Fame And Fortune Weekly (no. 952) (1923 12 28)
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y \ \ z ene BOYS, READ THE RADIO ARTICLES IN THIS NUMBER — DECEMBER 28, 1923 _ Price 7 Cents AEA Bie ~ AND OTHER STORIES: sprang upon. @ wall, bran stout oudgel, and, closely foll by helene vanes 11, brand: it cudgel, 1 ely followed by Bracket made a ' ters. T. by surprise, one of the rase A ay dene ied git mthe defensive. =
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NT . Mi A i OUR W Ne BOX 985. - _. LAWRED r | RALPH P, cS SEND Y
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Interesting Radio Articles oe Pages 24 and 2B FAME AND FORTUNE AUERLY > tssued een price, $3.50 per year; Canada, $4.00; Horelgn, $4.50. peeve Inc., 164 = West 28a Street, New York, N. ¥. Hntered gs Second-Class Ma the Post-Office at New York, N. Y., under the Act of NEW YORK, DECEMBER 28, 1923 es me 3 ha 0. Uy, : STRUCK OIL if, OR, THE BOY WHO MADE A MILLION "eid : 2 Sys SAN 35 oo CHAPTER 1.—Foul Play. _ The wailing cry of a human being in distress was borne down on the wings of the wind to the followed almost immediately by deafening peals 0. peed that seemed to rip the sky into frag- "Night had fallen mere than an hour be- Even in the daytime this section of the - country.was a difficult place to traverse, for there ‘was no regular road’ intersecting it, and its marshy land was only crossed by rugged paths, = half-overgrown with grass and weeds and stub- ble—every path being exactly like another, and ‘all seeming to lead nowhere. No human habitation could be seen, and very ew-trees. All that relieved the monotony was here and there a hillock, crowned by some stunted ushes, or a green, stagnant pool, with tall rushes odding on its bank, or an occasional gnarled, -weather-beaten oak, its topmost branches bent by the wind. Harry Dane and Phil Deering, his chum, who lived on adjoining farms in that neigh- hood, had, in an effort to escape the approach- “thunder storm, attempted a short cut, with hi ch they were familiar, across this perilous t; but, unfortunately, they were caught in the ‘of the placeyby storm and darkness, which ed down on them with unexpected sudden- ildered’ by the driving rain and eee oe ments, they unconsciously wandered ou’ that | Ja ng Eee ere 10g ge to the fact that advance; and so on they pressed, sinking every now and then into the soft, clayey soil, and re- covering the dry path with greater difficulty as they advanced. The country around seemed to him. If we don’t-he will surely perish.” “That’s right,” acquiesced his friend. “I’m with you, thourh I don’t see as we are so much better off ourselves. idea where we are at this minute.” “Help! Help! Would you murder me?” The cry was more desperate, more insistent than before, and certainly more startling, for the added words were thrillingly significant of some- thing more than mere accidental distress—it look- ed as if something like foul play was on the tapis. . “What shall we do, Phil?” asked Dane. “P’m almost afraid to say what I think.” “It—it looks like murder, doesn’t it, Harry?” Bs gasped Deering, with blanched cheeks. Each of the boys had a stout stick in his hand, pe they had been using to feel their way alo “It looks mighty bad,” replied Dane. “Help, for heaven’s sake!” came the cry again, though it was almost cut in twain by the crash of thunder which followed an pees blinding — flash of electricity. “Follow me, Phil, I can’t stander when there’ gras a human being in such Bees as that man | ap- ran eg td to be. ae : ; Wig fe: ; Blessed if I have the least ears of two stout boys trudging across a desolate mingle in one black, indistinguishable mass with rs and marshy stretch of country in the State of the dark, threatening clouds, and the only gleams Indiana. that illuminated the landscape at all were the ; _ “What’s that?” cried Harry Dane, pausing sud- flashes of lightning. which tore brilliant gashes ae denly and clutching his companion by the arm. in the firmament from time to time. And these j - “Sounded like the cry of some one in trouble,” gave them no help. They only served to show replied his friend, Phil Deering. pape the desolate character of the waste on every “Help! Oh, help!” : side, and to prove to them how utterly they were ae g “There it is again,” exclaimed Dane. “Seems lost in the night and storm. It was in the midst = to come from that direction,” and he pointed off of their perplexities that the cry for help came to the right. “What a fierce night this is, Phil!” 0 their ears. : And truly it was. The-‘rain was beating down “Some poor fellow, lost like ourselves in this — a5 fiercely on the landscape, driven across the bleak spot, must have slipped into a bog-hole and can’t % ‘waste by the howling wind; the lightning flashed, get out,” continued Harry Dane. “We can’t de- ~~ with bewildering intensity, at frequent intervals, sert him, Phil. We must try to find and help =.
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“You hear that, Phil? Will you hang back? Whatever the danger, we’ve got a couple of tough “sticks to defend ourselves with. Come on.” Thus urged, Phil Deering followed close after his brave young leader, and both splashed ahead through the muck and water that beset their path the- moment they forsook the patch of dry ground they had been standing on. Though they listened intently for further sounds from the distressed man, they heard nothing more to help’ ide them to the spot. They kept on, however, : in the direction in which they had located the " ery for help. At length a row of stunted bushes appeared Wight before them. Pushing their way through these, they came upon a storm-bent tree, whose gnarled roots rose, bare and twisted, and weird-lockins, high above the marshy waste. The soil about it was hard and firm to the touch of their feet, and it was with a feeling of intense , relief that once more they felt something solid to stand upon. “Why, there’s a light yonder,” suddenly shouted Phil, in great delight. “So there is,” replied Dane. “I never knew there was a house in this section.” “We must have strayed some distance from where we’ve been accustomed to cross this for- saken locality.” “T guess we—hello! what’s this?” Harry Dane had stumbled against some object in hig path. It was lying partly among: the ex- posed roots of the big tree. As the boys stooped to see what it was, a brilliant flash of lightning jit up the place fora moment with noonday bright- ness, and both of the boys saw the figure of an old man with a long white beard stretched out before them. There was a gash across his fore- head, and his face and the upper part of his beard was streaked with blood. “By gracious!” exclaimed Phil. “That’s Matt- -hew Rock, the hermit. Is he dead?” *\° *T don’t know,” replied his companion, kneeling down beside the motionless body, as an intense ¥ darkness succeeded the flash and detonating thun- | der. ore “Well?” inquired Phil, eagerly, as Dane bent his head to the old man’s chest, g - “His heart is beating, but not very strong,” answered Harry. - * “Tt must have been his ery we heard,” said il. 3 “J think there is no doubt of that, ostill see that light, Phil?” "Yes; plainly.” “Tt’s not very far away.” te “No.” ; “Have you the nerve to go there and see if you ean get assistance?” His companion hesitated. “If there was any one there, he ought to have heard the old man cry out, and have come out here to see what was the matter.” “That seems reasonable, Perhaps this poor old _ fellow lives there himself.” “As he seems to have been the victim of an assault, perhaps the fellows who attacked him are at that house now,” said Phil, who did not Can you relish Pees of leaving Dane and’ going to the ely, Well, we a, 2 : STRUCK OIL ‘was well they did, for when Dane crept up to — _ z and see what we can make out of the place, and — then we can come back here afterward.” : Deering had no objection to this plan, and they put it into ‘execution at once. The boys — found there was a solid path leading from the tree right up to the house, which turned out to ~ be merely a rude one-story shanty. They ap- ue proached it with all due caution, for they did ~ not want to run themselves into a trap. And it — the solitary window, through which the light shone, to reconnoiter the interior, he was a bit — startled to see three rough-looking men inside — turning things topsy-turvy generally, as if they were in search of something they expected to find. — somewhere in the place. : “Look,” whispered Harry in his companion’s — ear, “there are three hang-dog rascals inside turn- ing’ the room inside out.” si Phil looked, and was duly impressed by what — he saw, : Si “Tt all seems clear to me now,” said he. “You know, it has often been hinted around that Matt- hew Rock is a miser. People believe he has money hidden away in his house, the location of which few persons seem to know. These rascals must have got wind of the intelligence, and made a — point of hunting him out to relieve him of his — rumored wealth.” : : “That sounds reasonable. They must have en- ticed him from his cabin first, struck him down 5 ‘ : <7 4 ' | at the spot where he lies, and then came to the ~ house to search for their expected booty.” “They don’t seem to have much success about finding anything.” im “Vil bet they won’t give up till they find what they’re after, or become satisfied he didn’t hav anything. One of them is prying up the hearth- stone now.” “That is a likely place to look if the old fellow buried his money, supposing he had any to bury “Then I should say he would be a fool to put it in such a place.” ght see Another of the rascals came to help the fellow who was prying up the flat stone in front of the — old-fashioned open fireplace, They yanked the stone up.in short order, and the man who-started _ the job began to probe the earth with the blade of a long, ugly looking knife. There were no satisfactory developments, and they gave it up in very bad humor. The boys watched them through the window until they finally stopped searching and held a» consultation. : Apparently they had tapped every conceivab spot where anything might be concealed, and h: examined the flooring carefully, without the slightest success. They were at their wits’ en and from their looks and gestures the boys judge they were angry and disgusted over the unprofit- able result. Finally they walked out of the place, “We'd better sneak around to the back,” sa Dane, drawing his companion with him. “ wouldn’t want to fall into the. clutches of those — rascals, the way they feel at this moment. — ; thinking they wouldn’t do a thing to us.” had ing |
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cabin,” said Harry, peering about the corner of the habitation. “J hear them all right,” replied Phil. they'd get a move on.” As in in answer to the boy’s wish, the three ruffians started off into the gloom in a direction _ opposite to that where poor Matthew Rock lay ‘among the roots of the old oak tree. Their feet made no sound in the damp sod, so the boys did not dare make a move until sufficient time had elapsed to carry them a reasonable distance + from the cabin. _ “We must fetch the old man here and then get a doctor for a him,” said Dane. : - “Maybe he’s dead by this time,” replied Phil. - “JT hope not. -I noticed a lantern on a shelf in- side. We’d better get it.” “They entered the cabn, which had been pretty thoroughly wrecked by the ruffians, and Dane took possession of and lighted the lantern, “Fix that bunk as well as youvean, Phil. We'll have to put him in it, you know.” . Deering replaced the scattered straw in the _.ticking, which had been split up and denuded of its contents by the villains, placed it in the wooden bunk against the wall, and returned the - bedelothes in proper order, : ; “Here’s some brandy, I guess,” he remarked. “That’s good. It will serve to revive the old “man,” replied Dane, “Bring it along,” and he started for the door. _ They found Matthew Rock in the self-same position they had left him, and looking so near Tike death that Phil was sure he had died while they. were absent. ‘This proved not to be the ease. Dane poured some of the brandy down his throat, wiped the half-congealed blood. from his face, and chafed his temples. In a few minutes ‘he uttered a sigh, groaned and then opened his “eyes. “Who are you?” gasped the old man, in a be- wildered kind of way, “We are friends. You have been badly hurt, I “fear. Let us help you back to your cabin.” Matthew Rock offered no objection, and so the boys lifted him between them and bore him 10 his house, placing him in the bunk.’ “J wish CHAPTER II.—Tle Confession of Matthew Rock There were the embers of a fire burning in e¢ wide, open fireplace. The boys started it up nto a ruddy blaze by the addition of a quantity dry wood which they saw piled up in a corner the cabin. Then: they removed their sodden garments, for they were soaked ‘to the skin, and ng them before the fire to dry. Dane warmed 16 water and with a rag cleaned the blood as as he could from the hermit’s hair and beard, bathed the nasty wound in his head, He nd another serious cut behind the man’s ear, , made no movement during it all, lying > a doctor for him,” all 2 could for th STRUCK OIL ae a log, with hi§ eyes staring up at the ‘A small elock on a self above the fireplace strock the-hour of nine at that moment. “I spose we can’t both go,” replied Phil. “One of us-ought to stay with him, don’t you think?” “Yes. VV stay with him, unless you’d prefer to do so.” : “No,” answered Phil, shaking his head, “I'd rather try and find a doctor. The trouble is, I’m all twisted about. I really can’t tell where we’ve got to in this marshy. district. trouble in finding my way out.” “You'd better start off in the eo . followed by those rascals. I’ve no doubt thels a path lending to one of the country roads in that diree- ion. : “T hepe there is.” i “Are your clothes dry enough to put on?” Phil felt of them. I may have “The undergarments are almost dry. The others will do, I guess.” : Pete He proceeded to get into his clothes. As soon ~ as he was fully dressed he took a look at the prospect outside, ; “The sky has cleared and the moon is shining,” he reported. “Best of all, I think I know where we are.” . “That’s encouraging,” replied Dane. “You know that big red housé on the road to Prescott?” “Yes.” “Well, I can see it from outside.” . “Doetor Billings lives not far from that house.” “I know where his place is.” ae “You ought to have no trouble in reaching him, then. Bring him here as soon as you can. Tell him the old man received a couple of ugly wounds on the head and looks to be in a bad way.”! “All right. I won’t lose any time reaching the doctor, you may depend.” | " s _ With these words Phil Deering took his de- parture. Dane put on a portion of his clothes and then went to see how Matthew Rock was get- ting on. He gave the old man another drink of the brandy, and the stimulant revived him somewhat, : “What is the matter with me, boy?” he asked, in shaky tones. “Don’t you remember being attacked by these. rascals?” asked Harry. : The hermit of the marsh knitted his brows and Seemed to be trying to collect his confused senses. Suddenly he grasped the lad’s wrist and cried, with some vehemence: “Yes, yes; it all comes to me now: There were tliree of them. One came to my door and knocked in the height of the storm, He said he and a companion were crossing the marsh, and-that his. friend fell into a hole, and he wanted me to come and assist him to rescue him. I listened to his deceitful story and followed him to the scarred oak, a ‘short distance into the marsh, where he and two others set upon me with sticks and beat me about the head and body till I be- came unconscious. And did you find me there?” “Yes; I and my friend Phil Deering.” Magee “And you brought me to the cabin?” he asked, — gratefully. Oe, ears aly “We did.” pier ich pe cee eee Eh r 5 Fis
