The BLACK BOX By E. PHILLIPS OPPENHEIM Author of "Mr. Grex of Monte Carlo," "The Vanished Mess- enger," "The LightedWay," etc. Novelized from motion picture drama of the same name produced ve Cairns lim Mengtscuting Company. Illustrated with b oo : forure p \ SYNOPSIS. Banford Quest, master criminologist of the world, finds that in bringing to jus- tice Macdougal. the murderer of Lo Ashieigh's daughter, he has but just be- sun a life-and-death struggle with a mys- terious master criminal. In a hidden hut in Professor Ashleigh"s garden he has seen an anthropoid ape skeleton and a liv- ing inhuman creature, half monkey, half man, destroyed by fire. In his room have appeared from nowhere black boxes, one containing diamonds torn from a lovely throat by a pair of armiess, threatening hands, both with sarcastic, threatening notes signed by the incrutable hands, On his r" turn from finding the body of Maec- dougal, who had escaped on his way to rison. he is arrested for the murder of 'his valet, Ross Brown, and a Miss Quigs, in his rocms. Laura and Lenora, his as- smistants, suspect Craig the professor's valet, trap Craig and, rescue Quest from the Tombs to hypnotize Craig into confes- sion, but when Quest arrives he finds that Cralg and Lenora have both disappeared He dodges Police Inspector French, who has discovered his escape. SIXTH INSTALLMENT THE UNSEEN TERROR. CHAPTER XIV. With a little gesture of despair Quest turned away from the instyu- ment which seemed suddenly to have become so terribly unresponsive, and locked across the vista of square roofs and tangled masses of telephone wires to where the lights of larger New York flared up against the sky. From his attic Ehamber the roar. of the city a few blocks away was al ways in his ears. He had forgotten in those hours of frenzied solitude to fear for his own safety. He thought only of Lenora. He paused once more before the little Instrument. "Lenora, where are you?" he sig- naled. "I have taken a lodging in the Servants' club. I am still in hiding, lioping that Craig may come here. 1 am very anxiotis about you." Still no reply! Quest drew a chair up to the window and sat there with folded arms looking down into the street. Suddenly he sprang to his feet. The instrument quivered--there was a message at last! He took it down with a little choke of relief. "1 don't know where I am. Iam ter rified. 1 was outside the garage when I. was seized from behind. The 'Hands' held me. 1 was unconscious until I found myself here. I am now in an attic room with no window except the skylight, which I cannot reach. I can see nothing--heat nothing. No one has hurt me, no one comes near me. Food is pushed through a door, which is. locked again immediately. The "hoyse seems empty, yet I fancy that I an being watched all the time. I am © testified!" a fdrew the instrument towards "1 have your message," he signaled: "Be brave! | am watching for Craig. Through him I shall reach you before long. Send me a mesage every now and then." Quest again took up his vigil in LN (Copyright, 15, by Otis ¥, Wood.) "In just the same way," he ex- plained, "that I am sending her this message at the present moment--a ra Message which ghe will receive and understand wherever. she is hidden: Would 'you like to know what I. am telling her?" ee? The man shiveted. His eyes, -as though {asethated, watched the little instrument. : 4" am saying this, Craig,' Quest continued. "Craig is here and in my power. He is sitting within a few feet of me and will not leave this reom until he has told me your where abouts. Keep up your 'courage, Le nora. You shall be free in an hour." The trapped man Jooked away from the Instrument Into Quest's face. There was a momentary flicker of something that might have passed for courage in his tone. "Mr. Quest," he sald, "you are a wonderful man, but there are limits to | your power. You dan tear my tongue out from my mouth, but you cannot force me to speak." . Quest leaned a little farther for- ward In his chair, liis gaze became more concentrated. "That is Where you are wrong, Craig. That is where you make a mis- take. In a very few minutes you will be. telling me all the Craig élivered, drew back a little in his chair, tried to rise and fell back again helpless. "My God!" he cried. alone!" "When yeu have told me the truth," Quest answered swiftly, "and you will tell me all I want to know in a few minutes, .. . Your eyelids are get- ting a little heavy, Craig. Don't re- sist. Something which is like sleep is coming over you. You see my will has yours by the throat." Craig shook his head. A very weak smile of triumph flickered for a mo- ment &t the corners of his lips. "Your torture chamber trick won't work on me!" he exclaimed. - "You can never--" . The" whole gamut of emotiofis seemed already to have spent them- selves in the man's face, but at that moment there was a new element, an element of terrified curiosity in the expression of his eyes as he stared towards the door. "Is this another trick of yours?" he muttered, "Leave me Quest, too, turned his head and sprang instantly to his feet. From un- derneath the door ¢ame a little puff of smoke. There was a queer sense of heat of which both men were si- multaneously conscious. Down in the street arose a chorus of warn ing shouts, increasing