Richmond Palladium (Daily), Volume 40, Number 131, 15 May 1915 — Page 7

THE RICHMOND PALLADIUM AND SUN-TELEGRAM, SATURDAY, MAY 15, 1915

PAGE SUVlui COWRlOir I91S 4 OTIS F WOOO

Q Q QEl IfiILLIP S OPPENHEIM, C

ELEVENTH INSTALLMENT SYNOPSIS. Saoford QuMt master criminologist of the world, finds that In bringing to Justice Macdougal, the murderer of Lord Ashlelgh's daughter, he has but Just begun a life-and-death struggle with a mysterious master criminal. In a hidden hut in Professor Ashlelgh's garden he has seen an anthropoid ape skeleton and a living inhuman creature, half monkey, half man, destroyed by fire. In his rooms have appeared from nowhere black boxes containing sarcastic, threatening notes, signed by a pair of armless hands. I. aura and Lenora,hls assistants, suspect Craig, the professor's servant; of a double murder. The black boxes continue to appear in uncanny fashion. Craig is trapped by Quest, but escapes to England, where Quest. Lenora and the professor follow him. Lord Ashlelgh Is murdered by the Hands. Lenora is abducted in London and rescued. Craig is captured and escapes to Port Said, where Quest and his party also go, and beyond Into the desert.

IN THE DESERT CHAPTER XXIII. Quest was the first the next morning to open his eyes, to grope his way through the tent opening and stand for a moment alone, watching the alabaster skies. He turned lazily around, meaning to summon the Arab who had volunteered to take Hassan's place. His arms he had been In the act of stretching fell to his sides. He stared at the spot where the camels had been tethered, incredulously. There were no camels, no drivers, no Arabs. There was not a soul nor an object In sight except the stark body of Hassan, which they bad dragged half out of sight behind a slight knoll. High up in the sky above were two little black specks, wheeling lower and lower. Quest shivered as he suddenly realized that for the flrct time in his life he was looking upon the winged ghculs of tho desert. Lower and lower they came. He turned away with a shiver. The professor w?s still sleeping when Quest reentered the tent. He woke him up and beckoned him to come outside. Quest pointed to the little sandy knoll with its sparse covering of grass, deserted with scarcely a sign, even, that it had been the resting place of the little caravan. The profesbor gave vent to a little exclamation. "Our guides!" he demanded. "And the camels! What has become of them?" The rrofessor hurried off towards the spot where the encampment had been made. Suddenly he stood still and pointed with his finger. In the clearer, almost crystalline light of the coming day, they saw the track of the camels in one long, unbroken line stretching away northwards. He glanced around a little helplessly. Quest took a cigar from his case and lit it. "No good worrying." Quest sighed. "The question Is how best to get out of the mess. What's the next move, anyway?" The professor glanced towards the sun and took a small compass from his pocket. He pointed across the desert. "That's exactly our route," he said, "but I reckon we still must bo two days from the Mongars, and how we are going to get there ourselves, much more set tho women there, without camels, I don't know. There are no wells, and I don't believe thoso fellows have left U3 a single tin of water." Laura put her head out of the tent in which tho two women had slept. "Say, where's breakfast?" she exclaimed. "1 can't smell the coffee." They turned and approached her silently. The two girls, fully dressed, came out of the tent as they approached. "Young ladies," the professor announced, "I regret to say that a misfortune has befallen us, a misfcrtuno which we shall bo able, without a doubt, to surmount, but v.-hieh will mean a day of hardship and much Inconvenience." "Where are the camels?" Lenora asked breathlessly. "Gone!" Quest replied. "And tho Arabs?" "Gono with them we are left high and dry," Quest explained. "And what is worse," the professor added, with & groan, "they have taken with them all our stores, our rifles and our water." "How far are we from the Mongar camp?" Lenora asked. "About a day's tramp," Quest replied, quickly. "We may teach there by nightfall." "Then let's etrrt walking at once, before it gets any hotter," Lenora suggested. Quest patted her on the back. They made a close search of tho tents, but found that the Arabs had taken everything in tho way of food and drink, except a single half-SHcd tin of drinking water. They started bravely enough, but by midday their little stock of water was gone, and their feet were sorely blistered. No one complained, however, and the professor especially did his best to revive their spirits. "Wo have como farther than I had dared to hope, in tho time," ho announced. "Fortunately, I know the exact direction we must take. Keep up your spirits, young ladies. At any time we may see eins of our destination." They struggled on once more. Night came and brought with it a half-soothing, half-torturing coolness. That vain straining of the eyes upon tho horizon at any nto was sparec to them. They slept In a fashion but soon after dawi they wtro on their feet again. Suddenly Quest, who ..ad gone a little oiit of his way to mount a !c rango of tr d-hills, waved his arm furiously Ho was holding his field-glassy to his eyes. It vas wonderful how that ray cf hopo tra- ferried thciu. They hurried to where he was. Jie je3.Mr1 tho g .sea to tho professor. "A caravan!" he exclaimed. "I can see O.a cav .- Is, and borons!" Tha professor almost snatched the glasses. "V. Is euito true," ho agreed. "It is r caravan eroccing at rlht angles to cu direction. Come! They will eeo us before long." P-epently thrco or four horsemen detached themselves from the main body and came gallopins towards them. The eyes of tho lit tl a party glistened as they saw that tho foremost had a water-bottlo slung around his neck. Tie cau dashing ip, waving his arms. "You lost, people?" be asked. "Want wat-r?" They almost snatched the Lottie from hisa. It was like pouiing life .'nto their veins. They at tho professor's instigation, drank sparingly. Queet, iwlth a g'-cat sigh of relief, lit a cigar.

