Show the Mill iolI M astery dy by HAROLD MAC GRATH illustrated from scenes in dinv inv photo drama of the rho sarn samo name by the film company copyright mi by barou murata MUra tb SYNOPSIS stanley hargreave Hare Harg Teave millionaire after a miraculous ecale from the den of 0 the gang of br brilliant i a t thieves known na as tile the black hundred d r lil d I 1 live ives the life of a recluse for eighteen years hargreave Hare liar greave reave accidentally meets bragne leader of the black hun dred knowing brains will try to get him lie be escapes from ills his own home by a balloon before escaping he writes a letter to the girls school where eighteen years before lie he mysteriously y left f t on tho ilia door step tep his baby daughter er F lorence gray that day hargreave also drawe drau 1000 OUO A from the bank banh but it in 1 r reported ported that this dropped into the sea wheel when tile the balloon he be escaped in was punctured florence arrives fir rives from the girls school counti m olga braines Br alnes companion visits tier her and claims her as aa a relative two borus bogus de tec tive call but their plot Is foiled by norton it a newspaper new paper man after fulling falling in their arst attempt the clack black hundred trap ra florence they ask tier her for money moncy butche but nhe escapes again foiling them norton and the countess call on florence the next day onia once more safe at home the visitors having gone jones removes renio ea a section of flooring and ana from rom a cavity takes a box pursued by members of the black Min hundred dred he rus rushes bk es to the water fr front 0 nt and succeeds eds in dropping the box in into t 0 the sea ea accomplices of bragne kidnap florence and hurry tier her oft off to sea she sha leaps laps overboard and la Is picked up in a dazed dated condition by fishermen bragne disguised its as her father fat lier takes tier her back to sea ea with him florence sets seta fire to tile the boat and Is rescued by a ship on norton has been shanghai ed concealed above the rendezvous of the blick black hundred a man learns of the recovery of the box from the sea by a sailor and of Us its suase subsequent u ent return to the bottom of the tea ea aap and he quickly communicates the fact to jones A duplicate box Is planted and later sec secured tired by the band but before its contents are examined the box mysteriously disappears finding binding himself checkmated check mated nt at every turn bragne endiak or ors s to enmesh the Itar hargreave greave household in the law in order to gain free access to the house the timely discovery of tile the plot by norton sets seta the police at the heels of the he pa pack ck and results in a raid on tile the gangs re rendezvous which however proves to be barren of results following follow ini a telephone message jones received from a mysterious person whom lie ho addressed as aa sir ir norence florence Is again lured fro from m her honit and taken out to sea th through rough nortons Nor tons daring and skill us ns an aviator she Is rescued and returns to her homp home in time to confront an agent of the illich hundred through treachery in the far greave household florence Flo ronco Is delivered into the rho lands hands of 0 ar a unscrupulous doctor who lu Is in tile lie tiny liny of the black hundred from the faithful susan suann norton learns that the doctor has declared that flor I 1 lorence Is stricken with smallpox and that he Is a preparing to spirit her awny away by net act ing ng quick tile the lepor reporter t er with the aid or 0 susan suc succeeds eeds in extricating ill alie young woman from the danger after an enc fun ter tar with members of the ging gang the black 1 Hun undred drel begin to tear fear norton and plan to dispose ot of him again tile unno unnoticed tied butler chows his hand band by rescuing norton and defeating 11 raine CHAPTER the masked ball about this time that Is to say bout about the time the dlack black hundred was stretching out its ita powerful secret arms toward norton there arrived in new york city a personage this person ago was the princess Par lovo a fabulously rich polish Russ russian lau abe leaser a line fine house near cc central park ind set about to conquer social new york this was not very difficult for her title was perfectly and she moved in the most exclusive diplo matle circles in europe which as everybody knows Is the most brilli brilliant arLt in the world when the new homo home was completely decorated she elie gave sin an elaborate dinner and that attracted the newspapers they began to talk about her highness printed portraits of her and devoted a page occasion ally in the sunday editions sho she be came something of a rage one morn ilg it was announced that the princess would give a masked ball to formally or milly open her home to society and it was vas this notice that first brought the princess under nral neB eyes lie ho was as at the Pe Perl goff apartment tit at the time well well he mused aloud what Is it asked olga turning away from the piano and ending one of mazu mazurkas ma rIcas brokenly here Is the princess in town 0 and who ho Is she shea she it the real thing olga a real princess with vast estates in poland with which the greedy slay slav next door has been very gentle 1 I paid much