• • " ' • ' " w M MIIENRr PLAIXDEALER, MHEXRY. ILL. •Hi.. •# '•** ... .„.,., *,___ <* V\u 4 ;"• V.,: ; •# © r r^-. Ft" Is- "Si '-fit) '•H •if:. $' lit! i f The Exploits of Elaine A Detective Novel and a Motion Picture Drama By ARTHUR B. REEVE The IVell-Known Novelist and the Creator af th Presented In Collaboration With the Pathe Players and the Ectecdc FT Copyright, 1914, by the Star Company All Foreign Rights Rcserrad SYNOPSIS. The New York police are mystified by a •erles of murders, and other crimes. The principal clue to the criminal is the warn ing letter which is sent the victims, signed with a "clutching hand." The latest vic tim of the mysterious assassin is Taylor J>odge, the innui-ance president. His daughter, Elaine, employs Craig Ken-i nedy, the famous scientific detective, to try to unravel the mystery. What Ken nedy accomplishes is told by his friend, Janiesoa, a newspaper man. After many fruitless attempts to put Elaine and £raic Kennedy out of the way the Clutch ing Hand is at last found to be none other than Perry Bennett, K^lalnc.'s lawyer and the man she is engaged to marry. .Ben nett flees to the den of one of his Chi nese criminals. The Chinaman forces from Bennett the secret of the whereabouts of fT.nOO.OOft. Then he gives the lawyer a po tion which will suspend animation for months. Kennedy reaches Bennett 's side Just after he has lost consciousness. TWENTY-SECOND EPISODE THE OPIUM SMUGGLERS. George, the Dodge chauffeur, had Just returned to the garage in the rear of the house with the car and was working over it. He was so intent on locating a strange noise in the engine that he did not see the serpentine eyes of Wu as he peered into the garage through a small window. Wu was not alone. As always, he had been able to secure an assistant in the devilish scheme he had in mind, not a sinister, evil-faced fellow, but a neat. quiet, apparently honest-looking young mechanician. George was bending closely over the engine as he speeded it up to see what was the cause of the rattle, when the door of the garage opened quietly. On tiptoe Wu and the young mechanician, a man named Johnson, slipped in, Johnson carrying an automobile robe. The next moment the two had leaped upon the defenseless George. Johnson threw the robe over his head, while Wu wound Mm about with a rope. He was completely and instantly put out. Just then, working as if by the clock, for such was the precision of Wu's plans, a closed car, muffled down, slipped up to the garage door. They hustled the unresisting George Into the car, Johnson taking the place at the wheel and Wu sitting on guard in back with George, bound and almost suffocated. George was loyal, if anything. Threats and bribes had no effect on him, even after he had come to in Wu's eecret den. "There is paper, pen and ink," threatened Wu. "Write what I tell you." George remained motionless, de- „Hant. "You will not?" shrugged Wu, mask ing his impatience behind an assumed nochalance. Slowly he picked up a murderous dirk, which lay on the table before 'tiim, and felt the point thoughtfully. •'A deep, guttural order hissed from the Serpent's lips. Instantly two of the servants sefzed George, while the third bent his head back As Wu raised the knife, it was more than even the iron nerves of George could Btand. He broke down. "Take the pen," directed Wu, add ing, as George took it mechanically, "Write." Both Elaine and Aunt Josephine were much surprised at the nonap pearance of George in the morning. It was explained, apparently, when Jennings, the butler, ushered in the neat and quiets young man who po litely told a story of an accident to his dear friend, George, as he handed a note to Elaine. "I think you'll do," nodded Elaine. "Jennings, will you show Johnson how to get to the garage?" * * * • • • • For a long time Kennedy had been perfecting a miniature wireless tele phone of his own invention, and the activities of Wu Fang now caused him to hasten his work. It was the next morning after the capture of Long Sin that Craig got the instrument working to "his satisfaction. I was delighted, for I had been much Interested in following his work on it. "You, see, Walter," Kennedy ex plained, Betting a little black box on the laboratory table, "I've got this thing down to an irreducible minimum. It's the most compact affair imagin able. See. I open the face of the box. I lift up these miniature aerials of the inverted L type. Here is the transmit ting apparatus, there the receiving, all tuned. I press this lever." He paused. At the other end of the table stood an exact duplicate of the first instrument. As he pressed the lever the buzzer in the other telephone sounded. "I'm going to ask you, Walter," he went on, folding down the little aerials and shutting up the box, "to take this other instrument over to Elaine." Out on the Atlantic, tossing over the choppy seas, a dingy old