il Somo adventure, tnis: no declare. . II l Tho professor, who had been talking to the

men in their own language, turned back towards the two girls. "It is a caravan," he explained, "of peaceful merchants on their way to Jaffa. They are halting for us, and we shall be able, without a doubt, to arrange for water and food and a camel or two horses. The man here asks if the ladies will take the horses and ride?" They started off gayly to where the caravan had come to a standstill. They had scarcely traversed a hundred yards, however, before the Arab who was leading Lenora's horse came to a sudden standstill. He pointed with his arm and commenced to talk in an excited fashion to his two companions. From across the desert, facing them, came a little company of horsemen, galloping fast and with the sunlight flashing upon their rifles. "The Mongars!" the Arab cried, pointing wildly. "They attack the caravan!" The three Arabs talked together for a moment in an excited fashion. Then, without excuse or warning, they swung the two women to the ground, leaped on their horses, and, turning northwards, galloped away. "I am not at all sure," said the professor In an undertone to Quest, "about our position with the Mongars. Craig has a peculiar hold upon them, but as a rule they hate white men, and their blood will be up. . . . See! the fight is all over. Those fellows were no match for the Mongars. Most of them have fled and left the caravan." The fight was indeed over. Four of the Mongars had galloped away in pursuit of the Arabs who had been the temporary escort of Quest and his companions. They passed about a hundred yards away, waving their arms and shouting furiously. One of them even fired a shot, which missed Quest by only a few inches.

"They say they are coming back," the professor muttered. "Who's this? It's the chief and "Our search is over, at any rate," Quest interrupted. "It's Craig!" They came galloping up, Craig In white linen clothes and an Arab's cloak; the chief by his side a fine, upright man with long, gray beard; behind, three Mongars, their rifles already to their shoulders. The chief wheeled up his horse as he came within twenty paces of the little party. "White! English!" he shouted. "Why do you seek death here?" He waited for no reply, but turned to his men. Three of them dashed forward, their rifles, which were fitted with an odd sort of bayonet, drawn back for the plunge. Suddenly Craig, who had been a little in the rear, galloped, shouting, into the line of fire. "Stop!" he ordered. "Chief, these people are my friends. Chief, the word!" The chief raised his arm promptly. The men lowered their rifles. Craig galloped back to hi3 host's side. The chief listened to him and nodded gravely. Presently he rode up to the little party. He saluted the professor gravely and talked to him in his own language. The professor turned to the others. "The chief apologizes for not recognizing me," he announced. "It seems that Craig had told him that he had come to the desert for shelter, and he imagined at once, when he gave the order for the attack upon us, that we were his enemies. He says that we are welcome to go with him to his encampment." Craig turned slowly towards them. It was a strange meeting. "It Is necessary," he told them, "that you should' pretend to be my friends. The chief has ordered two of his men to dismount. Their ponies are for the young ladies. There will be horses for you am oris tho captured ones from the caravan yonder." They all turned towards the chief, who remained a litile ou tho outside of the circle. The professor raised his hat and spoke a few words in his o' a language, then he turned to the other3. "I have accepted the invitation of the chief," he announced. "We had better start." "Thi may not bo Delmonico's," Laura remarked, a few hours later, with a little sigh of contentment, "bit believe me that goat-stew and sherbet tasted better than any chicken and champagne I ever ta:.ted." They moved to the opening of the tent and sat looking out across the silent desert. Laura took tto flap of the canvas in her hand. "What do all these marks mean?" she asked. "They are cabalistic signs," the professor replied, "part of the language of the tribe. They indicate that thi? is the guest tent, and there arc a few little maxima traced upon it, extolling the virtues of hospitality." Lenora leaned forward to where a little group of Mongars were talking together.

