The The BLACK BOX By E. PHILLIPS OPPENHEIM uthor of "Mr . Grex of Monte A Carlo," "The Vanished Mess- enger," "The Lighted Way," etc. Novelized from the motion picture drama of the same name Universal Filth Manufacturing Company. photographs from the motion picture produced by the Hlustrated with production NN (Copyright, Bis, SYNOPSIS. EEE SER ---- Sanford Quest, master criminologist of the world, finds that in bringing to justice Macdougal, the murderer of Lord .Ash- leigh's daughter, he has but just begun 8 life-and-death struggle with a mysteri- ous master criminal. In a hidden hut in Professor Ashleigh's garden he has seen an ape skeleton and a Niving creature, halt monkey, half man, destroyed by fire In his rooms have appeared black boxes containing notes, signed by. a palr of arm- less hands. Laura and Lenora, his assist- ants, suspect Cralg, the professor's serv- ant, of a double murder. The black boxes continue ny fashion to England, +» Lenora and the professor Lord Ashleigh 1s murdered by the Hands. Craig captured, escapes to Port Said. Quest and Lis party follow, and beyond into the desert. They are captured by Mongars, escape with (Craig as their captive and turn him over to In #pector French In 8an Francisco. He es- capes from French in a train wreck and is $hased by the party across the Mexican THIRTEENTH (INSTALLMENT TONGUES OF FLAME. CHAPTER XXVIiiI. From the shadows of the trees on the farther side of the river, Craig with strained eyes watched Quest's struggle. He saw him reach Lenora, watched him struggle to the bank with her, waited until he had lifted her on to his horse. Then he turned slowly around and faced the one coun- try in the world where freedom was still possible for him. He looked into the wall of darkness, penetrated only at one spot by a Httle blaze of light. Slowly, with his arm through the ft As he drew nearer and discovered its source, .he hesitated, The light came through the uncurtained win. dows of a-saloon, three long, yellow shafts {fluminating the stunted shrubs and sandy places. Craig kept .In the shadow between them and drew a fittle nearer. From inside he could hear the thumping of a worn plano, the twanging of a guitar, the rattle of glasses, the uproarious shout- ing of men, the shrill laughter of women. The tired men and the lame horse stole reluctantly a little nearer. Craig listened onte more wearily. It was home he longed for so much-- and rest. The very thought of the place sickened him. Even when he reached the door, he hesitated and in- stead of entering stood back amongst the shadows. If only he could find any other sort of shelter! Inside, the scene was ordinary enough. There was a long bar, against which were lounging half a dozen typical Mexican cowpunchers. There 'was a small space cleared for daficing, at the farther end of which two per formerd were making weird but ve- hement music. Three girls were danc- ing with cowboys, not wungracefully considering the state of the floor and the frequent discords in the music. One of them--the prettiest--stopped abruptly and pushed her partner away from her. "You have drunk too much, Jose!" she exclaimed. "You cannot dance. You tread on my feet and you lean against me. 1 do not like it. I will dante with you another night when You are sober. Go away, please." Her cavalier swayed for a moment on his feet. Then he looked down upon her with an evil' glittgr in his eyes. He was tall and thin, "with a black mustache and yellow, unpleas- ant looking teeth. "So you will not dance any longer with Jose?" he muttered. "Very well, you shall drink with him, then. We will sit together at one of those little tables. Listen, you shall drink wine." "I do mot want to drink wine with All that I wish is to be left swung her right hand round struck him on the face. He stag back for a moment. There was flush which showed through the cheek. Then he drew a lit. Ee i NN by Otis ¥, Wood) common and those of the company who noticed at all, merely laughed at the girl's futile struggles. Jose's arm 'was already raised with the knife in his hand, when a sudden blow brought a yell of pain to his lips. The knife fell clattering to the floor. He sprang up, his eyes red with fury. A man had entered the door from behind and was standing within a few feet of him, a man with long, pale face, dark eyes, travel-stained, and with the "air of a fugitive. A fipod of incoherent abuse streamed from Jose's lips." He stooped for the knife. Marta threw herself upon him. The two cowboys who had been dancing suddenly