momentarily in secrets of your ; Ii! DAILY WHIG. SATURDAY, MAY 15, 1915 hundred willing hands to release him. Quest drew up the rope quickly, warned by a roar of anxious voices. Then he commenced to descend, let: ting himself down hand over hand, al- ways with one eye upon that length of rope that swung below. Suddenly, tle ery from the crowd warned him of what had happened. Tongues of flame curling out fromm the blazing * was being burned through not a dozen , feet away from 'him. He descended alr, A shout from the crowd reached him. "The cables! Try the cables!" He glanced round. Seven or eight feet away, and almost level with him, was a double row of telegraph wires. Alrost as he saw them the rope below him burned through and fell to the ground. He swung a little towards the side of the house, pushed himself vigorously away from it with his feet, and at the farthest point of the out- ward swing jumped. His hands grap-! in that tense moment he heard a little sob of relief from the people below. Hand over hand he made his way fo the nearest pole and slipped easily to the ground. The crowd immediate- ly surgell around him. {Where is the man who came down before me?" he asked a bystander. "Talking to the police in the car over yonder," was the hoarse reply. | "Say, guv'nor, you only just made that!" _ Craig pushed his way through the erowd to where Craig was speaking { eagerly to French. He stopped short and stooped down. He was muear enough to hear the former's words. "Mr. French, you saw the man come down the ropes and swing on the ch- bles? That was Quest, Sanford Quest, prison. He can't have got away yet." b Quest drew off his coat, turned it in- side out and replaced it swiftly. He coolly picked up'a hat someone Had lost in the crowd and pulled it over his eyes. He passed within a few feet of where Craig and the inspector were talking. "Say, boys, Sanford Quest is in the crowd somewhere. He's the man who 'jumped on the cable lines. A hun- dred dollars for his arrest!" Quest turned reluctantly gway. Men were rushing about in all directions for him. CHAPTER XV. The professor swung round in his and greeted Quest with some surprise, but also a little disappoint- ment. "No news of Craig?" he asked. "I got Craig, all right," he replied. "He came to the Servants' club, where I was waiting for him. My luck's out, though. The place was burned to the ground. last night. I saved his lite and then the brute gave me away to the police. I had to make my es apd as best I could." ] The professor tapped the table pee vishly. "This is insufferable," he declared. "I have had no shaving water; my coffee was undrinksble; 1 can find Bothing. I Baye a most important lec- ture to prepare and I cannot find any of the notes I made updn the stb Quest smoked in silehce for a mo- ment. : "Any mail for me, professor?" he asked abruptly. ; | The professor dpened & drawer and handed him a telegram. "Only. thin!" - by Quest opened it and read it through. Ea io heir of a sual] inquined for are both have sold an automobile be spending the proceeds. p a - % bP i ! EEE, o8f "3 | Te ce ; iE 1 i i I Ped the telegraph wires safely. Even' Se. Vlotion Pictures IDEAL Theatre, Monday and Tuesday as he reached the second floor a lit- | . i building had 'caught the rope, which | a little farther and paused in mid-| in the road. It's for you to say wheth- er jt can be identified." Quest drew a sigh of relief. "That's mine, right enough," he de clared. "Now for the men." "Say, | want to tell you some thing," the sheriff began dublously. "These two are real thugs. They ain't going to take it lying down." "Where are they?' Quest manded. ° "In the worst saloon here," the sher- if? replied. "They've been there pret- ty well all night, drinking, and they're there again this morning, hard at it. They've got firearms, and though 1 ain't exactly 'a nervous man, Mr. Quest--" * "You leave it to me," Quest inter rupted, '*"This id my job and I want to take the men myself": de & ) "Look here," Quest explained, "it I_let you und your men go In, thére will be a free fight, and as likely as not you. will kill 'one, if fot both of the men. 1 want them alive." "Well, it's your shaw," the sheriff admitted, stopping before a disrepu- table looking building. "Thiw 1s the saloon." ; "Well," Quest decided, "I'm going cafi brifig your men in later, if I call fof 'help or if you hear any shoot- ing" b "You'te asking for trouble," the sheriff warned him. "I've got to do this my own way," Quest insisted. "Stand by now." He pushed open the door of the sa loon. There were a dozen men drink- ing around the bar and in the cen ter 'of them Red Gallagher and his mate. Quest walked right up to the two men. { "Gallagher," he Baid, "you're my prisoner. Are you !coming quietly? Gallagher's mate; who = was arunk; swung round and fired a wild shot 'In Quest's direction. The result was & general stampede. Red Galla- ad "dangerously Ellent, he held a pls forehead. { "If 'my number's up," he ¢xclaimed ferogiously, "it won't be you to take " Au think it will". Quest gnswered. "Put that away." { Sallagher hesitated. Quet's influ ence over him was indomitable. "Put it away," Quest repeated firm- ly: "You know you daren't use it. Your account's' pretty full up, as it 18." Gallagher's hand