"I wish that beautiful girl would come and let us see her again," she murmured. "She," the professor explained, "is the chiefs daughter, Feerda, whose life Craig saved." "And from the way she looks at him," Laura observed, "I should say she hadn't forgotten it, either." The professor held up a warning finger. The girl herself had glided to their side out of the shadows. She faced the professor. The rest of the party she seemed to ignore. She spoke slowly and in halting English. "My father wishes to know that you are satisfied?" she skid. "You have no further wants?" "None," the professor assured her. "We are very grateful for his hospitality, Feerda." "Won't you talk to us for a little time?" Lenora begged, leaning forward. The girl turned suddenly to the professor and spoke to him in her own language. She pointed to the signs upon the tent, drew her finger along one of the sentences, flashed a fierce glance at them all and disappeared. "Seems to me we are not exactly popular with the young lady," Quest remarked. "What was she saying, professor?" "She suspects us," the professor said slowly, "of wishing to bring evil to Craig. She pointed to a sentence upon the tent. Roughly it means 'Gratitude is the debt of hospitality.' I am very much afraid that the young lady must have been listening to our conversation." The professor suddenly leaned forward. There was a queer change in his face. From somewhere on the other side of that soft bank of violet darkness came what seemed to be the clear, low cry of some animal. "It is the Mongar cry of warning," he said hoarsely. "Something is going to happen.'.'

2 Quest "I'll Be Careful, Lenora. Don't Worry." The whole encampment was suddenly in a state of activity. The Mongars ran hither and thither, getting together their horses. The chief, with Craig by his side, was standing on the outskirts of the camp. Camels appeared from some invisible place. Men already on horseback, were galloping hither and thither, collecting firearms and spare ammunition. Packhorses were being loaded, tents rolled up. "Seems to me there's a move on," Quest muttered, as they rose to their feet. "I wonder if we are in it." A moment or two later Craig approached them. "Word has been brought to the chief," he announced, "that the Arab who escaped from the caravan has fallen in with an outpost of British soldiers. They have already started in pursuit of us. The Mongars will take refuge in the jungle, where they have prepared hiding-places. We start at once." "What about us?" the professor inquired. "I endeavored," Craig continued, "to persuade the chief to allow you to remain here, when the care of you would devolve upon the English soldiers. He and Feerda. however, have absolutely refused my request. Feerda has overheard some of your conversation, and the chief believes that you will betray us. You will have to come, too." They all rose at onco to their feet, and a few moments later horses were brought. The little procession was already being formed in line. Craig approached them onca more. "You will mount now and ride in the middle of our caravan," he directed. The chief does not trust you. If you value your lives, you will do as you are bidden." CHAPTER XXIV. "You can call this fairyland, if you want," Laura remarked, gazing around her; "I call it a nasty, damp, oozy spot." Quest motioned them to sit a little nearer. "I had a moment's talk with Craig this morning, and from what he says I fancy they1 mean to make a move a little farther in before long. It'll be all the more difficult to escape them." "You think we could get away?" Lenora whispered, eagerly.