inter- vened. The girl screamed. "It was Jose's fault!" she cried. "Jose was mad. He would have killed me!" Craig faced them all with sudden courage. "As T- came 131," he explained, "that man had his knife raised to stab the girl. You don't allow that sort of thing, do you, here? The two cowboys linked their arms through Jose's and led him off toward the door. ' "The stranger's right, Jose," one of them insisted.. You can't carve a girl up in company." The girl clutched at Craig's arm. "Sit down here, please," she begged. "Wait." She disappeared for a moment and came back with a glass full or wine, which she set down on the table. "Drink this," she Invited. "And | thank you for saving me." bridle of his horse he limped towards | Craig emptied the glass eagerly. "I just happened to be the first to see him,' he said. "They aren't quite wild enoygh to allow that here, are they?" "Quien sabe? The girls do not like me! The men do not care," she de- clared, "Jose took me by surprise, | though, or { would have killed him. | But who are you, and where did you come from?" "I have just crossed the border," he replied. She nodded understandingly. "Were they after you?" - "Yes! with a warrant for my ar rest!" \ She patted his hand. "You are safe now," she whispered. "We care that much for a United States warrant," and she snapped her slim fingers. "You shall stay with us for a time. We will take cdre 'of you." He sighed wearily. * . . ad Ld . - Back in the camp, a spirit of devilry had entered Into Long Jim and his mates. A tactless remark.on the part of one of the deputies had set alight the smoldering fire of resentment which the cowboys had all the time felt against them. At a word from Long Jim they were taken by surprise and tied to the wagon. The deputies spluttered with rage and fear. Shot rained about them and the canvas of the wagon was riddled. Suddenly they all paused to listen. The sound of a horse's slow footfall was heard close at hand. Presently Quest appeared out of the shadows, carrying Lenora in his arms. Laura rushed forward. "Lenora!" she cried. "Is she hurt?" Quest laid her tenderly upon the ground. "We had a spill at the bridge," he explained, quickly. whether Craig loosened the supports. He got over all right, but it went down I had to get her out of the river. '| boys out in a minute, if they dare to "l don't know | under Lenora, who was following, and ['} THE DAILY BRITISH WHIG. SATURDAY, JULY 3, 1915. 18 ngnt and gayety. You are safe] here, whatever your troubles may have | been. You say that you have money; | and if you are lotely," she added, | dropping her voice, "you need not go | alone." He patted her hand affectionately, but there was something a little forced about the action. "Child," he said, "it is so hard to make you understand. 1 might lose | myself for a few minutes, it is true, gver yonder. Perhaps, even," he add- ed, "you might help me to forget. And' then there would be the awakening. That is always the same. Sometimes at night I sleep, and when I sleep 1 rest, and when my eyes are opened in the morning the weight comes back and sits upon my heart, and the strength seems to pass from my limbs and the will from my brain." Her eyes were soft and her volce shook a little as she leaned towards him. Something in his helplessness had kindled, the protective spirit in her. "Has life been so terrible for you?" she whispered. "Have you left be hind--but no! you never could have been really wicked. You are not very old, are you? Why do you not stand up and be a man? wrong, then very likely people have done wrong things to you. Why should you brood over these memories? Why-- What are you looking at? Who are these people?" The professor, with Quest and Long Jim, suddenly appeared round the cor- ner of the building. They walked towards Craig. He shrank back in his place. "If these are your enemies," the girl cried, fiercely, "remémber that they cannot touch you here. I'll have the try it." Craig struggled to his feet. He made no answer. His eyes were fixed upon the professor's. The girl passed her arm through his and dragged him into the saloon. They passed Jose in the doorway. He scoffed at them. "Say, the boss will fire you, Marta, if you waste all your time with that Yankee," he muttered Marta drew the red rose from the bosom of her dress and placed it in Craig's buttonhole. Then she led him without a word to a seat, "If these men try any tricks in here," she said, "there'll be trouble." Almost at that moment they all thrée entered. Long Jim nodded to Craig in friendly fashion. * "It's all right, cookie," he told them. "Don't you look so scared. This is just a bit of parleyvous business, that's ail" The professor held out a piece ¢ paper. He handed it over to Craig. "Craig." he announced, "this is a dispatch which { found in Allguez with my letters.