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ae iS , Matthew Rock shook his head slowly and some- what sadly: “Tm afraid he won’t be able to do..me any good. ‘Those rascals have finished me.” “T hope not, sir,” answered Dane, sympatheti- cally. si ae “J shall never get over this,” he said, slowly. “TY feel it here,” and he feebly laid his hand on oe heart, “T should like to know your name, my 52 hedge ; “My name is Harry Dane.” _ The old hermit looked at him with a startled look in is eyes. / “Your father—was his name George: Dane?” : “Yes, sir. Did you know him?” The paller on Matthew Rock’s face seemed to deepen. ‘i . “Know him?” he answered, in hollow tones. ~ “Yes, I knew George Dane. And you are his son. You found me dying under the scarred oak, and you brovght me‘here. Boy, what will you think of me when I tell you that I grievously wronged your father?” ; “Wronged my father! You!” “Ave, my lad. I defrauded him out of a for- tune.” e Dane léoked at Matthew Rock in astonishment. Surely the old hermit’s brain had been affected by the blows he had received.. His father, now dead two years, never had a fortune to be robbed of. Furthermore, he had never heard his father ‘speak about Matthew Rock—nor his mother, either. Clearly the old man’s mind was wander- “ing, “Come nearer, my lad, I can’t see you very - well. I cannot die without repairing the injury I did your father. I must soon meet him in the next world, and I couldn’t face him with that - *gsin on my soul. Besides, I can carry nothing * away with me when I die. I have no kith and * kin to leave my property to. So, my boy, I mean to make you my heir, You shall have the "property I cheated your father of, and which, _ with the fatality attending all ill-gotten things, never benefited me.” He paused a moment to recover his breath. “Ffe’s crazy as a March hare,” thought Harry. * “Listen, boy.. Do you know the Wakeley farm property?” x4 “I ought to, sir. It adjoins ours on the east. -Tt’s been deserted for a number of years. Though within the past few months a gang of men have been boring for oil.” “Did you never hear that your father and John - Wakeley were very warm personal friends while +. they were-neigbors?” : : “tMiegy sir.” pe : “Wakeley caught the gold fever, at the time of -. the Cripple Creek discoveries, just after his wife died, and he went West to make his fortune.” --“T heard about that, sir.” “And perhaps you heard that John Wakeley ~ died in the mining district, without having made the fortune he went there to seek?” “Ves, sir.” 4 “I was with him when he died.” ‘You, sir?” exclaimed Dane, in some 5 STRUCK OIL ~$o I wrote the will as he directed, but, inste: t) despose of, he said, only a small farm in Blank County, Indiana, but“he wanted to leave that to his old friend and former/neighbor, George Dan of inserting the name of George Dane, I pu down my own name, for things had not gone well with me at the mines, and I saw my opportunity, as it was a simple matter to hoodwink a man already half dead. I read the document to him as though it had been written just as he wished it done, and he was satisfied. Two witness were summoned, and he signed it in their pre ence, acknowledging it as his last will and test ment. In half am hour he was dead, and the property which should have passed to Dane be- came mine.” 3: Matthew Rock paused as though exhausted b: the effort he was making, while Harry Dane thoroughly amazed at his confession, regarded him with wide-open eyes, : “J did not immediately come on to claim the Wakeley farm, as had been my intention, for within a day or two luck, which previously ha mocked me, took a sudden change for the better with me,” continued the old hermit, an increasin: shade of weakness showing in his voice. — stayed on at the Creek until I had made a siderable sum of money. Then the bottom di ped out of my claim, and, with the cash IT thus fortunately secured and John Wakeley will in my possession, I made my way to thi State. I established my right to the dese farm, but for some reason I cannot explain eculd not take possession of it. The spirit the dead John Wakeley seemed to fill every nook — and corner of the property, and I felt that” warned me off the place I had so treacher acquired. So I took up my habitation cabin in the marsh, which some one had a doned, Instead of depositing my money in th Prescott bank, I buried it in a spot where I coul 9 always watch over it. From that hour I shunned — the society of. man and became a recluse—an — outcast, as it were. Why I adopted such a cours is beyond me to explain. Some unseen influence gain my actions, and I was powerless to Be sist.” SO Once more the hermit paused, and it was some moments before he resumed again. oe “T met yout father several times and b friendly with him. My conscience urged make a clean breast’ of the matter of the
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STRUCK OIL meee 3 AP gat one product which dwarfs inté insignificance the - ordinary profits of commerce. The lifetime of an - ordinary oil well is that of the lifetime of the - average men, and somé of them appear to be - perpetual and unfailing.” -» The old man’s eyes, until now dull and im- assive, lit up with the light of an enthusiast. _ The exhaustion of a moment before vanished like _ the morning dew under the rays of the rising sun. _ New strength came into his voice, and for the next few minutes he looked like a regenerated - person, . “Statistics show that Indiana ranks third in ‘petroleum production, her oil territory being prac- tically a continuation of the Pennsy!vania fields. - The state has over four hundred gas wells, which have, by supplying cheap fuel, wonderfully cheap- - éned the progress of its manufacturing interests. - The possibility of securmg vast wealth took com- plete possession of my thoughts, Asleep. or _ awake, the idea was always with me, and at last I set on foot a quiet investigation. I had the bowels of the Wakeley farm probed, but not until this morning did I receive the encouraging news ‘I have eagerly looked forward to for so many weeks. It seemed as if Nature had placed every - possible. obstacle in the way of the drillers. ‘only that, but bad luck attended the work .con- tinually. The finest tools broke, the derrick collapsed twice from no apparent reason, the “men deserted at critical moments—everything, in “fact, conspired 4 thwart my efforts to realize the dream of mydife and waste the smal! capital I had with whith to prosecute the enterprise. But the curse that hung about a fraudulently ac- quired property did not deter me, I persevered, determined to win in spite of an adverse fate. And now, when the end seems.to be in sight, when the drilling has at last been successtully accomplished, and a ‘shooter’ has been sent for to try his hand at inducing the oil, which I know is below the surface of the Wakeley farm, to fiow, I am struck down at the moment of victory. It is fated that I was not to profit by the fraud Thad perpetrated. I might have died alone and telpless under the shadow of the scarred oak; but heaven sent you, the son of the man I wronged, to my aid in my hour of need, and to --you I will now make restitution. The Wakeley property is yours by right of inheritance, and it vill make you a wealthy boy.” Matthew Rock fell back on his pillow exhausted, aving Harry Dane wondering if all he had en listening to from the old man’s lips was not {le product of a dream from which he had just ‘awakened. The hermit did not stir for ten minutes, but lay with closed eyes, breathing heavily. Harry, afraid he might die in that state rie * .efore.the arrival of the doctor, gave him an- 4 fluence he seemed to aequire a new lease of his feted strength. , be Quick, my lad, there is no time to lose, for lieve I am failing fast. You will find pen, yk and paper in the drawer of yonder table, ; them and write at my dictation.” humor the old opens : he mat esult from Not: Well, my lad, it is only simple justice, after all. ether drink of the brandy, and under its potent - 'APTER III.—Searching for the Buried Money - > to hum ‘man than because he — iIt from the matter, Harry Dane moved the table over near the bunk and prepared to take down what Matthew Rock had to say. With an eager light in the eyes the © hermit of the marsh dictated what he intended as his last will and testament. He left everything otf which he died possessed—the Wakeley farm, as it stood, together with the old-boring machin- ery and appendages thereto already erected; also the balance of his money, buried in the center of the roots of the searred oak—to Harry Dane, his heirs and assigns. The last words were hardly written before Phil — Deering and Dr. Billings entered the cabin, “T am beyond your aid, doctor,” said the old man, when the physician advanced to the bunk and took up his hand to feel his pulse. “When a man’s time has come, of what earthly use is all the physic. in the world? But I am glad you are here, for I need a witness to legalize an act o restitution already too long delayed.” Dr. Billings, however, proceeded to examine the sufferer. His professional instinct soon told him that Matthew Rock -had spoken truly—that his injuries were fatal, and his span of life was fast drawing to its close. The best he could do was to give the lod hermit a reviving draught, which temporarily brightened him up. ; “Are you sure, doctor, that I am in the full possession of my senses?” he asked, eagerly. ~ “Oh, yes,” replied the physician. “There isn’t the least doubt of that.” “You will be willing to swear, then, that this will I’ve had this lad, write for me represents the exact sentiments of my mind?” “Certainly, if you declare it to be such.” “JT do declare it,” replied Matthew Rock, eager. ly, “The Wakeley farm was actually willed tu George Dane, this boy’s father, by its owner, John Wakeley, but by the fraudulent substitutios of my name in place of Dane’s it was diverted to me.” z : : aes _ This statement surprised’ Dr. Billings and Phil Deering as much as it had previously astonished E Harry Dane. “T have made a full confession of the circum- stances to this lad,” continued the old man, feebly indicating Harry, who stood near the foot of the bunk. “All that now remains is for me to sign that paper in your presence.” : He motioned toward the sheet of writing which lay upon the table. A book was brought, the paper placed upon it, and the pen placed between iMlatthew Rock’s fingers by the doctor. The her- mit traced his signature in a tolerably clear hand. “Now, doctor, you and the other lad will please attest. my signature.” : : Dr. Billings and Phil Deering wrote their names as witnesses to the document. That completed all necessary formalities, pass “Doctor, you will see that Harry Dane comes * — into his own, will you not?” ; BE S “Certainly. There should be no difficulty about
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o. co ;. STRUCK OIL — oe Jtrusion, the doctor returning to his home and the boys going on to their respective farms, Next morning, Harry, after notifying the proper village official of Matthew Rock’s death, started out in company with Phill Deering to in- _ vestigate the roots of the scarred oak and see if the hermit had really buried hig money in that spot.” ; “You're a lucky boy, Harry,” said Phil, as the two walked along the high road in the diretcion of the dead hermit’s cabin. ~ On their way home the previous’ night .Dane told his friend all that took place between Matt- -hew- Rock and himself in the house while he (Phil) was away after the doctor. “Tf things turn out as they promise to do, I am willing to believe I am,” answered Harry, with some enthusiasm. “What did your mother say when you told her?” “She was very much astonished.” “TJ should think she would be. So was my ‘ father and mother, when I/told them of the ad- venture we had, You will get the Wakeley prop- erty, anyhow, for my father said there is no doubt but Matthew Rock was its recognized owner, and consequently had a perfect right to will it to whom he chose.” “Tt is not a very valuable, farm in its present dilapidated state.” _ “That’s true enough. Folks have often won- dered why Matthew Rock never made an effort to put it into proper shape after John Wakeley’s will was recorded and the court had finally pass- _* ed upon his legal right to its ownership.” Rit “Tt was a case of a disturbed conscience, if I _ am to judge from the old man’s confession last night.” ; _ There was something out of the usual order of things behind it all. I know several persons offered to. lease the farm-and work it either on shares or for so much annual rent, but he wouldn’t have it. It is a fact, however, that he did offer it for sale once, but shortly withdrew it from the market, without giving any reason therefor.” “All I ever knew about him. until last night was that he was generally regarded asa queer ‘mean, who seemed to distrust and keep aloof from » the world generally.” F *That’s right. Just why he preferred to live in. a lonesome cabin in the swamp-land, miles away from his own property, which he permitted to go to ruin and decay, puzzled a good many ~~ people.” “That was his own funeral, and no one had any right to inquire into his motives. There are a lot of eccentric people in this world, you know.” PA» “You remember, it was four months’ ago that he started that gang of men, under a man named + Dan Brackett, on the farm boring for oil,” _. “I remember it well enough, and I have heard people say that the work would amount to noth- ‘ing. “hey claimed this county is out of the oil- prodxiving belt.” : - “That?s what my father says, too, He took no - glock, inthe old man’s scheme. When, after _ the preliminary surveys and so-called tapping, m. ain he unsightly derrick was built and an reas Bed 5 5 ‘Whether there’s much or little there now is a boring was begun, he laughed oe said it of murder aga Bae athe y Wie na a a Mewtahe ‘. ARE was a waste of good money, and that the only result would be a ‘dry hole.’” ther “Well, the old man told me last night that the boring had been completed and a ‘shooter’ sent for — tu dynamite the bottom.” “Ts that so?” : “That’s what Matthew Rock said. He had the’ most astonishing faith that oil would be tapped. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if his dream turned out to be a fact?” cried Harry, with some ex- ~ citement in his tones, eee “It would be a wonderfully luck thing for you, all right,” replied his friend, almost enviously. “Why, you would be able to get a mint of money out of the old place.” 4 “TJ should suddenly become a sort of modern Monte Cristo, wouldn’t 1?” “That’s what you would.” “'m afraid such a happy result is too to be true.” z f “Qh, stranger things than,that have happened.” _~ “Sure they have; but, all the same, ’m not banking very heavily on such a result.” ; “If you struck oil you’d have a lot of specula- ters at yours heels at once.” : -“All prepared to do me up if they could, eh?” “That isn’t any lie. You’d have to be on your _ guard. It would be up to you to figure out a good price for the property, unless you proposed es good — sr to work it yourself.” Bee: “T’d need a good bit of money to attempt that.” — “Well, perhaps we'll find a tidy bunch at the — foot of the scarred oak this morning where the eld fellow directed you to dig for his wealth, He didn’t give you any idea how much he had, did— he?” : Dane shook his head. : “He didn’t mention any sum at all. All T unt derstood from him was that the roots of the oak, — where we found him last night was his-bank. | problem. He must have spent a good deal during : the last four months in his efforts to locate the — oil he had in his mind, The men haven’t worked steadily, it is true, but for all that he was under — considerable expense, (fo8 “Tl bet he was. Look at that derrick and all the tools we’ve ‘seen around here, not to speak of that big tank, now almost completed, which he had put up, so sure was he that oil would re- sult from the boring’ he had under way. I’m afraid you may consider yourself lucky if you — find any money at all left.” ae “Well, we shall soon know,” said Harry, as they \ came in sight of the cabin. bales Dane had left the key of the house with ¢ village official when he notified him of Matthew