Quest glanced cautiously around. They were surrounded by thick vegetation, but they were only a very short distance from the camp. "Seems to me," he continued, "we shall have to try it some day or other and I'm all for trying it soon. Even if they caught us, I don't believe they'd dare to kill us, with the English soldiers so close behind. I am going to get hold of two or three rifles and some ammunition. That's easy, because they leave them about all the time. And what you girls want to do is to hide some food and get a bottle of water." "What about Craig?" the professor asked. "We are going to take him along," Quest declared, grimly. "He's had the devil's own luck so far but, it can't last forever. I'll see to that part of the business, if you others get ready and wait for me to give the signal. . . . What's that?" They all looked around. There had been a little rustling amongst the canopy of bushes. Quest peered through and returned, frowning. "Feerda again," he muttered. "P' hangs around all the time, trying to listen to what we are saying. She couldn't have heard this time, though. Now, girls, remember. When tl-e food is about this evening, see how much you can get. ho!d o. I know just where to fin the guns and the horses." They dispersed in various directions. It was not until late in the evening, when the Mongars had withdrawn a little to indulge in their customary orgy of crooning songs, that they were absolutely alone. Quest looked out of the tent in which they had been sitting and came back again. "Well?" Laura lifted her skirt and showed an unsusl projection underneath. "Lenora and I have pinned up our petticoats," she announced. "We've got plenty of food and a bottle of water." Quest threw open the white Arab cloak which he had been wearing. He had three rifles strapped around him. "The professor s got the ammunition," he said, "and we've five horses tethered a hundred paces along the track we came by, just behind the second tree turning to the left. I want you all to go there now at once and take the rifles. There isn t a soul in the camp and you can carry them wrapped in this cloak. 1 11 join you in ten minutes." "What about Craig?" the professor Inquired.

"I am seeing to him," Quest replied. Lenora hesitated. "Isn't it rather a risk?" she whispered fearfully. Quest's face was suddenly stern. "Craig is going back with us," he said. "I'll be careful, Lenora. Don't worry." He strolled out of the tent and came back aain. "The coast's clear," he announced. "Off you go. . . . One moment," he added, "there are some papers in this little box of mine which one of you might take care of." He bent hastily over the little wallet, which never left him. Suddenly a little exclamation broke from his lips. The professor peered over his shoulder. "What is it?" Quest never said a word. From one of the spaces of the wallet he drew out a small black box, removed the lid and held out the card. They read it together: Fools, all of you! The cunning of the ages dsfeats your puny efforts at every turn. The Hands. Even the professor's lips blanched a little as he read. Quest, however, seemed suddenly furious. He tore the card and the box to pieces, flung them into a corner of the tent and drew a revolver from his pocket. "This time," he exclaimed, "we are going to make an end of The Hands! Out you go now, girls. You can leave me to finish things up." One by one they stole along the path. Quest came out and watched them disappear. Then he gripped his revolver firmly in his hand and turned towards Craig's tent. Then, from the thick growth by tho side of the clearing, he saw a dark shape steal out and vanish in tho direction of Craig's tent. He came to a standstill, puzzled. There had been rumors of lions all day. but the professor had been incredulous. Then the still, heavy air was suddenly rent by a wild scream cf horror. Across the narrow opening, the creature had reappeared, carrying something in its mouth, something which gave vent all the time to the most awful yells. Quest fired his revolver on chance and broke into a run. Already the Mongars, disturbed in their evening amusement, were breaking into the undergrowth in chase. Quest cane to a standstill. It was from Craig's tent that the beast had issued! He retraced his steps. When he reached the meeting place, he found the professor standing at the corner with the rest. His face showed sign3 of the most lively curiosity. "From the commotion," he announced, "I believe that, after all, a lion has visited the camp. The cries which we have heard were distinctly the cries of a native." Quest shook his head. "A lion's been here all right," he said, "and he has finished our little Job for us. That was Craig. I saw him come out of Craig's tent." The professor was dubious. "You see that tree that looks like a. dwarfed aloe?" "What about it?" "Craig was lying there ten minutes ago. He

sprang up when he tearl the yella from the e campment, but I believe he is there now."

"Got the horses all right?" Quest inquired. "Everything is waiting," the professor replied. "I'll have one more try, then," Quest declared.