schooner was tacking her way toward New York har bor. The captain, Jake Gregor, was a disreputable looking man, as were both his craft and his crew of mixed whites and Chinese. Gregor had come out on deck and LITERATURE FOR THE WORKER Writer Urges That Libraries Should |*.3;'*'S>evote 8pecial 8helf to 8ervice jjl; ©f Business Woman. t Every library ought to have one Shelf devoted to the business woman, declares a writer in the Pittsburgh Dispatch. On this ought to be all the books that touch on matters likely to interest her. There should be good old reliable works, general views on work in the business and trade world; stood there gazing off at where the land ought to be. He had Just finished scrawling a note on a piece of paper resting on the after cabin roof when one of the mgn reached down and from a small wooden cage took a struggling white carrier pigeon^ They fastened the note, rolled up in a sort of quill, to the bird's leg and let the bird loose. It circled up, then, straight as an arrow darted off landward. "They'll be glad to know we're safe and so near," nodded Gregor. "And confound any r^Venue men that stand between us!" * * 4 * * v * • ^n a room in a tenement Wu Fang and several Chinamen were steated talking and smoking. Outside a nearby, window was a large box which had a small sliding door <#n the outside, arranged so that it fell almost at a touch, working a little signal flag on the back of the box toward the room in which the Chinamen were seated. Suddenly there was a flutter of wings outside. A pure-white pigeon seemed to glide into the box and, as the homing bird did so, the door automatically shut. It was a cage such as is used for carrier pigeons. The little flag in the room moved, and the Chinamen crowded about the box as Wu opened it, reached in and caught the bird. Carefully he took the mes sage from the bird's foot. Xs one of them placed the bird in another box and reset the trap, Wu unrolled the paper and read: Twenty-six miles southeast'of Sandy Hook. Will drop anchor off Staten Island tonight. "You will let me know if any later message comes," directed Wu to one of his men as, a moment later, the Chinese master criminal left the tene ment Cautiously lie made his way to the secret entrance to his own apartment. He had scarcely entered when a China man who had evidently been waiting for him rose and bowed. It was Hop Ling, the proprietor of the opium den. "Is there any news yet, master?" he asked. v ... • 4 "Yes, Gregor is landing your opium tonight. I'll have a girl for him to take back to Shanghai with him, where she can be sold." * • * * • * • Kennedy had begun to get closer on the trail of Wu and, having dispatched me to Elaine with the wireless tele phone, it occurred to hinrthat he might spend a few hours profitably sleuthing about Chinatown searching for clews to the Serpent. He donned the roughest of his old suits and turned his coat collar up, while an old slouch hat was pulled over his eyes. But it was not so far over as to dim his sight. He paused once by an electric light pole to watch a gangster saunter past. Twice the fellow had walked up and down the street. As the gangster slouched by, he lurched over to the electric light pole, and Kennedy felt his hand touched by that of the gangster. He was more than surprised to feel something like a piece of cardboard surreptitiously shoved into his hand, and he clutched it. The gangster passed, and, as he did so, Kennedy looked at him, then bent over and read: Capt. John Brainard, U. 8. Secret Service. Written underneath the engraved name was "Follow." Slowly Craig followed. Brainard en tered a saloon by a side door and seat ed himself in a back room. A mo ment later Kennedy slouched in and sat down at the same table. Brainard, nodded and Craig extended his hand quietly. He looked about. They were alone, "What brings you down here?" asked Kennedy in a low tone. "A big shipment of opium is going to be landed tonight and I'm trying to locate the Chinese gang back of it. Think you can help me?" "Anything to do with that hop Joint up the street?" Braiinard nodded. Would it prove a clue possibly to Wu Fang? "I'll help you," agreed Kennedyi For several minutes they talked, lay ing out a plan. Finally they paid the check and rose to go out As they reached the side door a Chinaman passed. Kennedy drew Brainard back. "What's the matter?" whispered the secret service man. "Did you see that Chinaman?" re turned Kennedy. "That's Hop Ling. He rufis the opium joint. I think he is worth shadowing." Keeping discreetly in the rear of the Chinaman, Kennedy and Brainard fol lowed until Hop paused before a ram- shackle tenement. No, sooner had he disappeared inside than Craig and Brainard advanced, careful that they in turn were not followed. They entered and went upstairs. At last they came to a door outside which they paused to listen. "Can you