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dence he and Phil could furnish to bring them to trial. ‘ / y _ Taking possesion of the spade, the boys made a line for the scarred oak. Selecting a small open space in the very center of the twisted roots, Harry commenced to dig, while Phil looked on with great interest and anticipation, As -spadeful after spadeful of earth was taken out of the hole their holes began to sink. “Maybe I haven’t struck the right spot,” said Harry, in a tone of disappointment. “He mentioned that particular spot, didn’t he?” “He did.” “Well, dig all around the roots, and if nothing comes of it I’ll begin to think the old fellow was Bates Olle” “He spoke so earnestly about his money, and * took Such pains to impress upon me the exact _. place where he said he kept it, that I shall be much cut up if I don’t find it.” “TT don’t wonder, Harry, it is tough to have one’s anticipations nipped in the bud.” Just. then the edge of Dane’s spade encoun- tered an obstruction. He began to toss the dirt 5 out faster, while Phil knelt down eagerely to get ~~ a look at the object as it came into view. CHAPTER IV.—The New Owner of the Wakeley ee Farm Visits the Property. ; It proved to be an ordinary japanned iron box wrapped in heavy brown paper. Phil lifted it out by the handle, “It’s not very heavy,” he remarked; “but that doesn’t cut any ice, for paper money is ligha, you know.” - He shook it. : “There’s a package in there all right—a bunch -of money, I suppose. Allow me to congratulate you, old man.” : : _ “Don’t be in too much of a hurry, Phil. Might be a packet of old papers, for all we can tell now.” : “Well, open it; then we can settle the matter.” “T wish I could.” : “Tidn’t the old man give you the key?” - *No. He forgot, I suppose, and I never thought to ask him.” : : ? “He probably has it on his clothes, then, We'll have to wait around the cabin till Mr, Boothby shows up to take the body to his undertaking shop.” They did not bother to fill up the hole, but, taking the iron box, returned to the cabin and sat down on the outside in the glorious morning unshine. It was two long hours before they eard the wheels of Mr. Boothby’s wagon comin along the road, i : ~ “You'd better run and show him the way here, hil,” suggested Dane. “He won't be able to bring his wagon all the way. Tell him to tie up the edge of the woad.” aos hil accordingly started off to meet the village on In due time Harry saw Mr. Boothby and ee 7 _ STRUCK OIL Se ly closed as the physician had fixed them, just as they had left him the night before. “T want to find the key to this box,” said Harry tu Mr. Boothby. “He ought to have it somewhere about his person.” s : ‘The undertaker searened the dead man’s poc- kets, and the key was finally found in an inner pocket of his vest. “Dane placed the box on the tuble, found that the key fitted the lock, and opened it without difficulty. The contents of the box consisted of a package of bills. “The old man had money, after all, just as people thought,” remarked Mr. Boothby. “Why wouldn’t he have it?” asked Phil, “He couldn’t earry on his oil-digging operations on wind, could he?” “Well, hardly,” admitted the undertaker. “Where did you boys find that box?” he added, curiously. “Where the old man told Dane to look for it.” “And to whom will this money go? The county, I supose, will take charge of it until the old fellow’s heirs, if any, turn up.” “Not on your life,” replied Phil. “Matthew os left his farm and his money to Harry ane. f “Ts it possible!” exclaimed the undertaker, in great surprise. “Did he make a will?” “That’s what he did.” : “How much money is in that bunch?” Mr, Boothby asked, with avaricious eagerness. “T shan’t count it now,” replied Harry, “but I should say there ig quite a bunch. I shall hand iv pale te my mother, who is administratrix under e will. “You ought to give the old man a pretty de- . cent funeral,” said Mr. Boothby, eager to turn a few dollars of the wad in his own direction. “T mean to—a first-class one.” “Then I presume I may wait on your mother for my orders in that respect,” said Mr. Boothby, a bit obsequiously. “No. I will call at your house thig afternoon and make all the necessary arrangements for the burial.” 2 “Very well, Master Dane. Prescott early to-morrow. Now, if you young gentlemen will help me lift the body into the box, and then carry the box to my wagon, we will get this little matter over with.” It was not a job that either Harry or Phil relished, as they were not used to handling a~ corpse; but it had to be done, so of course they offered no objection to lending a hand, - After the body had been removed from the house Harry locked the door and retained possession of the The two boys rode part of the key himself, way to the village on Mr. then they went to the Dane farmhouse. You can select the style of casket you prefer and I will get it from”
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ae ane STRUCK OIL 7~ hew Rock must have made quite a wad at Cripple Creek, for he certainly has spent many thousand dollars looking for oil‘ on the Wakeley farm.” “A fruitless search, I am afraid,” she replied, shaking her head as if she had but little faith in such an enterprise. “Well, mother, that remains to be seen.” “Surely, my son, you do not propose to spend any of this money in following up such a wild- goose chase?” she asked, in some surprise. - “Well, I tell you, mother, I mean to test the boring which, I understand, has just been com- pleted. It wotld be foolish not to do that. In fact, a professional ‘shooter’ and the necessary nitroglycerine has already been sent for and are expected to arrive in a day or two. If the ex- periment proves a failure, we will then decide, after taking Mr. Brackeit’s advice, whether we will throw up the whole thing or make another attempt to find oil.” “Very well, Harry. wishes in the matter. think for yourself.” ' “Tf we could strike a big gusher, that would be better than a gqld mine,” cried Harry, en- thusiastically. “Provided, of course, that you could market the woods,” interjected Phil. “What's to prevent me?” ; “You'd have to get the railroad to furnish you with tank cars, so you could get your raw ma- terial to the refinery.” “What's the matter with sending it in barrels?” “You’d have to have a lot of them, for my ‘father says a first-class gusher will turn out ' from three hundred and fifty to four hundred barrels of crude oil in a month. If you tapped oil in one spot, you ought to be able to tap it in another, so &s to increase your output. You'd want to raise. capital right off and go into busi- ness shipshape, in order to make money. If it was me, I’d form a company and have myseli elected president of it,”. grinned Phil, ~ “Well, Phil, we mustn’t hullo till we’re out of the wood.. Time enough to consider all that when we have actually struck oil, If we be- vin counting our chickens before they’re hatched we might suffer a terrible disappointment.” “That’s right, too, Phil. Let?s go over and see what Mr. Brackett thinks about the situa- tion. You haven’t notified him yet of the old _man’s death, and that you have succeeded to the property.” So the boys went over to the Wakeley farm, Harry carrying Matthew Rock’s will with him to show to Dan Brackett. They found Brackett with the. working gang clearing away the rig- ging and the drill tools from the towering der- yick in readiness for the “shooter,” who was ex- pected to arrive on the following day with the uecessary quantity of nitroglycerine. “Hello, boys,” greeted the foreman, in his - genial way. “Fine day, isn’t it?” ' “Sure,” teplied Phil. | “Y see you’re getting ready to shoot the well, as they call it,” said Harry. “That looks as if you really thought you were going to find oil.” - “That’s right,” replied Brackett. “We’ve ac- tually struck oil-bearing rock, but, as there’s no flow, we’ve going to stir it up with a nitrogly- I shall not oppose your .You are old enough to -ecrine spill. If you want to see a great sight, come around early to-morrow afternoon. We expect to have the expert here by that time. Mr. Rock will be tickled to death when the oil spouts.” f “No, he won’t, Mr. Brackett,” replied Harry, solemnly. : “He won’t!” exclaimed Brackett, with a grin. Me just. come around to-morrow and watch im.” - “T see you haven’t heard the’ news,” said the 3 boy, \ “What news?” “About Mr. Rock.” “What abovt him?” , “I’m sorry to tell you, Mr. Brackett, but Matt- : 2 hew Rock is dead,” “Is what?” gaspod the foreman of the derrick gang. ~“He’s dead. k down near his cabin last night in the mids. vi .he thunder storm by scoun- drels whose object was evidently robbery.” “My gracious! is it possible?” ejaculated Brac- kett. “Just on the eve of success, too. What will become of the.Wakeley farm now? I wonder who will come into| possession of it?” , “Read that paper, Mr. Brackett,” said Harry, handing him the will. tin on the subject.” CHAPTER V.—Struck Oil. “Am I to understand that you are the new owner of Wakeley- farm, young man?” asked Dan Brackett, looking at Harry Dane “That’s what the paper says, Mr. Brackett. does it not?” replied Harry, with a smile. Be “Tt certainly does. Rock took so much interest in ‘you. don’t remember ever hearing him mention your name. ‘ man.” “Deuced peculiar, with all due respect to his memory, now that he'is dead. He was, the most peculiar man I think I ever met, and I run across some odd ones.” “For reasons which I may not explain, Mr. Rock believed it to be his duty to leave all his ~ property to me,” ‘ “Then I must congratulate you, said the foreman of the derrick gang, heartily, “for it’s my opinion you have come into sion of a fortune.” “You mean in case oil is struck posses- on this place.” | “That’s exactly what I do mean, and I may — tell you that the prospects of a flow of oil are exceedingly bright, I mentionéd before that we had struck oil-bearing rock. To-morrow wil prove that the oil is there, or all signs will go for nothing. In what direction this streak of — oil runs, or how wide it is, we have not yet been able to determine. We have made several bor. ings without result, and I was beginning to be lieve the old man was off on the subject, when we made the strike of rock here. By followin; up this lead we ought in time uncover a rounc dozen or more first-class gushers.” ; “You really believe, then, that there is o der this farm, Mr. Brackett?” asked Dane, Unafiected eagernessi.s (2 j- cata ee ae Peers eee OM ey I was not aware that Mr. — Infact “Matthew Rock, you must admit, was a peculiar SS have Harry Dane,” 3 It will give full informa- — : ate od
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- \ “I certainly do, now. And when we shake the bottom of this well to-morrow I expect to see my opinion satisfactorily proven.” “At any vate it is lucky that Matthew Rock built that big tank which I see the men are finishing.” “Most lucky.” “How much will it hold?” “About five hundred barrels.” Phil listened in some astonishment to the con- -~-versation between his chum and the foreman of the derrick gang. Until that,moment he really had had but little faith that oil would actually -be found on the Wakeley farm. Now he realized that within twenty-four hours the county was likely to be startled by wonderful news that would set more thah ene farmer in a fever of hope that _ the oil tract might run underneath his own prop- erty, too. - . Harry Dane explained to Dan Brackett that, as he was under age, all business arrangements would have to be completed through his mother, who had been named executrix of the will, which __- would be filed in the Prescott County Court after ' the funeral of Matthew Rock. ; “As her representative, whatever orders I give you will go,” said Harry. : “Certainly; I understand that,” replied the - foreman, respectfully. Z ; After some further conversation Harry and his friend departed, both of them assuring Brackett - that they would be on hand the following after- noon to witness the’ shooting of the well pro- vided the expert arrived. ~ 7 Accordingly, after dinner on the ensuing day, - Harry and Phil put in an appearance at the - Wakeley farm, where they were met by Dan Brackett, who informed the new owner of the - property that the “shooter” had arrived and was ‘preparing to undertake his hazardous job. As he foreman and the two boys were making their “way to the pasture where the unsightly derrick stood, marking the site of the boring, they saw os himself walking gingerly across the ‘fields, bearing in either hand a tin can of the explosive fluid. ~ “Tt wouldn’t be me that would carry that stuff across that field—not on your tintype!” said Phil, watching the daring “shooter” with an anxious eye. “Supposing he was to trip over a rock?” . “Tf the stuff exploded I’m afraid he’d vanish a cloud of smoke and flame, and we wouldn’t xeover enough pieces to make a respectable - funeral,” replied Brackett. : “The man must have a wonderful nerve,” re- marked Harry, following the man’s retreating figure with undisguised admiration... _ - “He gets paid in proportion to the risk he as- mes,” said the foreman. ¥ ‘Exeuse me,” replied Phil “I wouldn’t take 1is chances for all the oil there may be under penis farm.) ag zt “Tt is undoubtedly a-risky means of livelihood,” ied Brackett, “but he’s used to it. Just the e, you notice he isn’t taking any chances.” ie derrick the ghooter made a second trip eross the fields, bearing long coils of rope and wo glistening tin tubes, together with a heavy sili =e ea as well STRUCK OIL _ though it were a golden nugget he had just ‘that for?” asked Phil, _ again. fter depositing his dangerous burdens close » tance from the derrick, which had been stripped of every movable object, such as planks, tools and the like, all of which had been taken away and stored in one of the sheds. iy “What is the man doing now?” asked Phil of his chum, who was watching the expert through a pair ‘of powerful field-glasses, en “He is arranging one of the shining tubes i a safe position to receive its charge of nitrogly- cerine.” 7 : ; 3 ; “Gracious! I’m beginning to get nervous,” said Deering, gripping the top of the snake fence, : behind which they stood, looking down the gentle => declivity toward the scene of action. = “Now he’s lifting one of the cans of explosive —~ . stuff,” reported Harry, with his eyes glued to the field-glass. “He’s uncorking the can, resting : it upon his bent knee, and holding it as tight as iA pieked out of the earth.” : “It’s pretty ticklish business, bet your life,” — replied » Phil. : “Now he’s inserting a funnel in the torpedo opening,” continued Harry, in-a-tone that quiv- ered a little with excitement. “Now he tips the can to allow the thick, yellowish stuff to flow. —__ down into the torpedo tube.” ; “Let me have a look,” palpitated’ Phil. i Harry resigned the glass to him in time to see: the expert fill the second tube without accident. — “Say, the fellow is wiping the sides of the tubes = with his pocket handkerchief. He seems to be oF # awful careful about it, too. What is he doing “Tt won’t do to leave the least atom of nitro- glycerine on them,” said Brackett, who rejoined — them at that moment. “The friction in lowering the tubes down the iron tube of the well might — lead to a premature explosion if he were not very careful in seeing they were-clear of even — a suspicion of the explosive.” see “He’s lowering the tubes down now with his ~ ropes.” . : > “The worst of his peril will be over in a mo- ment or two, then,” replied Brackett. Neaieag “T'm glad of it,” said Harry, fervently. eEe “The fellow is mighty thankful himself, too, in spite of his dare-devil way of carrying him- self,” said the foreman, : e “Tl bet he is,” agreed Phil, with a sickly — sort of grin. —S “Now he’s got hold of that pointed iron cy- linder,” said Harry, who had taken the glasses “That’s what he drops down the tube on top of the nitroglycerine to set’ it off, isn’t it, Mr. Brackett?” : eo: “Yes. . You'll hear and feel the explosion in a minute. Just watch when he starts to run away from the derrick and then you'll know it’s com- ing.” ‘ eeu “There he goes,” cried Phil, in gre&t excitement, Suddenly the ground beneath their feet wa shaken by a dull, heavy explosion, evidently in the very bowels of the earth. ; :