- It is addressed to you, but under the circumstances you will scarcely wonder that 1 opened it. You had better read it." Craig accepted the cable form and read it through slowly to himself. To John Craig, Care Prof Lord Ash- leigh, Yonkers, New York: Your sister died today. Her daugh- ter Mary sails on Tuesday to join you in New York. Please meet hey. COMPTON, Solicitor, London. Craig sat for a moment as though stunned. The girl leaned over towards him, "Are they trying to take you on a warrant?" she whispefed. "Remember, If you have done | he See Motion Mictures of This Story at the and Tuesday 4 "Four Ribs Broken," Pronounced the Black Box IDEAL Theatre, Monday Professor. "She Cannot Be Moved for a Week." side of the border. You're safe as long as you like to stay." Craig nodded gratefully. "All the same," he said, I fear that I must go." The professor coughed. "I am sure, Craig," he declared, "that you have decided wisely." Craig looked gloomily away. "There is nothing else for me to do," he said. "The child must be met and looked after. Besides, I am sick of it all. Ycu may as well know the truth." "Why not now?" Quest suggested, softly. "In New York," Craig replied, "and not before." Quest and the professor exchanged meaning glances. "Very well," the former - decided, turning away; "in a week from today, Craig, 1 shall expect you to report at the professor's house." : They left the room together. Jim lingered by Craig's side "Those guys have been scaring you some, I guess,' he remarked. "For get 'em, cookie. They can't touch you here. Of course, if you go to New Tork it's your own show." "I know that," Craig replied, gloom: ily. ) One of the girls passed her arm through 'Long Jim's. "Just one dance," she whispered. He hesitated, looking out of the window. Then he shrugged his shoul- ders. "I'm tired of those guys,' he re marked to Craig, with a grin. "Guess I'll stay here for a bit." Craig was left alone for a few min- utes. Suddenly Marta glided in and sat by his side. Her eyes were flash- ing with anger. | "You know 'what they said, those | two, as they passed out?" she 'whis- pered, hoarsely. "I heard them | They are going to board the 8:30! train tomorrow morning. The dark | Long man turned and sdid to the other: | 'It he 1s not on that, we'll wait till we | find him. Once we get him in New | York, he's our man.' " { A little exclamation of anger broke from Craig's lips. The girl caught at his arm, "Don't go," she begged. "Don't go. There are plenty of places near here where you can hide, w we- could go together and live quite simply. I'd work for you. Take me away from this, somewhere over the hills. Don't 20 to New York. They are cruel, those men. They are hunting you--I can see it In their faces" = Craig shook his head sadly. "Little girk" he sald, "I should like to go with you along that valley and over the hills and forget that I had ever lived in any other world. But I can't do it. There's a child there pay. . My God!" suddenly rang with Mar the open win- sitting, an suddenly --~---- : f g i i i =F £ i | if i : 4 Ht E5ER.2 E8 fi ; lin 1 little party, on their return, eagerly. Quest at once came and sat by her side. is "Where's Laura," he asked, "and the Inspector?" She smiled and pointed to the ris- ing ground behind them. In the faint moonlight two forms were just visi- ble. Quest smiled. "French has got it bad," he de clared, "almost as badly as I have, Lenora." , She laughed at him. Her face was a little drawn with pain, but her eyes were very soft. "I wonder if you have it very bad- ly," she murmured He held her hand for a momient. "1 think yoy know," he said "As they talked they heard the coyotes barking in the distance. Pres- ently Laura and the inspector ra- turned, "Nice sort of a.nurse I am," the former grumbled. "It's all the fault of this man. He would keep me out there talking rubbish." They sat round the opening before Lenora's tent till the moon was high in the heavens. Quest; who had been on the outside of the circle for some fittle time, suddenly rose to his feet and crossed over to the cook wagon. Long Jim, who was sitting on the steps, glanced up a little surlily, "Who's inside there?" Quest asked Long Jim removed his pipe from his teeth. "That don't sound