make out what they are saying?" asked Brainard. "Something about birds," returned Craig. "We've got them. There are only two. Let's rush the door." Together they catapulted them selves at the door and it fle>» open Instantly, before the Chinamen could recover from their surprise at the sud den attack, Craig and Brainard were on them. One rushed for a window, smashing it with a chair and trying to get out. Craig seised him and helped corner the other, who turned out to be Hop Ling. It was the work of only a moment to snap the brace lets on the two and cover them with a gun. "What's that?" demanded Brainard, looking at the box in the window, as Kennedy moved over toward it "A pigeon trap, I suspect," Craig re plied. Let's wait." They sat there for several minutes. Evidently the Chinese had been wait ing for something. Craig felt that waiting might pay. At last he was rewarded by the sound of a flutter outside. A click fol lowed as the little door shut, trapping the pigeon. The signal flag in the room moved. Kennedy loked.at it,a moment, then carefully opened the door in the back of the trap and seized the bird. From the quill on its leg he took a tightly rolled note and read. 5 P. M. Will be off Van Dort jetty In two hours. GREGOR. What did It mean? Threats, impre cations, nothing could extract a word from the two impassive prisoners. "Come," ordered Kennedy sharply of Hop Ling, not for a moment letting his vexation show In his face. "Walk ahead of me." Two of the gang had been captured, but Wu seemed as far away as ever. He marched Hop along sullenly, while Brainard kicked the other Chinaman to his feet and followed. They did not have far to go. Scarce ly a block away stood a policeman, and Craig waved to him. Quickly Craig produced cards of identification and they left their hand cuffed prisoners with the understand ing that they were to be held until full charges could be made against them. At the first telephone pay station Craig turned in and called up the lab oratory, to which I had returned. "I think I've got the best clue yet, Walter," he called. "You remember Brainard? Well, I want you to meet me at the Battery, where a revenue cutter will be waiting. Bring along that wireless telephone, too. Don't forget." I hung up the receiver excitedly and tucked the little black box under my arm as I hurried out. * * • * • • * Elaine had decided to motor down to the country home of one of her friends who lived on the shore of New Jersey, and accordingly, late In the afternoon, called the garage and or dered Johnson to have the car ready. As Elaine was whirled downtown and over the ferry from New York she to the lower bay side of the island, in stead of the New Jersey ferry. • • • • • • * It was very late In the afternoon. I did my best to get down to the Battery with the wireless telephone to mc Kennedy and Brainard, but it was dark before I got there. As I hurried down to the dock I saw that they had already boarded the revenue cutter and were waiting im patiently. It was a fairly sizable craft. They hauled me aboard and we cast off. TTie wind blew in keenly from the bay and we spun down the harbor, keeping a sharp lookout for any sus picious craft. * * * • • . * • Already Wu Fang and a couple of his lieutenants had gone down to the Van Dort Jetty. No message had been received from Gregor, but' they felt sure that he would be there with the schooner. Finally Wu directed one of his men to set off a signal, a flashlight on the end of the Jetty, while he strained his eyes through the darkness for some answering signal. < . He' had not reckoned wrong. Far out Over the water came an answering signal from the schooner. "Good!" exclaimed Wu with satis faction, as he turned , and picked his way back up the dock. On he went alone until he camds to one of the deserted mansions of a gen eration or two ago which lined the shore at that point. There, in a yard beside it, stood Elaine's car. "Where is the white girl?" asked Wu, calling Johnson. "In the house, master," replied the mechanician subserviently. "Vyait for me here, then," nodded Wu. Down in a musty room in the base ment of the deserted house was Elaine. She was neither bound nor gagged. In fact, there was no necessity for 4t. No one could hear her cries, nor could she escape, for the two Toughnecks who had seized her were guarding her, be sides a couple of Chinamen. Wu Fang came in silently and moved over close to her. He said not a word, but an evil smile spread over his sin ister face as she shrank from him. Meanwhile a yawl had put out from the schooner loaded with cans of the precious contraband drug and had pulled up at the old stone jetty and dock. Chinamen hastily unloaded it and started up to the house laden with the heavy tins. As Wu stood before Elaine the Chi namen carrying the dope tins entered and began piling them up in an old closet in the room. At last