He made his way slowly through the undelfc growth to the spot, which the professor had Indicated. Close to th? trunk ot a tree Craig was standing. Feerda was on Ler knees before him. Sho was speakiDg !n broken English. Dear master, you shall llaen to your slave. These people arc your enemies, it would bes all ever in a few minutes You havo but to nay the word. My father Is eager for it. Xo one would ever know." Craig patted her head. His tone was filled witfc tho deepest deepondency. "It is impossible. Feerda." he said. "Tou tfo not understand. I cannot tell you everything. Sometimes I almost think that the best thing I could do would be to return with them to the countries you know nothing of." "That's what you are going to do, anyway," Quest declared, suddenly making his appearance. "Hands up!" He covered Craig with his revolver, but his erm was scarcely extended before Feerda sprang at him like a little wildcat. He gripped her with his left arm and held her away with difficulty. "Craig," li continued, "you're coming with tu. You know the way tt Port Said and we want you --ycu know why. Untie th.t sash frcn your waist. Quickly!" Cra'g obeyed, lie had the stupefied air of a man who has lost for tho time his volitioD. "Tie It to the tree." Quest ordered. "Leave room enough.'" Craig did as ho was told. Then fie turned and held the loose ends up. Quest lowered his revolver for a moment as he pushed Feerda towards it. Craig, with a wonderful spring, reached his ?ide ac5 kicked the revolver away. Before Q-:est could even Etoc? to recover It he saw the glitter of the others knife y-ressed against his chest. "L'stcn." Craig declared. "I've made cr. ray mind I won't go back to America. I've had enough of being hunted all over the worlft. This time I think I'll rid myself of one of you, at any rate. "Will you?" The Interruption waa so unexpected that Craig lost his ncrro. Through an opening in the trees, only a few feet away, Lenora had suddenly appeared. She, too. held a revolver, her hand was aa steady as a rock. "Drop your knife" she ordered Craig". He obeyed without hesitation. "Now, tie the sash around the girl." He obeyed mechanically. Quest took Craig by the collar and led him to the epot where the others were waiting. They hoisted him on to a horse. Already behind them they could see the flare ot the torches from the returning Mongars. "You know the way to Port Said," Quest whispered. "See that you lead us there. There will be trouble, mind, if you don't." Craig made no reply. He rode off in front of the Ilttlo troop, covered all the time by Quest's revel ver. "So far as my instinct tell me"' the professor agreed, "I believe that we arc heading in precisely the right direction." They galloped steadily on. The moon rose higher and higher until It became as light as day. Often th professor raised himself in his saddle and peered forward. "This column of soldiers would march at night he remarked. "I am hoping a!! the time that w may meet them.' Quest fell n little behind to his side, Although l.e never left off watching Craig. "Ix-,f.K behind you, professor." he whispered. Tn the far distance were a number of Hit's black specks, rrowing every moment lirger. Ev-n at thct moment they heard the low. long call of the Mcngars. "TLcy are gaining on us." Quest muttered. The two girls, white though they were, bent orer their horses. "We'll stick to it till the last moment." Quest continued, "then we'll turn and let them have it." They raced on for another m:io or more. A bullet whistled over their heads. Quest tightened his reins. "Xo good," he sighed. "We'd better stay and fight it out, professor. Stick close to me, Lenora." They drew up and hastily dismounted. The Mongars closed in around them. A cloud had drifted in front of the mcon. and in the darkness it was almost impossible to see their whereabout. They heard tho chief's voice. "Shoot first that dog of a Craig!" There was a shrisk. Suddenly Feerda. breaking loose from the others, raced across the little divfc. sion. She flung herself from her horse. "Tell my father that you were not faithless." she pleaded "They shall not kill you!" She clung to Craig's neck. The bullets were beginning to whistle around them now. All of a sudden she threw up her arms. Craig, in a fury, turned around and fired Into the darkness. Then suddenly, as though on the bidding of some unspoken word, there was a queer silence. Everyone was distinctly conscious cf an alien sound the soft thud ot many horses' feet galloping from the right; then a sharp, English voice of command. "Hold your fire, men. Close In to the left there. Steady!" The cloud suddenly rolled away from the moon. A long line of horsemen were immediately visible. The officer in front rod6 forward. "Drop your arms and surrender." he ordered, sternly. The Mongars. who were outnumbered by twenty to one. obeyed without hesitation. Their chief seemed unconscious, even, of what had happened. He was on his knees, bending over the body of Feerda, half supported in Craig's arms. The officer turned to Quest. "Are you the party who left Port Said for th Mongar camp?" he asked. Quest nodded. "They took us into the jungle Just escaped. They'd caught us here, though, and I'm afaid ws were about finished if you hadn't come along. W are not English we're American." "Same thing," the officer replied, as he held out his hand. "Stack up their arms, men." he ordered, turning around. "Tie them in twos. Dennis. tak the young ladies back to the commissariat camels." The professor drew a little sigh. "Commissariat:" he murmured. "That sounds most inviting." (To be Continued.) ,'"