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10 column of dark liquid, of a brownish hue, spread- “ing out a short distance above the mouth of the pipe until it enveloped the entire upper half of the derrick, totally obscuring it, and rising far above the top of the structure, to fall back upon itself, churned into an oily spray iridiescent with changing hues of green and amber. In a moment - the land for many yards around the derrick was ~~ flooded with crude petroleum. “Great Scott!” exclaimed Harry Dane, almost wild with delight, as he realized the true signi- ficance of that spouting liquid. “I have indeed struck oil!” - CHAPTER VI.—Disposing of the Crude Oil. Phil Deering stood in the open-mouthed wonder, watching the, crude petroleum shooting skyward. It was certainly a great sight. The derrick gang, under the direction of Dan Brackett, were pre- paring to get the oil under control and pipe it to the big tank, to which the builders were then put- ting the finishing touches. : : “This is great, isn’t it, Phil?” remarked Harry, at length. ; a “Bet your life it is,” was the answer, — “Have you seen enough? I must rush home *~and carry the news to mother,” said Dane “And it’s me to my old man as fast as I can, . go,” grinned Phil. “Won’t he stare when I tell him! He said this morning it was all bosh to think oil would be found in this country.” “Your father said that, did he?” “He did.” “He'll have to alter his opinion now,” laughed Harry. - *PT] bet he will. That’s a good one I’ve got on him.” 3 . The boys parted at an adjacent lane. The in- telligence of the discovery of petroleum on the Wakeley farm was all over the neighborhood in a ~ few hours, and a regular pilgrimage of curious people set in toward the scene of the oil opera- sine qos The owners of farms in the immediate - neighborhood were greatly excited, and talked ~ about probing their own property in search of ‘the desirable fluid. There was a large gathering on the following day at the funeral of Matthew Rock, which was conducted from the village church, Mrs. Dane had purchased a small grave plot in the pleasantest part of the rural cemetery, and had spared no reasonable expense in paying ~ respect to the memory of the eccentric man who had made restitution to the family at the eleventh borhood ext day t is nd p STRUCK OIL = the subject of the petroleum discovery at th Wakeley farm, and asked his professional advice as to the method of making the best use of thei good fortune. Lawyer Hale was an old friend cf — the Danes, and. mother and son knew they could Wpeneeny depend upon whatever suggestions he offered. : able fortune in sight. i reached his majority he ought to be a wealthy young man.” ; zi “It’s better to be born lucky than rich, isn’t. it, My. Hale?” grinned Harry, who was a favorite — not only with the lawyer, but also with his pretty daughter, Eloise, on whom he frequently found an — excuse to call. : : The legal gentleman smiled good-naturedly. — “There is something in that, I dare say. Now, in reference to this oil—let me know how matters _ stand on the Wakeley farm at this moment.” Harry described, as far as he knew, the present cendition of affairs at the farm. s _ “J will see Dan Brackett this afternoon and get a detailed account from him of the history of Mat thew Rock’s endeavors to discover this oil, gether with a full statement of all expenses curred to date, paid and unpaid.”* oe “That’s right. But Mr. Rock must have kept — some record of the cost of this work. You haven't searched his cabin, have you, for any books papers that helonged to him?” : = “Not yet, sir. I locked the house vn after w removed the body, on the morning following hi death, and have not been near it since.” “J should advise you to go there at once a take possession of all his personal property a turn it over to your mother.” eke “J will do so, sir.” : ; “You say that you have found the: money that~ Mr. Rock told you he had buried at a certain spot in the marsh?”” , I ae “Yes, sir. Phil Deering was with me when dug it up, and Mr. Boothby was present whe opened the japanned box and found.a package of bills, which I afterward. counted and. found to amount to a little over six thousand dollars.” “Which you handed to your mother, I suppose’ \ “Certainly.” eee “It was fortunate you got this money, as will surely need it, or a portion of it, at any rate, to straighten things up at the Wakeley far You are exceptionally-lucky in having a comple tank of five hundred barrels’ capacity to s the first of your oil. I suppose you have not sidered the question as to whether you’ll m arrangements to sell the crude material to a finery as it comes from the earth, or wheth will consider an outside proposition to dispo or lease. your rights to the product of the } erty?" > :
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STRUCK OIL such as laying down a track from the farm to Prescott and runing tank cars direct to the prop- - erty, or piping it to the railroad at Prescott, are hardly to be considered at this stage of the game, when we have only one gusher at work. The large oil companies in Delaware County, with their thirty or forty odd producing wells, ‘have laid down pipes and conected with the Indiana Pipe Oil Trust—that is, most of them have. Dan Brackett says their average cost of production per barrel, piped, is eight cents, and they receive eighty-three cents for the same, which represents a pretty big profit.” “J should think so,” replied Mr. Hale. “The price of Indiana oil has been as high as ene dollar and thirty-one cents a barrel, and I saw it stated in the papers that old oil men as- sert it will go to that figure again. Some believe jt will even go beyond that and reach one dollar and fifty cents within a few months.” “J advise you to continue drilling and testing the property under Brackett’s direction,” said the lawyer. “I have heard that he is thoroughly ex- ~ perienced at the business. I will have an inter- ‘view with him myself in a day: or two, and per- haps between us we can shape the policy of this _ hew oil field.” ‘ ~The discovery of petroleum in Blank County * was soon heralded throughout the State, and quite a number of strangers visited the Wakeley farm and made pertinent inquiries on the subject. Mrs. Dane received two or three offers to lease the property from mysterious individuals who de- clined to tell whom they represented and one foxy-looking person, after going over the farm and pumping Dan Brackett to some purpose, wanted to buy the place outright. All of those people were referred to Lawyer Hale, and he declined to consider any of the propositions sub- mitted. Harry Dane, as general manager of the new industry, made arrangements to furnish the ‘erude oil to the Independent refinery at Liberty. He had a lange number of barrels shipped to Prescott, and these were duly carried out to the ‘4farm.. The barrels were filled, sent to Prescott, by wagon and dispatched by rail to Liberty. There seemed to be no difficulty about transportation, and, while this method greatly reduced profits, it: was, on the whole, fairly satisfactory under existing conditions, In the meantime Dan Brack- ett kept a gang at work drilling in a new place, ‘and the indications promised a second successful -gusher. . "Lawyer Hale decided that the prospects war- ~yanted the outlay of a portion of the six thou- sand dollars in the erection of a second five-hun- -dred-barrel tank, and work upon it was immedi- ately begun. Thus several weeks passed away. Considerable activity was, during this time, ob- __ served on many of the neighboring farms, their Ny erie if ’ _powners having obtained the services of experi- “enced men to test and in many instances drill the gidund for oil-bearing rock. This work received renewed impetus when a second well was success- fully shot on the Wakeley farm, and the product of Harry Dane’s property rose to oyer seven hundred barrels per month, There was a creek which came within half a mile of the farm, flowing past the village and afterward emptying into the Mississinewa River. Sea are: ks ‘his creek had its rise in the swamp land, on the 11 border of which Matthew Rock had lived for so many years, and it skirted a portion of the Deer- ing farm. Harry Dane and his friend Phil were walking along its banks late one Sunday after- noon, when an idea suddenly occurred to Harry. “Do you know, Phil, I’d like to arrange with your father to build a small wharf somewhere along here.” “What for?” asked Phil, in some surprise. - “To ship my oil by water to Liberty, down the Mississinewa. It should be ever so much cheaper than carting the barrels away over to the rail- road at Prescott, as we’re doing now. I’m obliged to pay a pretty stiff rate for transportation of the oil, and also for the return of the empties, not to speak about the time and labor in carrying the barrels to and from the station.” “That isn’t a bad idea,” replied his chum. “J could charter a sloop to make regular trips to and from Liberty. We have now over seven hundred barrels a month, and we are drilling a third well, so the prospect of one thousand bar- rels a month is pretty bright.” “And you’re getting eighty-three cents a bar-~ rel for your oil?” = “Yes; but I understand that the price will be advanced by the trust next month.” “T should say so, This discovery of oil up here is going to prove a godsend to the Independent refinery at Liberty.” bed : “How is that?” “The owners of the refinery say they are be- ginning to experience some difficulty in getting the crude oil to refine.” . “Haven’t they a large supply in Delaware Coun- ty to draw from?” : “They did have, but the trust is rapidly cut- ting down this supply.”. i “How?” “By securing control of the greater part of the Delaware County output.” “Ts that>so?” “Sure thing, All the big producing companies are now connected by a complete pipe line system with the Indiana Pipe Line Company—that’s a branch of the trust, and in that way dispose of their entire product at the cheapest possible rate.” “My father said there was a movement on foot among the independent producers to pipe their. oil independent of the trust.” ; “T heard so, too; but it will take a great deal of money to carry it through. The Liberty people informed me that, while there are enough in- dependent producers outside of the pipe sytem, ~ -and who rely upon tank cars for transporting their oil, they find it almost impossible to get the railroad to furnish half enough cars. The result ee is, they can only get a portion of their stuff to Liberty, and therefore are gradually surrender- ing to the trust.” . “T see.” i “Now, as my oil is fast becoming an object of © importance, I am anxious to get out of the clutch of the railroad company before they begin to turn the screws on me.” : } “You've got a great hea@ Harry. It is the © e prepared for all part cf a. wise general to emergencies.” : } Bolte the wart think.” 5: Pid eee [ave you ever been approached by the agents ‘elite teh? SNe ne ae ae
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“Twice, I think.” “You think! Don’t you know?” “No. The other day Mr. Hale, our lawyer, had -an offer from a trust agent for the oil under our property, but it was so ridiculously small that he promptly turned it down. The man afterward came out to the farm and snooped around some, had a talk with Dan Brackett, dropped sundry ~ hints that we’d find it greatly to our advantage to sell out to the trust, and intimated that if we re- fused we might greatly regret it.” ; “Do you think the trust controls the railroad : ee the coupnty?” . “Tl bet it does. And I’ll bet the rate is going to be raised on us to Liberty, too. That’s why want to provide an outlet for my oil by way of the creek and the Mississinewa River. I can then snap my finger at the railroad, and the trust too, for that matter.” CHAPTER VII.—Real American Grit. Harry Dane went home with Phil and had sup- per at his house that night. Then he broached ~ the subject of the wharf to Mr. Deering. Phil’s father was not averse to accommodating the bright boy, and thought the idea of an outlet ’ from his. oil by water was a firstclass plan. ~ “J am bound to say, Harry,” he remarked, “that I do not sympathize with the methods of the Oil - Trust. The big combine is altogether too ra- - pacious. It wants the whole hog, and practically tells the independent people -to get off the earth.” “Tt surely looks that way. The trust is un- doubtedly trying to force the concern at Liberty out of business.” “That’s right, And you will find, as soon ag ou open a few more wells, that pressure will be rought to bear on you to sell out, or at least, dispose of your output to the trust. Should you enter into such an agreement, I’ll wager you will ‘be able to have a track laid right down to the | farm, and you will get all the tank cars you need.” Siete “T have no doubt but that is what I should have - to expect if I didn’t have the creek to fall back on, The independent refinery at Liberty is only too glad to take all the oil I can send it, and I guess it’ll get it in spite of the trust.” “Apparently so, but don’t lose sight of the fact that the opposition people are not asleep. -They’ll,devise some means of euchring you when ~-your output becomes of sufficient importance to attract their special attention.” ; “Oh, I am not afraid of them as long as the In- dependent refinery keeps going.” ree “But can you even guess how long the Liberty concérn will continue in business?” : “Why, I don’t believe they have any idea of “ stopping,” replied Harry, somewhat startled at this, 2; “You can’t tell. The conditions which confront that establishment at present are in no respect different from those which are being met by other refiners in different parts of the State, as STRUCK OIL look in Blank County. stiff proposition these days. The only hope I see for them is in combining, where there are a num- ber in a district, and then controlling a refinery for themselves. Even then they will find that the — railroads will put up transportation rates on the finished article. The trust can get rebates, owing to its encrmous business and control of the stock — in the various roads, that are refused to outside — parties.” : : = “Well, I suppose I can count on you allowing me | the privilege of building a wharf on your prop- _ erty, on this side of the creek, and that I can have the right of way through your farm for my oil barrels.” 3; ee “You can, I will be glad to help you beat the ~ opposition in any way that lies in my power.” “Thank you, Mr. Deering.” A couple of weeks later a third productive well was shot successfully on the Wakeley propert and a third tank puilt to accommodate the flow. This raised the output of Harry Dane’s crude o industry to over one thousand barrels a month, all of which was now being shipped by water to. Liberty. The independent refinery had contracted to take the entire supply, and as much more ag — the Wakeley interests could furnish. About thi time. oil was found on the property next to the Wakeley farm, The fortunate owner was a mid dle-aged farmer named Bennett. As soon as Har ty heard about it he rushed over to see him, __ “I see you have joined the ranks of th lucky ones,” he said to Mr. Bennett, Fie “Ym glad to say that it looks that way,” re plied the happy agriculturist, eye “Well, as soon as you are ready to ship, y. went to send it by water to the Independent re finery at Liberty. They’ll take all you have t¢ sell at the highest market rate. The price, the way, hag just been advanced to ninety-on cents a barrel.” eee “So I saw by the papers. You have three wells producing now, haven’t you?” ; “T have, and two more under way.” ~ “You’re going into the thing wholesale, are you, young man?” ‘Ym going to get all there’s to be got out it. ; “That’s right. So am I, only I’m a bit press for cash.” ~ ; Fae “I hope you won’t sell out to the trust people,’ “Not if I can help it.” . “IT want you to show a stiff front. ‘T’ve been talking the matter up among those who are pros pecting for oil-producing rock on their property, I find they’re all willing, in case they strike oi to combine against the extortion of the trust. think we can depend on the Independent refine In fact, I’m sure we can, if we can furnish with enough crude oil to keep their work, operation.” heat ieee “Well, I’m with you,” replied Mr. Bennett, w apparent earnestness. : nes Harry was satified that the new producer mea well, and intended to leave no stone unturne keep him in line, That same week anothe was shot’with success on another adjacent. and the oil industry began to take on a About this time t “a e looking dividual