they fin ished putting it away. "All is done, master," bowed one who seemed to be leader. Wu nodded, then turned to Elaine. "Go!" he hissed, raising his finger and pointing to the door. Trembling, she obeyed, and Wu Fang and the two toughs followed, "Leave IVIe!" Elaine Pleaded. engrossed there should be the special volumes devoted to certain lines of labor; there ought to be the small philoso phies of work which so often are crowded with inspiration. The latest books printed on any subjest pertain ing to the women of the world of work must be on this shelf, and there,ought, too, to be found such helpful essays as the late William James' on "Habit." To be abie to go Btraight to such a shelf and, without wasting any of the time so precious to the business day, was deeply thoughts. How far they had gone she did not pay much attention, but she knew the roads well. They had come to a fork, and Johnson veered off to the left. In* stinctively Elaine knew that the right- hand road was the more direct, and she touched a little signal that sum moned the driver. 1 You're taking the wrong road," she called. "Go to the right." I think you'll find the roads better this way, Miss Dodge," persisted Johnson. It was, however, merely a ruse on his part to gain time and give some of Wu's men an opportunity. For, aB the car approached the fork, two roughnecks, hidden behind a rock In the shrubbery, had been straining their eyes down the road and at the approach of the car had drawn back closer under cover. Johnson stopped some hundred feet or so down the wrong road past the rock in answer to Elaine's signal. It was the chance the roughnecks want ed. They leaped out from their shel ter. Not another car or vehicle was in sight. Quickly they Blunk down the road. As Elaine was becoming vexed at Johnson's show of stubbornness, she suddenly felt strong arms circling her, while a huge, very dirty hand pressed with irresistible force over her mouth. She struggled, but it was of no use. They pinned her down to the floor of the car. Johnson drew the curtains and leaped into his seat, from which he had descended, leaving the engine running. "To the Van Dort Jetty," growled one roughneck. "They'll -be there soon." Quickly Johnson shot the car along would be a boon difficult to over praise. Nowadays, in such libraries as I am familiar with, it takes half an hour to trace down the book you want, even If the library owns it A woman may need to look through half a dozen books to get all she wants, and if all she needs to do is to sit down before the open shelf and pull these out as she chooses, she can get all she wants inside that half hour. The wide-awake, alert woman knows that there is tremendous assistance to one of the Chinamen picking up her suitcase. Across the almost untrav- eled road they forced her and down on the stone dock, every footstep dogged by Wu and his emissaries. "Get into the boat," Wu ordered. She climbed down into the dirty yawl, and the Chinamen tossed her suitcase after her. "If you see that for any reason she is about to escape," added Wu savage ly, "do away with her." He finished with a threatening ges ture as the Chinamen followed Elaine into the boat. Then he turned on his heel and walked rapidly back to the deserted house. There he climbed into the automobile with the two toughs and all were rapidly driven away by the faithless mechanician. The yawl tossed up and down on the rough ^swells that came in from the ocean, as the powerful arms of the sailors pulled her out through the blackness to the schooner. There Elaine was lifted over the rail and forced across the deck down into the murky, ill-smelling hold. It made no difference to Gregor whether he carried a cargo of contraband or a white slave. In his gruff voice he bel lowed orders for getting under way. while the Chinaman half led, half pushed Elaine into a cramped room amidships. He set down the suitcase and, with a grunt and a scowl left, locking the door and shuffling along the passage way to a steep flight of steps to the deck. Elaine paced up and dgwn her nar row prison distracted. Suddenly she paused a moment as her eye fell on the suitcase. There flashed through her mind the message I had given her from Kennedy She seized the sultcasg and tore it open with nervous fingers. line is, and she is using them More £11 the time. They ought to be easily ac cessible. There should be several copies of the more popular volumes, and the shelf should be kept full, so that the seeker need not be disappoints ed when she manages to make the time to use the library. "Oh, will It work--will it work?"she breathed in prayer to herself as she lifted out tenderly' the little wireless telephone. She opened it, pulled up the little aerials, and pressed the lever. , "Hello--helloTr-Craig--hello!" It was her last chance. Would It work? By this time we had come In the revenue cutter