attention to tho the social news lately what about her sho she Is giving a masked ball to formally open tier her house on oil tho the west side and its going to cost a pretty penny penn well youre oure not telling roe me this to make aia 0 me want to know the princess said olga petulantly petulant no JIM hut im going to give you a letter of introduction to her highness oil oh and you are going to ask her to two particular friends of yours to this mond wonderful erful ball of hers indeed ironically that sounds tit ill very easy easter easier than you think my child 1 I will not have you call me child well then alic n olga oiga better now new how will it lif he vaster than I 1 thin think k simply pimply this the princess is n oth nath bound member but has not be acen c n active for years oho olga oiga was all ail animation now low go on you will go to tier her with a letter or of introduction no netter better than that you will make a formal call and show her this ring you know tho the ring lie he laid passing tho the talisman to the count sa show thin thia to tier her and sho she will bacy you in everything sho will have to alt algarva arVa very good replied olga and then the program Is to insist that she ehe invite florence and that tool fool of a reporter to this ball then what you can leave that to me all these failures been a W warning arning no my dear I 1 was born optimistic but theres a jinx somewhere in one of my pockets time after time ive had everything just where I 1 wanted it end then poof its puro pure bald luck on their side but sooner or later the wheel will turn and any chance that offers I 1 am bound to accept somehow or other we may be able to trap florence and norton I 1 want both of 0 them it I 1 can get them snug ly away jones will be forced to draw in Ilar hargreave Harg reavo greave Is there such a man you saw him that night at the restaurant 1 I have often thought that perhaps ajust I 1 just dreamed it she turned again to the piano and began humming idly stop that and listen to me said braine not in quite the best of tempers im in no mood for whims music does not sooth your our soul then cynically it if I 1 had one it might you tou will call on the princess tomorrow afternoon it depends upon you what my plans plan swill will be I 1 think have little trouble in getting into th the presence of her lil highness gliness and once there she will not be able to resist you 1 I II 11 go and go she did the footman in green livery hesitated for a moment but the title on the visiting card was quite sufficient lie ile bowed the countess into the reception room and went in search of his bis distinguished mistress the princess was a hand a some ome woman verging merging upon middle age she was a patrician keen eye discerned that instantly site she came into the reception room with that dignified serenity which would have impressed any one as genuine she held the card in tier her fingers and smiled inquiringly quirin gly toward her guest 1 I confess she began that I 1 recall neither your face nor your name I 1 am sorry NIlie chero rei have I 1 had bad the honor of meeting you before you have never met me before your our hIgh highness answered olga sweetly you came on a charity errand then thena that depends your highness will you be so good as to glance at this olga asked holding out her palm upon which the talisman lay the princess shrank back paling where did you ou get that elie bhe printed panted fron the head was the answer and io ou i have followed me from russia 7 whispered the princess her terror rowing row ing oil oh no the black hundred Is as strongly organized hero here as in ia st petersburg burg hut but we always keep track of old members especially when they stand so high I 1 in tile the world as yourself hut but I 1 was deceived and betrayed exclaimed the princess they urged i invite them in that Is all you have to do dd me to join on oil the ground that tile the organization mas to attempt to bring about tile freedom of poland olga shrugged you were rich the hundred needed needed lioney and you ou need it now eagerly believing that she alie saw eav a loophole how mile oh 01 I 1 will give a hundred thousand rubles ou on your our prom ise to leave roe me alone tell me 1 I am sorry your our high highness nesa tut lut I 1 have no authority to accept such auch an off offer er indeed rny my errand la Is tir lir front from being expensive all tire the hundred desires la Is four invitations to tills this ball which you are ara soon to give that should not cause you ou any alarm we dball not interfere with your ro BO journ in america in any v way ay what provided these invitations are issued you would rob my guests horrified positively no hero Is a list of four names invite them that la is all you have to do not so much as a silver spoon wl 1 1 il l be found missing tills this la Is on my word ot of lionor honor and I 1 never break that word if you please glo me tho the list said enla the princess wearily ar ly who guvo gave you th t ring ahe the head in russia no here in america olga dipped into her handbag arid and produced a slip of paper this she ehe handed to the princess here Is IB tile the list highness who Is florence Hare reavo A friend of mine evasively does doea she belong to the organization no then you have