get all the work out of you gardens and grounds everything as I'll I can, before you start respectable and comfortable as as a Wilhenry burglary this morning. tell you this about It if you do a chasing after this this bat out of hell. limousine! And out In the world-pe- ople neater and quicker job in the next The first time he's heard of were murdering and robbing again ten years you can take this desk away and it shouldn't be long from the fast each other floating over Niagara falls in barrels rescuing children from me I'll give it to you. As It is, way he works you're assigned to the your name's gone up for promotion tocase. That's understood. Till then, from burning houses taming tigers to Africa to hunt gorillas doing day you deserved It long ago." you do what I. tell you and It'll be going . "Thank you, sir," said the tall ma all sorts of exciting tilings! She work, believe me!" could not float over Niagara fails in smiling and sitting down. He took a "All right, sir," Anderson lau:;hed cigar and lit it. "That makes it easier, and turned to the door. "And thank a barrel Lizzie Allen, her faithful old sir. Because I've come to ask a maid, would never let her! She could you again." favor." He went out. The door closed. The not go to Africa to hunt gorillas-Sa- lly "All right," said the chief, promptly. Ogden, her sister, would never crief remained for some minutes look"Whatever it is, it's granted." let her hear the last of It. She could at the door and shaking his head. ing Anderson smiled again. "You'd bet"The best man I've had in years-ex- cept not even, as she certainly would If she ter hear what it is first sir. I don't Wentworth," he murmured to were a man, try and track down this want to put anything over on you." himself. "And throwing himself away terrible creature, the Bat! "Try it!" said the chief. "What Is She smiled disgustedly. to be killed by a devil Things It vacation? Take as long as you came to her much too easily. Take human can catch." that nothing like within reason you've earned It this very house she was living In. Ten He turned back to his desk and his I'll put It through today." But. for some minutes he days ago she had decided, on the spur papers. shook Anderson his head. "No, sir of the moment to take a place In the could not pay attention to the papers. I don't want a vacation. I want to for the summer. It was late There was a shadow on them a shadcountry be assigned to a certain case that's ow blurred the typed letters the in the renting season even the ordithat all." shadow of bat's wings. nary difficulties of finding a suitable The chiefs look grew searching. would have added some spice to spot "H'm," he said. "Well as I the quest but this ideal place- hnd CHAPTER II within reason. What case do practically fallen Into her lap. with you want to be assigned to?" no trouble or search at all. Court-leigMiss Van Gorder The muscles of Anderson's left hnnd ' Fleming, president of the Union tensed on the arm 'of his chair, lie Miss Cornelia Van Gorder. indomibank, who had built the house on a looked squarely at the chief. "I want table spinster, last bearer of a name scale of comfortable magnificence a chance at the Bat!" he said, slowly. had been groat In New York Courtleigh Fleming had died suddenly The chiefs face became expressionwhen New York was a in the West, when Miss Van Gorder less. "I said anything within reaNienw Amsterdam and Peter Stuyve-san- t . was beginning her The a parvenu, sat propped up In bed son," he said, softly. r?gard'.ng Anderhis after death her day agent had son keenly. In the green room of her newly rented ailed her up Blchard Fleming. "I want a chance pt the Pit !" repeatcountry house, rending the morning Conrtleigh Fleming's nephew and ed Anderson stubbornly, "if I've done newspaper. Patrician to her fingerheir, was anxious to rent the good work so far I want 8 chance at tips, independent to the roots of tier house at once if she made Fleminp a quick the Bat!" , a hair, she preserved, at sixty-liveIt was hers for the summer, decision The chief drummed on 'he dsk. humorous and quenchless curiosity In at a bargain. Miss Van Gorder had deAnnoyance and surprise were In bis regard to every side of life, which cided at once she took an Innocent voice when he six'ke. even the full and crowded years that pleasure in bargains. Tlie next day "But look here, Anderson," he already lay behind her had not entireburst out finally. "Anything else and ly satisfied. She was an Age and an the keys were hers the servants engaged to stay on within a week she All very pleasant and had moved. easy no doubt but adventure pooh! And yet she could not really say that her move to the country had brought her no adventures at all. There had been things. Last night A western physician retnruiug from j spd. No doubt the Jack is wonder the lights had gone off unexpectedly, a professional call ncioss the country I ir.g what sort of h dog has come into and Billy, the Japanese butler and stirred up a jack inbbit, siiys the its field to defeat it in a trial of handy-man- , had said that he had swed. Evansvllle Journal. The animal troi seen a face at the kitchen window. ted along In front of the physician's Servants' nonsense, probably