to the old dock that was known as the Van Dort Jetty. As we swung around to it, with Ken nedy and Brainard I leaped out. We gazed about, hunting for signs of the opium smugglers. All was as still as a grave, except for the ominous lap ping of the waves. I happened to look down at the ground. There In the light of the lan tern I saw one of those square-toed footprints which we had come to know so well--the print of a Chinese shoe. J The footprints led up from the dock to an old, deserted, dilapidated house. We paused a moment before it. Just then a door opened and a Chinaman appeared. With a cry he darted back, but we were at him. There were others in side, too, but they were easily- over powered. Prodding the reticent Celestials, we retraced our steps to the jetty, Brain- ard's men carrying the opium. At the dock we loaded our prisoners and the contraband on the cutter. It was plain that although we had captured the dope, the ship which had brought it had escaped, and, worst of all, Wu had again slipped through our fingers. Brainard gave the order; and we left the wharf. As we Btood gazing from the captured opium to the prison ers, Brainard was visibly elated. "Shake," he said laconically to Craig. Whether it was that he was dis appointed ht the failure to land Wu or whether he had a premonition that all was not well, somehow Kennedy did not share the elation. He extend ed his hand mechanically. Just then a buzz, as if a bell had rung startled us. It was so unexpect ed that I exclaimed, although the next minute I realized that it was from the wireless telephone Craig had asked me to bring from the laboratory. Kennedy seized the box, opened it hastily and clapped the little receiver to his ear. "Hello--hello--yes, this is Craig. WThere are you--what?" Of course we could hear only one side of the conversation, but from the look of intense horror that passed over Kennedy's face I knew that some thing terrible must have happened to Elaine. But at Craig's *ndkt words I myself gasped. "If you can get a light," he almost shouted, "thrust It out of the porthole to guide us. But we'll find you any way. Keep up your nerve." We crowded about him. "Brainard -- a pair of glasses -- quick." he cried, dashing to the bow of the cutter, "and full speed down the bay." Briefly, as he swept the horizon ahead, he repeated the tale of Elaine's kidnaping. We strained our eyes. "That's it--Brainard--more speed!" cried Craig at last. Far off, almost out on the ocean, we could see a tiny twinkle of light slow ly waving back and forth. 0 * * * * * * In her prison Elaine had talked to Craig, afraid to raise her voice too high. As she heard Kennedyis instruc tions, she replaced the receiver an<T rose quickly to her feet from beside the suitcase. She looked about. There was a dingy oil lamp suspended from a beam of the deck above. She seized it and ran to the port hole. Back and forth she waved it as far as her arms would permit. As the schooner now slipped along, Gregor, who had left the man at the wheel, was gazing off, not particularly happy at the prospect of not touching a port for a long time again. Sudden ly he became aware of a peculiar, though slight, gleam on the water. He leaned over the rail farther. Below and a bit forward of him he could catch a glimpse of a light moving along the side of the boat. "Confound that wench!" he mut tered in a sudden fury, turning and seizing up a boathook lying on the deck. Raising it, he leaned far over the rail. Then he brought the boathook down suddenly on the lamp, smashing it Into a thousand bits as they hissed into the water. Elaine drew back in horror. In her hand was merely the handle of the lamp. It Beemed as if her last hope had been blasted. "Cap'n--look over the stern--to port!" cried one of the men on watch. He pointed, and Gregor raised his glass as the rest, Including the China man to whom Wu had entrusted Elaine, crowded about. There was a searchlight sweeping the water, as if a fast boat were hunt ing for something and were rapidly overhauling them. "It's a revenue cutter," growled Gregor, lowering his glass after ̂ quick scrutiny of the mysterious craft. "Crowd on more sail--start the aux iliary motor." He volleyed forth his orders hoarse ly. Instantly the deck was in an up roar. For the moment, in their anxi ety to escape, they seemed to have forgotten Elaine--all except the Chinaman who had been set to guard her. Silently he drew from his blouse a knife and slipped down the compan ion way. Elaine, her ears now sharpened by fear at the mysterious smashing of the light, had heard the commotion on deck. She seised a chair and propped It against the door. She had acted not a minute too soon. Down the passageway, already, he could hear some one creeping; stealthily. It was the Chinaman with his murderous knife. She heard him pause at the door as he looked again at his knife. Then the