wavered. From out- side came the shouts of the sheriff and his 'met, struggling to fight their way "Put it Away; You Know You Darei't Use It." --E¥ol'll never do it." the shetift de in, and I'm going in unarmed. - You. gher'alote remained motionless. Grim | tol within a few inches of Quest's i The thoughts formed themselves + mechanically in her mind. Her eyes y sought the ball which had come crash- | ing into the room. There was life once more in her pulses. She found « & scrap of paper and a pencil in her 'pocket. With trembling fingers she wrote a few words: "Police headquarters. I am Sanford ! Quest's assistant, abducted and im- | prigoned here in the room where the : ball has fallen. Help! I am going mad!" She twisted the paper, looked | around the room vainly for string, and finally tore a thin plece of ribbon from her bosom! She tied the mes: sage round the ball, set her teeth and threw it at the empty skylight. The first time she was not successful and the ball came back. The second time Fit passed through the canter of the | opening. She heard it strike the sound portion of the glass outside, heard. it riimble down the roof. A few seconds of breathless silence! Her heart al most stopped beating. Had It rested ih some ledge or fallen into the street below? Then -she heard the boy's voice: > "Gée! Here's the ball come back aghin!" : A new light shone into the room. e seemed {6 be breathing a different atmosphere--the atmosphere of hope. Sle listened no longer® with horror for a creaking upon the stairs. She walked backwards and forwards untfl she was exha . . . . Curiously enough, when the end came she was asleep, crouched upon the bed and dreaming wildly. She sprang up to find Inspector French, with a police man' behind him, standing upon the threshold. "Inspector!" she cried, rushing to- wards him. "Mr. French! Oh, thank | God!" yg : . Her feelings carried her away. She threw herself at his feet. She was laughing and crying and talking. Inco herently, all at the same time. The Indpector assisted her to a chair. ' | "Bay, what's all this mean?" he dé { minded. She told him her story, incoherent 1y, In brokén phrases. French listened with puzzled frown. i 'Then he réalized that she was on the point of a nervous breakdown and in no condition for interrogations. "That'll do," he said. "T'll take care of you for a ask you a féw questi men are searching the and T will be getting tear yourself away." .. + -. .«r » The plain-clothes man, lounging in Quest's most col easy chalr and smoking one best cigars, suddenly laid g «B38 ge ih : £ok nie, young Indy. end I'} | unconscious, since that scrap. He can tell you what time he saw me last. Bring the girls along, French -- and hurry!" Quest hung up the receiver. Inspector Rrench was as good, even better than his word. In a surpris- ingly short time he entered the room, followed by Laura and Lenora. gave them a hand each, but it was into Lenora's eyes that he looked. "lI mustn't stop to hear your story, Lenora," Quest said. "You're safe-- that's the great thing." "Found her in an 'empty house," French reported, "out Grayson avenue way. Now, Mr. Quest, | don't want to come the official over ¥ou too much, but if you'll kindly remember you're an escaped prisoner--" There was a knock at the dpor. A young man entered in chauffeur's liv: ery, with his head still bandaged. Quest motioned him to come in. "I'll just repeat my story of that morning, Mr. French," Quest said. "We went out to find Macdougal, and suc- ceeded, as you know. Just as I was starflng for home those two thugs set upon me. You know hgw [ made my escape. They went off in my au- tomobile and sold it in Bethel. 1 ar rested them there myself this morn- ing. Here's the sheriff who will bear out what I say, also that they arrived at the place in my automobile." Inspector French held out his hand. "Mr. Quest," he said, "I reckon we'll have to withdraw the case against you. No hard feelings, I hope?" "None at all," Quest réplied prompt- ly, taking his hand. ~ Quest stcod~ upon the threshold watching the sheriff and his prison- ers leave the house. The former turned round to wave his adieux. "There's an eéMerly guy out here" | he shouted, "seems to want to come my Quest 1 "My dear Quest," he exclaimed, as he wrung his hand, "my heartiest con- gratulations! As you know, I al%ays ved your innocence. I am delight- that it has been proved." x The professor sank wearily into an easy chair, i *1 will take a little whisky and of your excellent cigars, Quest," he "I must ask you to bear with me if I seem upset. = After more than twenty years' service from one whom I have always treated as a friend this sudden separation, to a man of my ed forward and saw the of This Story at the| Quest |- A POSITIVE CURE FOR RHEDMATISN Hundreds of People Have Found "Fruit-a-tives" Their Only Help READ THIS LETTER Superintendent of Sunday School in Toronto Tells How He Cured Himself of Chronic Rheumatism After Suffer. ing for Years. = $5 Dovercourt Roap, Oct. 1st. 1913 *'For a long time, I have th~ ght of writing you ing what | term o wost remarkable cure effected hy your : remedy * Pruit-a-tives". | saflered from Rheumatism, especially in my hands. I have spent a Tor of money without any results. 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