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STRUCK OIL _ timated that the Dane family might regret hav- ' ing turned him down. Harry wes perfectly sat- isfied that if the oil product of the neighborhood was concentrated on Liberty they could keep well to the windward of the trust. With the begin- ning of Indian summer a fourth well came into operation. on the Wakeley property and several new ones began to spout on the adjacent prop- erties. Harry took on himself the management of the transportation end leaving the producing end to Dan Brackett; who had been advanced to as- sistant general manager, at a satisfactory salary. One morning, soon after the fourth well began to get down to business, Harry received a letter from the general freight agent of the D. G. & M. railroad, the line which passed by Prescott and connected with a big trunk line running into In- -dianapolis, with an outlet to all points north, _ south, east and west. The communication intim- ated that the company was prepared to submit a — proposal looking to the carriage by rail of the - entire output of the Wakeley petroleum product as far as Megrim, a town where the trust had a _ big refinery in operation. The company agreed - to build a track to the property and furnish all the necessary tank cars for the transportation of _ the oil at such a figure per car for a specific * Jength of time. Harry laughed and carried the letter to Lawyer Hale. After a consultation with the young manager, the legal gentleman notified the railroad company that the Daneoil would, for _ the present, at least, continue to be forwarded to a year’s charter had been entered into with the ~-owner of the two sloops engagéd in the transpor- - tation, ; “The trust is evidently at the back of this offer from the railroad company,” said Harry. “I guess your letter will provide them with food for re- “flection.” : “T dare say,” nodded Mr. Hale. “But don’t for- get that. you have now put yourself squarely on xecord against the trust, and you must be pre- pared to hear from them in some way, Eternal vigilance hereafter will be the price you must pay for independence. Beware of some artful trick. Look out that your transportation man 1s not tampered with.” ~ «“T have a regular contract with him.” - “Pon’t trust teo much to that.” “Hfe’s making money out of us, with prospects of more in the near future. He’d be a fool to go “The trust people may find it to their interests > buy him. off” ben “Then Vll start a new transportation line my- gelf,” said Harry, resolutely. ; x ‘Lawyer Hale looked at the young man admir- a if like your pluck, Harry. You’ve got the real American grit; but, remember, it is American eraft and perseverance you’re up against. In a diamond-cut-diamond contest the biggest man ‘wins, and you know who the biggest man is in this case.” CHAPTER VII.—The Three Plotters. ird sloop was added to the transportation hat carried the oil from the wharf on th 2 a the Independent refinery at Liberty by water, as « “Material used 18 Deering property to Liberty. This was made necessary by the amount of petroleum which Har- ry Dane arranged for shipment from the outside producers, of which there were now four in the neighborhood. He was making a strong effort to keep those people in line as independents, but all of them were more or less handicapped by lack - of money, and had to depend solely on the money they now received for the crude material, though the smart} progressive boy was opposed to trusts in general, he was in favor of a com- munity of, interests—that is, a combination of the independent producers for the purpose of market- ing their product on the most favorable lines. It was getting on toward the end of fall, and a fifth well was in working order on the Wakeley farm, when the Danes heard from an emissary of the Oil Trust again, Apparently the Dane interests - were recognized as the controlling force in the oil industry in Blank County, for Lawyer -Hale, their legal representative, was approached with a proposition the object of which was the formation of a single company, in which it was proposed to merge all the producers of the district, under exceptionally favorable conditions. The Indiana Pipe Line Company was ready to lay a pipe line right into the heart of the oil region of Blank County and contract for the entire supply, present and future, at ninety-one cents a barrel. It was an enticing proposal on its face. Harry, however, refused to consider it and a polite negative was - forwarded to the party who had submitted the ~ matter. The scheme, however, gave Harry Dane ~ an idea, which he proposed to follow up in hisown way, E About three weeks later Harry, returning from the boat-landing in the creek to his home, in t dusk of the evening, noticed three disreputable- looking men slouching along through the bushes ahead of him. Their actions were so suspicious 2 that the boy kept his eye upon them. Somehow oo he had an idea he had seen these men efore. _ He kept their figures in view as well as he could in the gathering darkness, determined to find out interests. They climbed the fence where Mr. Deer- ing’s farm joined his mother’s place and slunk along beside it without making any effort to go toward the Dane farmhouse. Harry was relieved to find that the men avere‘not making toward hig home but all the same he decided to follow them up until he saw they had actually left the limits of his land. The course they were pursuing, how- . whether or not their intentions were hostile to hig _ zt s ever, was certain to bring them eventually to the Wakeley farm, which joined the Dane property on the west. Harry Wondered if their real object. was a short cut toward the nearest country road. | This hardly seemed possible, as the road could be reached in a more direct way. At last they reached the fence between the Dane and Wakeley — . farms, climbed over,-and made direct for the tall, — gaunt derrick which marked the location of oil well No. 5—the one which had but-recently been. shot. On one side of the unsightly pile was a small house, in which Dan Brackett had taken up his residence, with his sister for housekeeper; on the other ran a-low stone wall for some dis- tance. Close to this wall a shed had been erected to store the drilling tools, rope, lumber and other in the late boring. The three m fe wis
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14 gave the derrick a wide berth, stepped over the wall and walked toward the shed. They paused in front of the wide opening, looked in and con- versed together in tones that. did not reach as far as the boy’s ears. Finally they disappeared around the corner of the shed. Harry, following close upon their heels, soon heard the sound of their voices quite plainly, and he knew they had halted on the far side of the shed, near the low wall. He crept up to the corfer of the shed, _ which he could-safely do without attracting their ‘attention, as the glow was rapidly fading out of - the sky, and saw that they evidently intended to roost at that point for a while, at least, for one of their number was gathering sticks and dry twigs into a heap with the purpose of starting - a fire,/for the night was decidedly cool. ' A match was applied to the dry tinder, and the tiny flame fanned into a blaze. More wood was added, until quite a respectable fire resulted, about which the three men gathered under the shadow of the shed and warmed themselves. Presently ~ théy produced some sandwiches and began to eat, and during and. following this performance a sus- '_ picious-looking black fiask circulated among them, at which each took a long swig with great relish, Harry now had a good opportunity to study their hard-leoking faces in the flickering glow of the fire; and the longer he looked the more certain - he was that he had seen them before. All at once - he remembered where and under what circum- stances he had previously run across them. These _ were the three men who had assaulted and caused the death of Matthew Rock in the swamp during the storm and darkness, when he and Phil Deer- ' ing were trying to escape from their dangerous and unpleasant predicament And he and Phil had subsequently seen them through the cabin window turning things upside down in the house in their fruitless search for the old hermit’s "money, _. The rascals were holding a pow-wow about + gemething, and Harry listened to their conversa- tion, ae “We kin begin operations at this here shed and ' that derrick yonder. These oil-soaked barrels around it ought’to help the good work along. At _any rate, we'll have no difficulty puttin’ this well ~ cut of commission,” and the fellow laughed wick- edly. f POX, thet’s what we’re paid to do, ain’t it?” said thé rascal on his right, with an ugly grin. : “We air thet,” chipped in the third man, rub- bing his dirty hands. over the blaze. _ “There are-five wells, several sheds and three big tanks. Ef we kin handle ’em all afore we’re headed off, it’ll put a wad.of money inter our pockets.” Fs, “*. "We oughter be able to do enough damage ts put this here ile industry out of business for 4 while.” ‘ / “We kin do thet sure,” said one of his compan- ions, wagging his head: confidently. “T reckon thet must be the object of the chap _ what hired us to do this job.” We didn’t get much for the trouble we took of g out thet old hermit, as they called him, ealed about His cabin, but it was a false alat E re ely: ter off than we. 0 - STRUCK OIL ‘We didn’t get much for the trouble we took of | months ago. People said he had money con- “We put him out of his misery, at any rate,” said the leader, with brutal frankness. Bis “Well, when shall we begin?” asked one of the » men, impatiently. — ; = Chie “Pretty soon now. Just as soon as it gits-~ — good and dark.” ; eee Harry Dane had heard enough to convince him — that the fellows gathered about the fire were plot- — ting to destroy the derrick, the tanks, sheds and other property on the place. a And they were about to do this at the bidding ~~ of some unknown persons who had promised them — good pay for the dastardly work. Who could this person be? Harry could not guess his identity, — but it was clear he was a most determined enemy. © “Could it be an agent of the trust?” Harry asked himself. “Surely those people would not — countenance such a crime even to win a point'in™ their own favor?” ‘ : 4 There was no use wasting time figuring upon eS who was at the back of the rascally enterprise, The thing now was to head these villains off and if possible, capture them. “I must rouse out Brackett and some of ‘the ~~ men without a moment’s delay, and I must do it so as not to frighten them off the scoundrels, for they’d only come back at another time.” iz Thus figured Harry Dane, as he softly with- — drew, ran back along the stone wall a short dis- os tance, and then, leaping it near the derrick, he made for the house where he expected to find — his assistant manager probably eating his supper. He approached the building from the rear and knocked on the kitchen door. It was opened by Brackett himself, f oe; “That you, Harry Dane?” exclaimed Dan, in _ some surprise. “Come out here, Mr. Brackett. I want to see you on a matter of grave importance,” answered Harry, in a voice which betrayed subdued ex- citement. z ; The assistant manager got his rejoined his young employer. Then Harry told him about the three men, who - they were, and what he had overheard them talking about. ; “You had better keep an eye out for them wh I go for assistance,” said Brackett, and off went. In ten minutes he was back with half dozen laborers, whom he placed in position: keep the villains from escaping. d The three men were now moving about. Harry saw a heavy piece of wood near which would ~ serve as a fine club and took it up. The villains now showed signs of beginning” business, “Now is our time!” said Brackett. “Come on, then,” said Harry, and he spr: upon the low stone wall, brandishing his stout cudgel, and followed by Brackett, made a dash at the plotters. Though taken by surprise, o: of the raseals seized a stick from the fire a stood. on the defensive. The other two tu hat. and then iy