lock turned. The door creaked. But she had propped the chair well, and It held. Just then she heard a loud report outside, and an Instant later another. Then followed the crash of something heavy on the deck above accompanied by • a volley of vile oaths and quick footsteps, as Gregor gave hasty orders to his crew. The Chinaman at the door redoubled his efforts. He seized a fire ax hang* ing near by and attacked the door with that, hacking furiously. One after another, the table, a chest, everything movable, Elaine piled up against the door as it splintered. But it was of no use. She moved over fearfully as far away as she could to the porthole and looked at the black water, as she leaned far out, then up at the deck only a few feet above her. With frantic strength born of fear the heroic girl wriggled out of the port hole, as the schooner heeled over and managed just to catch the scuppers of the deck. Fear lent her strength. She succeeded in pulling herself up to the rail and then over on the deck just as the piled-up furniture tumbled over after the door gave way. The Chinaman, infuriated, caught just a glimpse of her through the port hole, turned and rushed for the stair way. In the commotion Elaine had actual ly come over the rail unobserved. Btit she knew that she could not be that way long. There waB just a chance that a white man might heed her ap peal. Forbidding though he was even in the moonlight, Elaine started to ward Gregor. Just then the maddened face of the Chinaman appeared at the hatch. A moment later his lithe body wormed itself out on deck. As he came near er, Elaine retreated further toward Gregor. "Oh, sir," she pleaded, "save me! I have done nothing!" Gregor, one eye on the approaching revenue cutter, the other on his ship and crew, had not seen her till then. "Get out of the way," he growled roughly, pushing her aside. "Save yourself." The Chinaman catne a step nearer, knife upraised. She fled along the deck. There in the shrouds was a lad der. In desperation she seized a rung, swung herself around, and started up. Her relentless pursuer followed, hand over hand, clenching the knife in his teeth. In her terror she tore off a piece of spar that had been loos ened by a shot from the cutter and threw it full in his face. Still, on he came. She drew herself up. There was no escape. A moment she trembled aloft. Then, from a crosstree, she jumped, diving far out into the water. The Chinaman followed. Hand over hand he churned the waves after her. * * * * * * * We were now nearing a low, rakish craft. Though we signaled it, they paid no attention. Instead, vfe could hear the chug-chug of an auxiliary gas engine. Brainard sent a shot across the schooner's bow. Still she did not stop. Instead, the topsails broke out in spite of the gale and she headed away faster. * Another shot flashed out from our gun. This time a spar was carried away, as the searchlight playing on the schooner clearly showed. We were rapidly gaining now. "Brainard--stop firing--for heaven's sake," shouted Craig from the bow. "Look!" We followed his finger as he peered forward tensely. There in the rigging, hanging peril ously, was Elaine. She was clinging there holding a Chinaman at bay. Suddenly we saw her draw herself up and deliberately dive into the wa ter. The Chinaman dived also. Hand over hand he went aftef her. We watched, speechless. Kennedy turned and seized the rapid fire gun, whirling it around and aim ing carefully. The Chinaman was a powerful swim mer and was rapidly gaining on Elaine. We could even see the gleam of the knife in the searchlight. Care fully Craig sighted the gun. The mis take of a hair's breadth meant life or death. He fired. Not a minute too soon the shot ricochetted over the w*ves. The Chinaman's arms went up in mute aur- render. His head sank below the sur* face of the water. Instantly, Craig and I were leaning far over the side of the cutt er as, with power off, she slipped along, close tc that figure swimming in the cold, black water. Neither of us paid any atten tion to Gregor's frantic signals of sur render as Brainard covered the /Bchooner. As we passed, Craig reached over and caught Elaine, lifting her bodily into our boat. "Oh, Craig!" she gasped, as Ken nedy, wrapped his greatcoat about her. • "Brainard--some hot drinks--Quick," he ordered as he carried her, half fainting, to the cabin. "Thank heaven for the wireless tele phone," he muttered as he worked frantically to bring her around. "No--it was the inventor--that did it," she murmured, looking up at him, safe. (TO BBS CONTINUED.) BRIDE PLAYS THE SPY ON Mrs. Emil Braun Becomes Sus4v.^.;, picious and Does Some v Detective Work. ; " ̂ MOVES ARE A MYSTERY fondness for Night Journey*, Views •f American Forts and His 8kill at Penning Code Letters, Had Military Significance. Lakewood, N. J.