but the car undisturbed apparently while ii servants seemed unusually nervous foi Too Generous was traveling 25 miies an hour. Here people who were used to the country. Two clubwomen prominent was a sporting chance to try out th And Lizzie, of course, had sworn that reeemij a pave program by rending. In diarunner made famous by Mark Twain. she hud seen a man trying to get up logue form, a series of short The physician speeded his car from para the stairs but Lizzie could grow hyseach had written on a special graphs The 25 to 30 miles, and then in terical over a creaking door. Stili theme. First 'one would read, and rabbit held Its place in the nuid apIt was queer! And what had that af in response the other would then give fable Doctor parently enjoying tJie race at ihat Wells said to her "I re her oftiriug. Each had worked out pace. Then the doctor turned on the spect your courage, Miss Van Gor her the of, part program cleverly and der gas to a speed of 40 miles an hour. moving ntt into the But's honu tried to put her share over with The rabbit held the road until It good country, you know!" She picked up effect. the Imagine consternation of the paper again there was a sensed the car was gaining upon It Mrs. A when a friend, map of thinking she the scene of the and then loped off Into the brush at most receni had written the entire thing, rushed up exploits and yes three of the side of the road. Thus It appears his receni close that the unknown speed of the famous at the was S and said: "Oh, your pro crimes had been within h twent,Miill, grum but interesting, a you gave animal has been established. Many radius of this very spot She thought all the cleverest parts to Mrs. B to It over and gave a little good hound dog has run itself almost shuddir oi read. Why didn't you keep those for to death In pursuit of a jack rabbit pleasurable fear. Then she dlsmhee.' yourself?" News. Indianapolis the thought with a shrug. N0 chnr.ee' before It would give up the chast. She might live In a lonely house two Even the greyhound has never been miles from the railroad station able to carry on with a jack rabbit The elephant Is the last of his kind al' It bas taken an automobile to drive and he Is la a fair way toward ex. summer long (!r,d the But would never -disturb l.v twilling ever did the jack from the field. In a race tor tlnctloa. hard-boile- Ends pain at onto by removing the rubbing of shoes. They..S? ceted, antiseptic and shoe stores. Cost hi . U? D Scholia tirst-clas- Mi ftrt one o- n- No more Nausea Gas, heartburn, sick he.i. nausea, and other & gestive disorders quickly Md an ly relieved. Safe. Pleasant Noti laxative. Send for free samples to Bell & Co., Inc., Orangeburg, N.Y. Normalizes Dtgettion and Sweetens the Brtath over-acidi- ty fern-m- i FOR IN DIGESTION J 6 Bellans HOT good-lookin- g I" e wild-goos- e iTr. poi water Sure Relief CLL-AN-S FOR INDIGESTION 25t AND 75t PACKAGES EVERYWHERE Ring Was in Safe Spot At KImdale, Kan., a brand-nebriK created a furor when she lust i W diamond engagement ring. The era town turned out to try to find it m after everyone had missed dinner M bride happened to remember she nid the diamond in licr stocking.-!- !'lianapolis News. To Cure a Cold in one Dq Take Laxative BROMO QUININE Tablets. The Safe and Proven Remedr ror signature oi Ji w. Qron the box. 30c. Adv. Natives Take Chancet The only people who will brave tin dangers of the Fast Indian jungles te gather the Jelutong used in chewiij sriim milking are primitive natives aft Borneo. There are two things that excuse a man: philosophy make or affec tion. The BABY d - r d h ft CP' "7PII leg-ma- The ," Super-Croo- k house-hunting- '! Jack Rabbit Forced to Succumb to Auto i of Fiction. d that white-haireUniversity club man over there dignified respectable is he the Bat? Your own lawyer your own doctor your own best friend. Cjn happen, you know look at those Chicago boys the thrill-killerJust brilliant students likable boys to the people that taught them and murderers, all the same." nis companion laughed uncertainly. "How about you, Bill are you the Bat?" The editor smiled. "See," he said, No I can "It's got you already. prove an alibi the Bat's been laying off the city, recently taking a BIng at some of the swell suburbs. Besides I haven't the brains I'm free to admit It" He struggled Into his coat "Well let's talk about lome- d d s. cold-bloode- d j '. Ifa (TO US CONTINUao.l ' .. v ,i,i0 tmiioriitened & - would give her baby comething lid not know was perfectly naiuwhen a few drops especially s. . . win......... i - l.W - 5t( uastona ngni a ".'ill. Frew little no ness and fever, too; it seems oci . until everyming is That's the beauty of Castori. seems just w&a gentle influence castor . neeueu, ii uoes uu.i iw -sno t j( might accomplish, without the system. Without the evil It's delicious 1 Being purely often it on ame, you can give n. m inerus a sign ui jt diarrhea ; or need to am ural sleep. - um. uue '. ...u, . .ci3B. - - - netcners - uasiona B!: recommend. Other prcParat' be just as free from all dom m- v ... 4 . .Liu to test, nieui -- . i e uia ni iicouii.', the with Fletcher's Castoria is weight in gold. w c boos -- or Children Cry ft j- |