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STRUCK OIL by cutting a hole in the reof. Thus Harry’s - ‘work went for nothing. Everybody now sus- pected that the trust was behind the contem- - plated outrage. Harry now made up his mind - to thwart the trust and made arrangements for a railroad to be built to carry his oil to the wharf. He also promised Phil he would make him superintendent of transportation as soon as his oil fleet went into commission. CHAPTER IX.—A Race With Death. After the first of the month Harry had all kinds of trouble getting the three sloops to carry his oil “to Liberty. One of them was reported to have ~ sprung a leak and sunk at her moorings at Lib- - erty in an unaccountable manner. Harry found * this. was true, and it made him mad, for he guessed the secret at the bottom of it all, The - remaining vessels tendered very poor service dur- ing the ten days that intervened before payment was to be made for the past month’s transporta- tion. He tried to find the owner in order to demand an explanation, but failed to locate him. The flat cars he had contracted for were to be equipped with tanks, and they were being built on a rush order. After the tenth of the month the sloops disappeared from the river and trans- portation of the‘oil ceased entirely for two weeks, at the end of which time the two miles of rail- road were entirely finished, and the locomotive ~ and six tank cars were delivered at the wharf by the builder. Two days afterward the tug ap- - peared with the tank fleet, and the oil began to be delivered at Liberty in better shape and much . cheaper than before, much to the surprise and _ disgust of the trust. agent, who had anticipated tying the Wakeley oil people up completely. Phil Deering entered upon his duties as superintendent of transportation, and Harry found him a thor- oughly efficient and reliable assistant. The suc- cess of Harry Dane’s. progressive method of get- ting his own oil and that of his neighbors to Lib- erty in spite of the trust won him the unstinted praise of the country at large, and attracted some attention from the newspapers of the State. _ As the weeks went by and winter came on an- other well was added to the five already in opera- - tion, and the Wakeley output amounted to over two thousand barrels per month, and his gross a ‘receipts from that source were about one thou-— sand nine hundred dollars every thirty days. He ‘also earned freight on three thousand barrels of ‘operty adding nearly four hundred barrels to own total. e ie éy Oil and Refining Company began business as . corporation, r State. The capital stock consisted of ten thou- irs each—one million dollars in all, four thou- nd of these shares being designated as ten per # ve umulative preferred stock, dividends on eat rred stock being payable two d Fa 2 Ae rere ag $ | oes ate WSes pene betes of a part value of one hundred dol- ollars and flags conspicuou = 45 fifty cents per share quarterly, commencing April - ist, and six thousand shares were designated ag > ecmmon, Three thousand shares of the preferred stock were allotted as follows: One thousand to Harry Dane for all right and title to the Wakeley property and the oil product thereof, Five hundred shares to the owners of the Independent refinery for their plant and good- will. Fifteen hundred shares to Lawyer Hale, Mr. Deering, six oil producers and others of the Blank County for cash, which was set down as the immediate working capital. Every one of the fcregoing shares carried with it one share of the common stock as a bonus, leaving one thousand shares of preferred-.and three thousand shares of the common stock in the treasury for future dis- position, Lawyer Hale had the articles of in- corporation draw up by one of the ablest legal luminaries of the State, and, in order to head off the Oil Trust obtaining control of the company through purchase of a majority of the stock at any time, they provided, among other things, that stock owned by any member subsequently af- filiating himself to the interests of the trust should lose its voting power to decide upon ques- tions, affecting the affairs of the company at its annual meetingof the board of directors. The same restriction was placed upon any and all stock sold or otherwise transferred to others with- out the consent of the board of directors. The control of the company was thus placed in the hands of the independents, and might not be wrested from them by any device of the Oil Trust, Harry Dane was elected president and general — manager of the company. The former president of the Independent refinery became vice-president, And Lawyer Hale was elected secretary and treasurer. board, of which the Dane interests were repres- ented by four, and therefore was in control of affairs. The main office of the company was at Liberty, with a branch at Indianapolis. By spring there were ten wells in full operation on the Wakeley farm, with a total output of three thou- sand five hundred barrels per month, and twelve wells on-adjacent property, with an output of four thousand five hundred barrels, all of which was controlled by the Wakeley Oil and Refining Company, and duly marketed when refined. Uy to this time nothing more had been heard from - the Oil Trust, though that corporation was, of course, fully aware of the condition of Blank County oil affairs, One beautiful spring morning Harry had his favorite horse saddled, and he rode down to the wharf in the creek to see about the landing of a load of nitroglycerine, a considerable part of which was intended to be used in shooting a couple of new wells on the Wakeley property. Phil Deering was in charge of affairs at the wharf when he arrived. The explosive material — kad to be handled with the utmost care, and was loaded upon an ordinary flat car for transporta- tion to its destination. As the material was not wanted until that afternoon, and no oil was to” be sent over the track for the next twenty-four hours, Harry directed the engineer of the loco- motive to leaye the car at a certain point on the line about a mile from the Wakeley farm, with the wheels securely blocked: and its ominous red displayed to warn peo) vay There were seven directors on the wae
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16 be from the immediate locality. A single employee was to be left on guard as a further precaution, as the car was to stand at the highest point of the grade, where the track ran over a gentle eleva- tion, On his way back Harry saw that his direc- tions had been carefully carried out. -He spoke to the man who had been left in charge of the car of explosive stuff, and warned him to be es- pecially careful. Then he turned his horse’s head te the south and rode over to call upon a neigh- bering producer. It took him a couple of hours to transact his business, and then he started to return to the Wakeley farm. He passed within sight of the nitroglycerine car, and was astonished to see three men appar- ently at work about it, “What the dickens does this mean?” he ejacu- lated. “It can’t be that Brackett has sent for the stuff, for the shooter is not scheduled to arrive until three o’clock. I don’t understand, then, why that stuff should be moved.” Determined to find out the reason why the po- ' sition of the car of explosive stuff was about to be altered, Harry spurred his mare forward at arapid pace. He képt his eyes on the car as he approached*and saw one of the men leap onto it and release the brake. Then he jumped out on the ground, and the three men all went to the back of the car and began to push it down the grade, ' “Good heavens!” cried Dane, as he observed the car pele sent wild down the grade. “There’s some villainy on foot!” His hair began to rise with horror, for he knew that unless that death-bearing car could be shunt- ed from the main track it would run at increasing speed straight into the very midst of, the busiest section of the Wakeley property, where it must strike-the buffers in front, of the big tanks, where the tank cars, now unloading at the wharf, took on their loads, and the results of such a collision would undoubtedly. be disastrous not only to the most valuable part of the company’s property— —for the five big tanks were practically full of oil at that moment—but to the lives of many of _ the employees who were busy at that point, -he whirled his horse about and starte There was no switch, however, anywhere along that short line except near the vicinity of the tanks, and, even were the approach of the nitro- glycerine car observed in time to be switched ~ aside, it would collide with another pair of buf-- fers close at hand, and the results would be al- most as serious. The only way that a great dis- aster could be averted was to have the car stop- ped gently before it reached any obstruction. How this was to be accomplished during, so short a run, half of . which was down grade, was the question which agitated Harry’s mind. Then, as at full speed along the back edge of:the wood, the inspi- « vation came to him that if he could reach the far ~ corner of the wood by the time the rapidly moving car came along he might be able to swing him- ' self from his horse to it, and then, by slowly ap- plying the break gradually bring the car to rest. This short cut to head off the car was possible, as the road made a long sweep, nearly doubling on itself. se _. “It’s our only hope,” ‘he breathed, and he dug bis heels into the mare’s flanks and unged her forward at her topmost speed. That portion of i STRUCK OIL ‘Dan Brackett came rushing up the the vicinity of the tanks, the curved track on which the nitroglycerine car was shooting along was hidden from the boy’s eyes by the thick trees, and he had no means of judging, as he raced ahead at mad speed, whether the car was gaining upon him or not. “Hurry, old girl!” he cried to his mare, in a lew, tense tone that trembled with excitement and _ anxiety, “Hurry! A dozen lives, perhaps, and thousands of dollars worth of property depend on our heading off that car.” The mare’s nose seemed to strike at breakneck speed. With all his. strength Harry turned Queenie to one side, and she swept around and dashed away in the same direction the car was speeding. It was now nip and tuck between the animal and the car. The mare could not do her best to close to the track on account of the un- | even character of the ground at this point of =~ the farm. Harry almost groaned as for a mo- ment or two it struck him that they were losing ground and that the car would surely escape him, ’ He saw that if he was to succeed at all he must’ now, if ever, make one last desperate effort ta get within jumping distance of the car, and then take the most desperate and daring risk he had ever taken in his life. ; He began to apply the small fancy whip he. carried to the mare’s flanks with a frantic effergy that startled the animal, which had never been used to such treatment. She threw up her head in protest, but Harry was pitiless for the moment and lashed her like a mad boy, With a snort the mare sprang forward as‘if she’d taken the bit in her mouth and was running blindly away out of all control, She closed right up on the car now, inch by inch and foot by foot, while the boy struck her repeatedly to urge her to keep it up. At last. she was fairly abreast of the rapidly moving flat. car that was bearing its glistening cans of liquid death down the quarter-mile stretch of track. ~ | Right ahead were the big tanks of stored oil and the figures of the laborers moving about the platform and sheds. Dan Brackett was looking up along the track at the approaching car and gesticulating furiously. It-was now or never with Harry Dane, and he was all there with both feet, He- detached his feet from the stirrups, rose to his knees on the mare’s back, swayed there for a moment, then rose up, like a circus rider, and stood for a single instant upright on the back of the wildly galloping animal, and then he sprang out into the air toward the car, j J a a ——_—_ CHAPTER X.—How Harry Dane Saved the Day. Harry Dane landed in a sprawling position in the open space between the cans and the rear board which fenced in the back of the ¢ self he rose to his feet and made his way forward between the stack of tins and the side board o: the car. Grasping the brake, he began to brin, pressure on the wheels, little by little, until the speed of the “wildcat” diminished perceptitk Gradually the flat car came to a rest, jus’ ¢ tracks q
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STRUCK OIL ge ' “Why, Harry Dane!” he exclaimed, as he step- ped up in front of the car. “What’s the matter? ' What’s happened to the nitroglycerine car?” ' “The matter is, several scoundrels—who they can be I haven’t the slightest idea—sent this car loose from its moorings at the top of the grade. J saw them do it from a distance as I was return-~ ing from the Hooper property.” “What did they look like?” “Workmen, apparently. I at first thought they were some of our laborers you had sent forward ahead of time to alter the position of the car for some reason.” “T sent none of the men for any such purpose.” “Of course you did not. There is evidently a dastardly plot at the bottom of this affair.” ; “We seem to have a determined enemy who is leaving no stone unturned to bring about our ruin We must ferret him out at any cost, for he will certainly try until he succeeds, unless we can head him off for good.” “T shall bring a detective into the case now for certain.” “T believe now they were the identical three rascals we captured when the former attempt was made to do us up,” “By gracious! I never thought of that,” cried the boy, in a startled tone. “J think there can be no doubt of that fact. We are up against the same enemy, as his ready ~ tools testify.” : ¢ ; “T’j] lose no time in sifting this outrage to ‘the _. bottom.” ; S “ibat's “rieht: matter to dally with. : at the bottom of this, we’ll smoke him out, and “he'll get a long term in the penitentiary.” “There comes my mare, Mr, Brackett, Catch her, please.” Queenie, when suddenly relieved of her rider, It’s altogether too serious a till she recovered from her excitement, when she ‘quietly turned "about and trotted toward the car where she saw her young master standing. She slliowed Dan Brackett to catch her by the bridle, and then stood calmly at rest; cocking up her graceful ears when Harry spoke to her, . “You can let her go. She'll stand there all right _ by herself. Now, Mr, Brackett, you had better get half a dozen of our men to push this car as far back as the wood, at least, and block the . wheels once more, I’m going to ride back to the top of the grade and see what has happened to the man left in charge of the car.” “ie must have been surprised and overpower- ed.” replied the assistant manager, Hi ; - “J have no doubt but he was. I will have’ to “yelease him, It is probable he'll be able to de- seribe the rascals, and in this way we'll get a line y) ¥ x be on o ‘a * ’ . “You had better wait here, Harry, till I bring the men up,” said Brackett, moving off toward the tanks, - “All right,” replied the boy, jumping from the car and going up to the mare and taking her nose inte his hands. ; : eT : _ “You're all to the good, Queenie, girl,” he said, affectionately rubbing her muzzle. “You saved e-day for the Wakeley Oil and Refining Com- pany, and you deserve a real gold medal.” 7 i ! ee If an agent of the trust is - sae eicke & had dashed away from the track for a distance , animal whinned as if*she understood his “They used you pretty words and was in full sympathy with her young. master’s satisfaction over the outcome of what had promised to be a most unfortunate state of affairs, “You shall have all the sugar you want to eat for the next month, my girl,” the boy continued, with a pleased laugh at her motions. “And I'll see that you receive a vote of thanks from the board of directors at their next meeting,” The mare shook her mane out to the light morn- ing’ breeze. z “Well, we’re going to ride back to the top of the grade now, for here come the men who are going to look after the ear.” Dan Brackett and half a dozen stout laborers were approaching along the track. “I'm off, Mr, Brackett,” cried Harry, as he sprang into the saddle and turned Queenie’s head toward the rise, The assistant manager waved his arm, and then the young president of the oil and réfining company gave his animal the signal, and away they went across the field at a smart gallop. When Harry reached the spot where the car had ~ stood before she had been sent down the line on her mission of destruction he saw no signs of the watchman who had been left to look after the ex- plosive.. Dismounting, he walked the mare along by the side of the track, looking to the right and _ left along the ground, At last he noticed a spot . where the earth was displaced, as-if there haa been a struggle at thi§ point. .. > “This looks significant,” the boy muttered. “TI wonder what they did with the man, anyhow. So he proceeded’ to beat the brush, of which there was a quantity in the vicinity. As he drew near one particularly thick clump he heard a series of guttural sounds coming from the midst Pushing his way into the bushes, he was not surprised to discover the missing man, not’ only Securely bound, but well gagged, too, It did not take the boy long to release him from his painful position, Then Harry learned some of the facts of the case. : “I was sitting on a boulder yonder in the sun, smoking my vipe, sir,” explained the employee, and keeping my eye skinned for stragglers, when three trampish-looking chaps came up the track from the direction of the creek. As soon as I~ saw them I warned them away, pointing to the car with its red flags and telling them it was loaded with nitroglycerine.” “Well?” asked Harry, with great interest, “They came to a stop on the top of the rise, looked at me and then commenced to talk to- gether in low tones.” z : “Then what did they do?” : “The next thing I knew the three of them sud- denly seized me and thréw me down on’ the ground. ‘If you ery out we'll do you,’ cried the big fellow, displaying a ndsty-looking knife men- acingly. I s’posed their intentions were to rob me, though it’s precious little I had about me. They made no attempt to do that, though, How-) ever, they drew hits of manilla rope from their pockets and, while two of them, held me, the big — fellow tied my hands and feet as you saw and showed that handful of oakum into! my mouth, after-forcing my jaws apart with the point of — his knife.” : : ses tae rough.” A yf