--Emil Braun, the mysterious German, recently located here, has disappeared. His American bride of a few months, mystified and baffled by his peculiar habits, played the detective, and as a result of her' efforts has turned over to the au thorities a paper, found among Braun's possession, setting forth the fact that one, Relmuth Emil Max Schmidt, is wanted by German au thorities on a charge of fraudulent bankruptcy. Incidentally the bride discovered that the handsome silver ware, jewelry and. linens of the Emil . Braun she had married were all elab orately marked with the initials "H. S." When Emil Braun first appeared in Lakewood he was accompanied by three women, his wife, his sister and his daughter, the latter large and mature for her years. To the real estate agent, Braun explained that he was moving to America because he was tired of Germany and thought a small chicken farm in New Jersey would be much to his liking. Six months later, one of the women com prising the Braun household -\yent away. To those who inquired Braun explained that his wife had returned to Germany. In July, 1914, hie added the further information that she had died in a hospital.. Interested in Military Affairs. Prior to this announcement, how ever, Braun appeared to take much more interest in military affairs than he did in New Jersey chickens. Ho, developed an interest in the fortifi cations immediately adjacent to New; York and he especially longed to make a visit to Sandy Hook. His wish! was granted. Braun wanted to go in-i side the fort but when the right was refused, he first persisted, and then, made no effort to conceal his disap-< pointment. Immediately after the European war broke out, Braun's interest in chicken raising suddenly ceased. About thiS| time the second member Of his house-, hold went away, leaving only the daughter. Braun advertised for a. wife and a New York stenographer! answered. The ..two met shortly be-< , to be able to pick out the book wa&ted | be had from books, no matter what her Bell of the Massacre. ~ Among the stage properties of the Comedle Francaise of Paris is an old I bell which, according to Comoedla, j actufUly the same bell whlttfc, ea August 24, 1572, rang for the massacre i church bells, which have been melted of St. Bartholomew. At that time the bell hung in the churchsplre of Saint Germain I'Auxerrols. During the rev olution, when in 1789 Marie Joseph Chenier, brother of the poet Andre Chenier, was staging his tragedy, "Charles IX," he asked that the his toric belike lent hltn for the evening. He got it and it rang for the Dlsy mas- sac re as it had rung for the ronl hor ror.- It has been kept in the theater ever since, and thus has escaped the flfa ^ A&d / , . • : « r • ' • " • i f ; . * • t ' • i i v - e - ' • down and turned Into gun metal. Af terwards It "acted" only at the per formance of Victor Hugo's "Marion de Lorme," where it announced the hour of execution of Dldler and Bavernjr. Oef, Oof! She--I hope cases will never go out of fashion. He--Why, pray? She--If they do, many a youug man will have no visible means of support. 8he Unearthed Several Old Photo graphic Plates. fore the holidays and were married on December 30, 1914. Within a few weeks Braun's mys terious disappearance, coupled with his unsatisfactory explanations of the markings of the family silver, and the vast quantities of clocks, Russian tea sets and other valuables with which his home was furnished, decid ed Mrs'. Braun to make an investiga tion. In a closet, among some packages, she unearthed several old photograph ic plates, one of which she carried to New York in the lining of he* hat and had a print made from it. It was that of a jewelry store with the nams "Helmuth Schmidt" over the door. She also found a picture of Emil BraUn, taken in Berlin at a time when he wore a beard, and a picture of his daughter, Gertrude, on the. reverse side of which was written "Gertrude Schmidt." Code Letters Fro-n Germany. A short time ago Braun received a code letter from Germany, stating that a brother had been decorated with the Iron Cross, Soon afterward he took his daughter with him, os tensibly to make a payment on his chicken farm. Braun is described as an accom plished linguist, a man of education who has seen military service, and who has taken marked Interest in. American roadways and fortifications. „He writes letters in a secret coda with the ease and rapidity of a stenog rapher. His code ts practically un decipherable in that each character represents a word. " Chicken Fancier Dead. Lincoln, Neb.--Clark Shreeves, a farmer living near Elmwood, Cass county, was killed in a curious man- • ner. Shreeves was a fancier of fowls. Two weeks ago, while attending to hia flock, he was spurred by a rooster,. Lockjaw followed and the doctoral;; found it impossible to sSve his The spur had punctured the and the poisonous substance on it eommnnlc.atfwl to his bloofl. •i ' A'. U ' " mi