some ulterior purpose in having me invite her 1 I have harp answered olga sharply but that does not concern your our highness ne es in the least the princess bit tier her lips 1 I see your name hero here also a man named bragne and another norton say at once that you do not care to execute the wishes the commands of the order said olga coldly 1 I will do as you wish and I 1 bog beg you now to excuse me hut but it if anything happens to any of my friends well haughtily from olga well I 1 will ft put the alie matter in the hands of 0 the police out but so BO long as your personal friends anre not concerned 1 I shall then of necessity remain deaf and blind it la Is one of tho the penalties I 1 must pay for my folly I 1 wish you goodday good day and also good riddance murmured olga under her breath as she roso rose and started for the hallway thus thua it was that when norton went to tile the office tho the next afternoon he Z A 14 they agreed upon two modest ones found a broad white envelope on his bis desk indifferently he opened tile the rame fame and ills his eyes bulged princess requests and so forth and so on then he shrugged the chief had bad probably asked tor for the enof he have to write up the doings a phase of reportorial work eminently distasteful to him lie ile went up to the city desk cant you find some ono one else to do tills this stuff ho he growled to the city editor the city editor glanced at the card and crested envelope good lord jord J ord man nobody in tills this office had anything to do with that what luck our miss hayes tried alt all manner of schemes but was rebuffed on all sides how flow tile the deuce did you chance to get one onea search me said the bewildered norton ft 6 if I 1 were acre you id sit tight and take it all in advised the editor its going to bo be the biggest splurge of its ita kind weve had in years weve been working every wire we vie know to get miss ilayev inside but it was no go this princess Is not onto the game yet in this country you get into society biety or you dont through tile the sundays hanged it if I 1 know who wished this thing filing ori or me take taho it pit philosophically teal ly said tile the editor sarcastically the princess wont we you she may even have seen your picture get out grumbled norton turning away lie he would go out and see florence on the way out to Rl Ill verdale lie he came to the conclusion that tile the list of the princess fell short and some friend of his who was helping the woman out suggested ills his name it was the only way lie he could account for it hut when lie ho learned that florence had a an n invitation exactly like ills his own and that she received it that morning he became suspicious auspicious jones what do you think of it he questioned 1 I think it was very kind of the countess Pe Perl goft suggesting your name and that ot of florence said tho the butler urbanely olga cried florence disappointedly it Is tile the only logical deduction I 1 ran can make declared jones they are both practically russians and what would you advise asked Nor norton toll why go and enjoy yourselves forewarned Is forearmed the thing Is be ba very careful not to acquaint any one with the character of your disguise least of 0 all the countess Pe Perl gorf besides jones added smiling perhaps I 1 may go myself goody ivo ive read about masked hills halls and have always been crazy to KO go to one said bold Floren ct with eagerness suppose we tto go at once arid and pick out some costumes suggested tod norton just as soon boon as I 1 can get my hat on replied florence happy RB as a lark dut but mind warned jones joner be sure that you see tile costumer alone and that no one else Is about ill tako taka particular care agreed norton weve got to do somo some hustling to find something suitable vor for a big affair like this tho the town will be ransacked all aboard theres room tor for two to in that car ot of mine arid and we can have a spin besides hang work florence laughed and even jones permitted a smile which was waa not grim this time to stir his lips A happy person Is generally unobservant two happy persons persona together are arc totally unobservant of 0 what passes around them in plainer terms this lack Is called love and being frankly in love with each other neither norton nor florence observed that a taxicab followed them into town jones not being in lovo love was keenly observant but the taxicab took up tile the trail two blocks away so the matter wholly escaped jones eye the two went into several cos turners but eventually discovered a shop on a aide street that had been overlooked by those invited to the masquerade they had a merry time rummaging among tho the smelling boxes there were dominoes dominges dom inoes of all colors and at length they agreed upon two modest ones that were evenly matched in color and design florence ordered them yo bo be sent home then the two of them sallied up to the ritz nitz cableton carloton and had tea tho the man from tile the taxicab entered the cos costumers coat turners umers displayed a detectives shield and demanded that the proprietor show him film the costumes selected by tho the two young people who had just left the man obeyed won on 1 I want a pair exactly like these said the detective how much two dollars each |