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18 _ They did that, sir. I couldn’t understand what kind of a game they were up. Finaily they car- - Yied me over to the bushes where you found me and threw me down there like I was a sack of potatoes,” “What then?” asked Harry. “They left me there, sir, and I haven’t a very clear idea what they cid after that, though I had some notion that they were monkeying with the nitroglycerine car, I was skeered to death, for I _ was afraid they might set it off, and I wasn’t ~~ cut of the danger zone by any means.” aes. “What gave you the idea they were fooling a with the car?” ae “J heard them knocking away the rocks we had *- placed to anchor the wheels.” ¢ “Would you know those men if you saw them : again?” d - “Sure I would.” : “You could swear to their identity?” “J could. I had a good, square look at them before they tackeld me.” ag “What did they look like?” faa ? From the workman’s description Harry readily _ identified them as the three ruffians who had - already given them so. much trouble, and to whom _ Matthew Rock owed his death, _ “You can return to the works now, and make ~ your report to Mr, Brackett.” ; Thus speaking, Harry mounted Queenie and ~~ yode off toward his home. a CHAPTER XI.—Eloise Hale, : -_ That afternoon Harry Dane took the train at Prescott and went down to Liberty to have a talk with Vice-President Peters, who was the manager of the refinery. Mr, Peters was horrified to learn of the attempt made that day to destroy the com- “pany’s property at the Wakeley farm. - “T will telegraph to our Indianapolis agent to send an. experienced detective up here right away,” he said. “As soon as he arrives I will - give him a letter of introduction to you, and you ~ ean arrange matters between you looking to the capture of those scoundrels.” It was*nearly dark when Harry got off the cars at Prescott on his return home that day. A sur- - © prise waited him at the station. Eloise Hale, the - Jawyer’s daughter, was waiting for him on her pony “Starlight,” and she had brought down with her “Queenie.” _ “Why, Eloise!” cried Harry. _you? And you brought Queenie? Did Phil tell - you I had gone to Liberty?” rs «No. JT was over to see your mother. She told me, and said your friend Phil was going to bring your mare. down to the station in time to meet ou.” é “Tt seems that you have cut him out, then?” laughed the boy, with apparent satisfaction. “Ts that really - eoguettishly. “Not much, You know I’d rather ride home with you any day.” : “You say that very nice.” “Don’t you believe I mean it?” “Qh, I couldn’t think of disputing your word, - “Pm afraid 1 have. Are you sorry?” she asked, ‘STRUCK OIL “Mr. Dane! Oh, come, now, what’s the matter . with Harry?, You’ve always called me that ever — since we were knee-high to grasshoppers.” “What a ridiculous comparison,” she laughed, with girlish gayety ; “Well, don’t let me hear you call mé anything but Harry; do you understand?” “Oh, dear! I’m afraid that is altogether too familiar for me, now that you are the president of a big corporation with a capital stock of one million dollars.” E “Pshaw! What’s one million dollars? One of these days we’ll water that so as to make it two million dollars. That’s the way the trusts do, -and we’re of just as much importance—in my ~ 4 their wheels, when I prevented the nitro-glyce: own opinion, at any rate—as some of them.” They were now galloping along the county road at an easy pace, and dusk was fast shroud- ing the landscape with her gloomy mantle. Just then they came to an abrupt turn in the highway. 5; Suddenly and without warning three rough-look- pe ing men sprang from the hedge. and stepped into ft the road before them. i : “Halt!” cried the biggest one, in a menacing tone. Both horses shied at the three apparitions. Harry reined in Queenie quickly and laid a de- taining grasp on his fair companion’s arm. He readily guessed who the three men were, but he — could not imagine what their object was in hold- them up.in the road. The tall man advanced and extended his arm to grasp Queenie by the bridle. Somewhat to Harry’s surprise the mare didn’t shy or back away. She reared righ up and fairly sprang at the rascal, without any urg-— ing on the boy’s part. Her steel-shod hoofs — struck him squarely in the chest, and down he — went as though he had been struck by lightning. Harry was quick to take advantage of this op- portunity to escape. Zz we “Come on, Eloise,” he cried; excitedly. “Whip | up Starlight, and ride these rascals down if they attempt to stop you.” cae The girl applied her riding-whip to her ani- mal’s flanks in so smart a way that the horse dashed ahead at the same moment Queenie did. The villains, taken by surprise, jumped out of the way, and the girl and the boy were beyond their reach in another momment. ae “What a fortunate escape!” cried Eloise Hale, — as the pair dashed down the road at a high speed. — “I should say so,” replied Harry. “Did you ever see anything like Queenie? She jumped on that — man of her own account.” “You don’t mean it!” replied the girl. “It’s a fact.” “Why, I thought you made her do that.” ““Not a bit of it. She took me my surprise. — She’s a knowing animal.” : “I should think. she was,” said the girl, as — they slowed the animals down to a steady pace _ once more. “Why did those men stop us, I should — like to know?” : "ie “Their object was to treat us to a game of rough-house, I guess,” replied Harry, grimly “as this is the second time I’ve put a spoke car from doing its fatal work.” “J don’t know what I should —
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ee \ a had met those men alone,” Eloise said, with a shudder. ; 2 “J don’t believe they would have interfered with you. They hold a grudge against me, and it was me they wanted.” : % They turned down a neighboring lane, thus - making a short cut to Lawyer Hale’s home, which “was in the center of the village. Eloise insisted _ that her escort sould come in and stay to tea, “which invitation, after a momentary hesitation, he gladly accepted, for the fair daughter of the secretary-treasurer of the Wakeley Oil & Refin- ing Company was an attraction the young presi- dent of the corporation could not resist, ; CHAPTER XI.—In the Clutches of the Enemy. é Two days later a quiet-looking man, with sharp features and very bright eyes, called at the Wake- ley farm and asked to see Harry Dane. He was shown into the boy’s office. “Mr, Dane, I believe?” he said, in quick, de- Harry saw the enclosure y’s refinery branch, and he scarcely needed to read e typewritten words to inform himself that the hearer was the detective he had been expecting. “JT am glad to meet you, Mr. Sharp,” he said milingly. “I hope you will be able to do some- thing: for us.” “That is the object which brings me here,” eplied the detective, concisely. “If you will ‘give me the particulars, and even the slightest be done toward bringing this conspiracy, if such | thing exists, to light.” Harry lost no time in putting the detective in ossesssion of all the facts as he knew them., He lso summoned Dan Brackett and the man who had been left in charge of the nitroglycerine car to give their evidence. He likewise telephoned ‘to the loading of the oil-tank scows. In th ‘course of an hour the detective learned all th facts obtainable, and promptly took his departure’ omising to report as soon as circumstances per- aed t*) ano During the next few days a second tug and -transporation equipment of ‘the Wakeley Oil and fining Company, for oil wells were rapidly be- ¢ brought into operation in the neighborhood. ro new producers had been added to the in- endent ranks, and the number of wells out- the Wakeley eight had now reached twenty, ing the total product of crude petroleum arried to the company’s refinery at Liberty ten ‘thousand barrels per month, worth nine thousand hing in the way of a clue, I will see what. can. for Phil Deering, who was at the wharf attending | ‘another fleet of tank-scows were added to’ the Bean ‘STRUCK OIL ‘the Wakeley interests, as wells continued to be Z ~son’s block of stock, hoping by this tempting > a ns 7 ax Wakeley company for from the date thereof. aS The Wakeley, company was doing a very profit- able business already, although only in operation = for a few months, and, besides paying its regular- ly guaranteed quarterly dividend of two and one-_ half per cent. on its outstanding three thousand share of preferred stock, was accumulating a ~~ small surplus, Practically it had no indebtedness on its books. Its preferred stock was privately the term of ten years ‘ quoted at 110, as that was the figure at whic a few shares had lately changed hands within the county. A considerable part of its original working capital of one hundred and fifty thousand @ol-— lars was ‘still unexpended, and it was not ex- pected that any of the one thousand shares of — ten per cent. preferred remaining in the treasury would be sold for some time, and when such a course became necessary it was expected to fetch at least one hundred and twenty-five dollars per share, which would naturally raise all the out- standing preferred stock to that figure. As to ~ the common stock, which had not cost its owners — a penny a share, it was believed it would by | the end of the year begin to pay a small and thereafter increasing) dividend. See ris = After the hold-up on the county road of Harry — Dane and Eloise Hale the three rascals who were so badly wanted for their crimes seemed to have taken to cover, for Mr. Sharp, the detective, failed to discover a single clue to their where- - abouts. The weeks. passed away and summer was on again, bringing indreased business to — opened up all about the immediate neighborhood, and the monthly shipment to the refinery had ~ risen to fifteen thousand barrels of the crude oil The Oil Trust, evidently unaware of the vot- ing restrictions in the company’s articles of in- corporation, made Mrs, Dane an offer of one — hundred and fifty dollars per share cash for her offer to get control of the new company. The offer, of course, was refused, but even had it been accepted the trust would not have obtained — its object. - ; bas There was a watchman on each section in the — creek. It was a dark; sultry night, with elec~ trical disturbances in ‘the sky to the Sou Suddenly out of the darkness behind the boys — three crouching figures made their appearance, and advanced so noiselessly that neither Harry — nor Phil became aware of their presence on the scene until both of them were seized and throw _ down on the wharf without the least regard for . their feelings. A rough hand upon the mouth of each of the boys prevented them from making an outery, and in a brief space of time they were securely bound and gagged. : pes “Now I reckon we’ve got yer where we wan yer,” snarled a coarse voice in Harry Dane’s ear and he did not need a light to inform him tha’ he and Phil-were in the power of the three rascals whose ¢riminal career they had vainly been try- ing to cut short. ate ue
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20° of narrow deck in the after part of. the boat, and there left in eharge of one of the scoundrels, while the other two went in search of the watch- “man, who happened at the moment to be in the leading scow of the three, He was surprised and disposed of where he was not likely to interfere with the plans of the rascals, and the pair of villains returned to their young prisoners. “Now,” began the leader of the disreputable trio, addressing Harry Dane, “wlil yer promise not to yell out nor give an alarm in any way if I take the gag from yer mouth so yer kin answer me? If it’s a go, wag yer head. If yer refuse, [’ll _ stick you with those afore yer goes to ther fishes,” and the rascal drew an ugly-looking knife and flourished it before thé boy’s eyes. Harry, unable to see his way to any other “course, nodded. _ “Yer. sensible for once in yer life,” grunted _ the man, approvingly, laying down the knife so ' he could take the gag from the boy’s mouth. : “We'll git right down to bizness afore.we’re interrupted, as mayhap we might be,” he con- tinued, with an ugly leer. “Jerry, you go out fon the wharf and keep yere eye skined for any trouble.” ~ “Now, then, will yer swear on this here Tes- tymint,”—and the scoundrel brought forth a small copy of the New Testament that he had - provided himself with for the present emergency, - which the gang had no doubt been looking for a suitable chance to put in operation—“that yer’ll ~ drew six thousand dollars from yer bank inside of three days and leave the money where I tell * yer to, and thet yer’ll agree thet neither of yer will mention what has occurred ter-night in this ‘here neighborhood between us, nor atempt to put -- the perlice onto us? Will yer swear to all thet to save yer lives?” _. “{ have no authority to go to our bank and _ draw money,” replied Harry. “-“Oh, yer haven’t? Ain’t yer the presydent of the Wakeley Oil and Refining Company?” “Tam, but in name only. [I am not yet of legal age to do business on my own account. Hvery- “thing I do has to be transacted through my guardian,” “But the money belongs to you just the same, doesn’t it?” “T am not saying it doesn’t.” “Who kin draw the money?) Yer guarjean, eh? S’posin’ yer wanted six thousand dollars mighty -. }ad; all yer’d have ter do is ter ask this person to git it for yer, and the person would do it, eh? Brea ells triumphantly, “yer want six thousand dol- lars now wuss than yer ever did in yer life afore, or mebbe ever will ag’in. Yer want it ter save ~<yer life, and yer friend’s life, too. Now, will yer swear that yer’ll git this money and put it where we kin get it without any trouble or risk, d’ye mind?” menacingly, “or are we to drop yer both to: the creck ‘and ae, wer ae it out Jxith the STRUCK OIL : Bee, then! What reply Harry Dane would have given the villain, for he was undeniably in a tight place —and from what he knew of the men’s records, he could expect little mercy from them—we are ~ not prepared to’ say; but he was fortunately saved the necessity of agreeing to their terms, for at that moment Detective Sharp, ‘Dan Brac- . kett and two laborers attached to the oil com- pany quietly walked aboard of the scow and, | cutting off the two scoundrels’ retreat, called on them to surrender, An hour’ later they were landed in the Pres- cott jail, where the detective proceeded to put the - screws on them to try and force a confession as to the identity of the party who had employed them to injure the Wakeley company’s property. © He failed, however, to make them open their mouths,. In due time they were tried for their ~ crimes and were defended by a prominent Indian- apolis lawyer, who skillfully saved them from ali issues but the nitroglycerine car outrage. The evidence of the man they had overpowered in order to get at the car convicted them, and they were sent to the penitentiary for a number of years. It was noticed that the foxy-looking in- _ dividual who had made persistent offers to buy cut the Dane oil interests was a constant attend- ant during the trial, aftex which he disappeared. No further attempts were made to injure the - property of the Wakeley Oil and Refining Com-. pany, and their business prospered largely as the months went by. Oil was also found, as was expected, on Mrs. Dane’s farm, and she leased it to the company on very satisfactory terms. To- day the Wakeley company, which controls the entire petroleum output of Blank County, In- — diana, is the only real rival of the Oil Trust in the United States. A recent press dispatch conveyed the intelli- gence that the company had paid two hundred and fifty per cent, to its owners from last Ap#il me to the first day of January, 1906, a period of ~— nine months, making an annual dividend rate of» over 330.per cent. The bulk of this, of course, - comes from dividends on the common stock, a- very large part of which is held by Iiarry Dane, the young president and manager, now of age and happidly married to Wloise Tale, the daughter of the secretary-treasurer, His private fortune is already estimated at considerable over a million, every dollar of which came to him’ out, of the Wakeley farm, which he so fortunately inherited from the conscience-stricken Aatihew Rock, : Next week’s issue will contain “A GOLDEN RISK; or, THE YOUNG MINERS OF DEL CRUZ. 2 ee Freddie—Avre you the trained nurse mamma said was coming? ‘Nurse—Yes, dear, I’m % trained nurse, i Sou ar ig le See some of. “your