none too civil a Question for a guest," he remarked, "but if you want to know, our new Chinese cookie is there." Quest nodded. "Sorry if I seemed abrupt" - he apologized. "You've been very good to us and I'm sure we are uncommon- ly obliged to you, Jim. The only rea- son I asked the question was that I saw a face in the door there and fit | gave me a start. For a moment I thought it was Craig back again." "He's gone to New York, or going tomorrow morning," Jim replied. "I don't think he's so powerful fond of your company that he'd come round here looking for it." Quest strolled off again and glanced at his watch as be rejoined the little up. "Well," he said, "I think we'll turn in. Seven o'clock tomorrow morning, inspector. Jim's sending one of the boys with us and we shall catch the} Eastern Limited at the junction." "This open-air life makes me sleepy," he confessed. . "To bed, all of us," Quest concluded, turning sway. CHAPTER XXX. - Quest awoke the next morning. | stretched out his hand and glanced at the watch by the side of the bed. It] was barely six o'clock. He turned over and dozed again, looked again at half- past six, and finally, at a few minutes to seven, rose and made a hasty toilet. Then, in the act of placing his watch in his waistcoat pocket, fis H LH nib sal lip i | fake i ; [af an hour Gaght to do it, the boys sag" They walked outside to the camp, where the cowboys were finishing their breakfast h "Say, boss," one of them called out, "you're mot making that 8:30 train te New York?" "« "Why not? Quest asked, quickly, "It's only three-quarters of an hour's ride, is jt?" "Maybe not," the other replied. "but as it's eight now, your chances ain't looking lively... Kind of overslept, haven't you?" \ Both men glanced once moré at their watches. Then Quest thrust his back with a little oath. "Our watches have been set back!™ he exclaimed. "The Hands again!" For a moment they looked at one another, dumfounded. Then Quest moved towards the corral. ~ "Say, is there any quicker way to the depot?" he inquired of the cow: boys. They heard his question indiffer ently. "Fifty dollars," Quest continued, "to anyone who can take me by a quicker route." One of them rose slowly to his feet "Waal," he observed, "fifty dollars would come in kind of handy. Yes 1 reckon I can cut off a mile or two for you." "Fifty dollars for you, then," Quest replied, as they hurried towards the horses, "and an extra ten if we make the train. They galloped off into the distance The cowboys finished their breakfast and went off to their work. Laura stole out from her tent and started oft in rather a shamefaced manner for a walk. Presently Lenora opened her eyes. She, too, stretched out her hand for her watch. Suddenly she sat up in bed with a little exclamation On the table by her side was a small black box. She took off the lid with trembling fingers, drew out a scrap of paper and read. Fools! Tongues of flame will cross Quest's path. He will never reach the depot alive. Lenora glanced at Laura's empty bed. Then she staggered to the open ing of the tent. "Laura!" she cried. There, was no one there. The cow- boys had all gone to their work, Laura had passed out of sight across the ridge in the distance. Lenora stag: gered to the cook wagon, where the Chinese cook was sitting . cleaning plates. "Listen!" she cried. "They are in danger. the three men who have gone off to the depot! If you'll ride after them, © will give you a hundred dol lars. Give them this," she added, holding out the scrap of paper. The Chinaman shook his head. He glanced at the stip of paper indiffer- ently and went on with his work. "No can ride. missee." he sald. Lenora looked around helplessly. The camp was empty. She staggered across towards her own horse. "Come and help me," she ordered. The Chinaman came unwillingly. They found her saddle, but he only gazed at it in a stolid sort of fashion. "No can fix," he.said. "Missee no can ride. Better go back bed." Lenora pushed him on one side. With a great effort she managed to reach her place in the saddle. Then she turned and, with her face to the depot, galloped away. The pain was excruciating. She could only keep PAGE FIFTEEN S--------------------_. .,. | "ERUIT-A-TIVES" Has Relieved 'More Cases of Stomach, Liver, Blood, Kidney and Skin Trouble Than Any Other Medicine THOUSANDS OWE THEIR 600D HEALTH TO IT Made From The Juices of Apples, Oranges, Figs and Pruncs Combined With Tonics and Antiseptics. "Fruita-tives' means bealth. 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