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“in part at least, to breeding zebras. are handsome and, while not specially adapted for riding or heavy draft like the horse, are docile ; ‘in harness and are very showy. ° ; PERMANENT TOBACCO FIELD In East Drumore, Pa., on the farm of G. H Raub, there is a small field that has been planted to tobacco for thirty-four years in succession, from which good crops have always been har- vested. BREEDING. ZEBRAS A farm near Millbrook, N. Y., is to be devoted, The animals SELLS HIS LIFE SAVINGS FOR TWENTY- FIVE CENTS Abraham Sohn, a grocer, of St. Louis; Mo., _ sold to W. H. Cole for 25 cents his life savings, which amounted to more ahan $500. Cohn had been placing his savings into a can ARE YOU MYSTERY FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY CURRENT NEWS of tea. for safe keeping and put the can with the remainder of the stock in the case. ; In the morning rush Cohn picked up by mis- take ¢he can in which he had his savings and sold it to Cole. The money was neturned, HARNESSING THE VOLCANO It is proposed to make extensive drillings inte the great active volcano of Kilauea (Hawaii) in an endeavor to determine the heat of the volcano, the quantity of steam underneath, the ainenet constituents, and the solution of other relative questions. - Borings are to be undertaken at the sulphur banks, at several places in the bottom of the crater, and in the region of recent lava flows at Kau Desert. It is intended to penetrade the — surface where the lava flows are of known date, so as to learn what changes of temperature un- derground have taken place with the passage ot time. READING MAGAZINE? Get a copy of No. 148, out on all newsstands. It contains a wonderful fea ture detective story entitled ~ 4 “« HOUNDED” Zi And it was written by FRANK BLIGHTON, one of the best authors of de- : tective fiction in the world. It also contains the opening chapters of “THE HAUNTED HOTEL” By JOE BURKE ; One of the most mysterious stories ev er written. IN ADDITION THERE ARE THE FOLLOWING BRIGHT DETECTIVE STORIES: “THE CONSOLATION NECKLACE,” hy Ben Gross; “DOUBLE DEATH,” by Arthur W.- ‘Witt; “Ww. Egan. “WHEN PARTNERS PART,” by Ernest A. Phillips; “ERE IDAHO ‘ACE, ” by James - And a fine article about detective work called “THE CRIMINAL’S NEW ENEMY”
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3} harsh voice sang to the accompaniment. i 2292, Wrecked On The Desert } — OR — THE ADVENTURES OF TWO BOY 4 PROSPECTORS By GASTON GARNE (A Serial Story.) CHAPTER XVII Edna In The Cave. Jack, as he left the Desert House, found himself mentally between two fires. S ; - Bdna was avery beautiful girl, and, although Jack would surely have denied it if he had been asked, he already felt that he had at last met his fate. From the moment his eyes rested on the girl, he knew that he loved her. How she felt towards. him he had no idea. Thus his anxiety to aid Edna in this emergency was intense, while on the other hand he was ~ jeaving his helpless friend behind him with one . who might easily be in league with these mad conspirators. ‘ : Jack realized that his chances of finding the eave in the dark were practically nil; just the game he tried to hope, as he made his way around the lake, keeping close to the water’s edge. . When the other side was reached, Jack found himself on the desert, for here Nemo had at- tempted no irrigation. “ The moon had now risen, and the range was ’ plainly visible before him, bathed in its mellow “light, but he could see nothing of the lone pinion, nor had he expected it. . Jack felt that he no longer needed the lantern, so’ he put it out, not wanting to attract attention to himself, and struck boldly for the range, which he reeached after a brisk walk of perhaps twenty minutes. “ “As he drew near he began to hear strains of music, which, from an indefinite sound, took the form of the Mexican andurria, or wire-string guitar. It was being played by a master hand. The tune was a well-known Spanish air, and a Every ’ now and then, as Jack stood listening, other voices would shout what sounded like Hoo-la and Hip- a-hy!” ’ “All hands drunk,” thought the~boy, “They ~ must be in the cave. Heaven help that poor girl!” He moved along the foot of the cliffs. searching for some path, and at length found a place where ascent seemed possible, although it certaimly could not be called a path. , ~ -“Now-he began to climb, and it was but a few - moments before, to his great joy, he struck the lone tree. ~The music and. shouts were very Jack found himself upon a broad d, as he looked to the right, he saw tte Ta ce gs <eatgagee! | ‘ eg td eh loud now. shelf of rock, boxes and ~ ™ x FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY : bags stacked up; presumably these were all things stolen from Nemo’s stores. “T must be very cautious, if I expect to do any good,” thought Jack. “They can’t keep this. sort of thing up all night. If 1 can sneak inside after they are asleep, that will be my chance. On the other hand, if I am caught here I’m done for.” The music ceased, and loud talk began, but as it was in Spanish, Jack could not understand a word. oie They seemed to be quarreling; one voice oc- casionally let out a wild yell. At last, all hands fell to laughing, and it was the bandurria again. — The entrance to the cave appeared to be just around the bend of the rocky wall. Jack turned back to the tree which did not grow from-the shelf, but from a crevice of the ‘rocks just above it. He reached up, got hold of the trunk, and, by its aid, pulled himself up to a still higher point, where he found secure footing. Just above was another shelf, and, with considerable difficulty, the boy managed to get upon it. Here it was nar- yower than below, and Jack crawled along on his hands and knees, working his way around the pro- jecting point, which had cut off his view of the entrance to the cave below. ; He saw at once that he had struck something to help him out, for a bright light shone before him proceeding from the shelf. It proved tobea rift in the rock large enough to admit a good- — sized man. Jack lay flat, and peered down into the hole. : ze Here was the cave, all right, but the boy could see nothing of the Mestizos. He could haye dropped down without difficulty, for the’ distance could not have been more than ten feet. The’ trouble would be to get up again. Wee. “JT believe I’ll wait here till they quiet down, and then try my luck in front,” thought the boy. It Seemed to be the only way. aes The music singing and shouting were now in if full swing again. 3 z3 Jack lay flat on the ledge, occasionally looking down into the cave, and it was well that he did so, for suddenly he saw Edna pass beneath him and ~~ vanish before he could speak. i She was not tied in any way that he could see. There was some broken rock on the ledge, and Jack picked up a piece and dropped it down. = This worked all right. Immediately Edna stepped into view again. ! “Oh, Jack!” she gasped, forgetting to say “Mr. — Fennister” now. a F “Edna! Are you all right?” breathed Jack. “Tt am. They have not harmed me. I don’t — think they will. I have always been able to con-— trol them.” ; a “But they are all crazy. Are they drunk, too?” “They are just mildly insane. They are not dangerous. No, they are not drunk. Father has never had a drop of liquor in the Desert Home.” “Your father is here with you?” ae “No, indeed! I was just going to ask you—— “Why, he left for here long ago, and had not r turned up to ten o’clock. Is it safe for us to talk? Won’t-they hear?” sf Bi tae "(To be continued.)
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FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY 23 GOOD READING SIXTY-MILE SKI-SLIDE OPENED The longest ski-slide in the world, extending over sixty miles, has been opened in Sweden. The course is laid out on an old road winding through thé hills of a beautiful forest. | HERMIT’S LIFE SAVINGS OF $9,000 a, ARE LOST Joseph Hull, who lived alone, never had faith in banks, had been saving his money about his log cabin at Unionport, N. J., for many years. Every week he put part of his salary away in i the hiding-place in the kitchen, under the floor near the chimney. As the deposit grew he watched it closer and closer, until it exceeded $9,000. Hach thousand was in a roll by itself,, bound with a rubber band. In a strong canvas bag were the ; silver and gold coins that he had not changed ~ + into bills. ; E He counted the tenth roll of bills the other night and there was $184 in it. That was in addition to the other nine rolls, each. totaling $1,000. He put the money back under the floor. ‘le felt drowsy and, after fixing the coal fire, sat jn a chair nearby to take a nap, but he slept longer than he intended and had neglected to look after the stove, which had become overheated and set fire to the place. ; When Hull, who is more than 60 years of age, was finally awakened it was too late to reach the ' hiding-place, because the flames were there ahead of him. Neighbors, in response to Hull’s cries for the firemen, sent a call to Phillipsburg, three miles away, but before the apparatus reached the “house the flames had destroyed it, together with Hull’s life’s savings. Soe A MOUNTAIN OF SOAP A whole mountain of soap has been found in the northern part of Arkansas by a mining en- _ gineer, Eliner Bird, who thinks. the discovery will - add greatly to the mineral wealth of the State. ' Mr. Bird, who has charge of the laboratory of *the Engineering Exploration Company, with of- ~ fices at Little Rock, says the mineral is saponite, a natural soap, and that such a vast bed ‘has peen discovered that it is believed to contain sev- eral hundred thousand tons. ; So great is the faith in this mineral as a soap that plans have practically been completed for the formation of a company for the mining and nd placing it on the market. _ : -Saponite is composed largely of magnesium, luminum and silicate, a combination known to have great cleaning qualities. Z ~The discovery of the mineral was purely acci- dental. While making an assay of ore small par- ticles of the mineral collected on Mr. Bird’s hands. petns of the mineral into a cleaning powder. 2 HARRY. LOST IN ONTARIO WILDS FOR THREE : WEEKS oa Woodsmen on one of their rare pilgrimages out _ of the wilderness in quest of supplies brought to = Algoma, Ont., the story of a man who’ lives in a log hut out near Michipicoten, fighting for life under the crude ministration of lumberjacks after : haying wandered in the wilds, lost, starved and frozen, for twenty-one days. The man, nearly a skeleton, covered by tattered rags and walking on bleeding feet, was picked up by two prospectors one day last week and — carried into camp. When his mind cleared he told them he was Merril Faro of Montreal and recounted a series of experiences which caused — his rescuers to wonder that he still lived. ; Four weeks ago Faro started out from a camp deep in the timber to fell trees for pulpwood. At. dusk ‘he started back to camp, but lost the trail. On Oct. 26 his fellow lumberjacks organ- ized searching parties and sent scouts to outlying camps. They thought he was headed along Lake ye to Sault Ste. Marie, but he did not appear there. , ; All this time Faro was wandering over hun- dreds of miles, hemmed in by hills, baffled by Takes, rivers and swamps. He staggered on with- “35 out compass, matches or gun. He was reduced — from_a lusty man of 180 pounds to almost a skele- ton. He gnawed at vines, leaves and shrubs. Oncaea. = he caught a partridge with his hands. Time 'He was more dead than alive when the nros- pectors stumbled upon him, only a few miles from the camp which had reported him missing. “Mystery Magazine” ioe SEMI-MONTHLY 10 CENTS A COPY | ——— LATEST ISSUES FOR SHAME, by Wm. Hamilton Osborne, THE TRIPLY CROSS, by Hamilton Craigie, BLOOD RUBINS, by J. Werner Phelps. a “PLL WIN! I'L WIN!” by Arthur B. Reeve and Margaret W. Reeve. eg PHANTOM FINGERS, by George Bronson-Howard, ON THE YELLOWS, by Frank Blighton. : M2 =e ARGENTINE RUBY, by Beulah and Shirley — oynter. ie The Famous Detective Story Out Today. in 147-19 THE BARRINGTON ARMS CASE By JACK BECHDOLT ; HARRY EH. WOLFF, Publisher, Inc, 166 West 23d Street, | New York City Speers ‘“ F « ; ; '. “Moving Picture Stories” A Weekly Magazine Devoted to Photoplays and Players PRICE SEVEN CENTS PER COPY a Each number contains Three Stories of the Best Tilms_ on the Screen—Klegant Half-tone Scenes from the Plays Interesting Articles About Prominent People in the Hilms—Doings of Actors and Actresses in the Studi and Lessons in Scenario Writing. eee E. WOLFF, 2ublisher, Inc, West 23d St. Dia ay
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fe ey rar 24 PAINT AND: VARNISH The use of paint should be avoided in radio work. Even varnish should be left alone, as both of these will form an imperfect dielectric and increase distributed capacity, thereby lowering ~ the efficiency of the set. This pertains to the making of coils such as tuning coils, variometer and couplers. 3 BAD CONDENSERS A short circuit in a fixed condenser or variable condenser may be easily detected by aid of a dry cell and telephone receiver. If a loud click is heard in the phones when placed in series with the condenser, it is a sure sign that the condenser is short circuited somewhere. Usually in the variable type this can be easily detected by look- _ing over the plates to find out where one plate is touching another. GET RID OF INTERFERENCE A regenerative receiving set acts as a minia- ture transmitter, and if carelessly handled will cause interference. Many of the howls heard in _ the phones are not due to the receiving set, but to some neighbor turning the dials of his set. Much of this trouble can be eliminated by burn- ing the filament of the detector at minimum bril- - jiancy to hear the desired concert. This will not only prevent interference but will give the tube and batteries longer life. 7; “USE A SIMPLE TUNER _ A simple means of tuning a crystal detector set is afforded by,the variometer,; a piece of ap- paratus widely known as one of the instruments that comprise a form of regenerative receiving set. This piece of apparatus in its simplest form ~ is easy to make; the parts necessary for its con- struction’ may usually be picked up about the house, A tube made from an ordinary oatmeal box will serve nicely as the fixed coil or stator. This should be about four inches in length and two and one-half inches in diameter. The rotor should be made from a smaller tube of the\ same ma- terial but smaller in order that it may rotate freely inside of the stator, — hus WIRED WIRELESS COMMUNICATION A publication giving an introduction to the wired wireless or fine radio communication has’ - recently been prepared under the direction of the ‘chief Signal officer with the co-operation of the Bureau of Standards. This pamplet gives an explanation of how messages are carried to dis- tant points by radio-frequency currents directed ever wires such as ordinary telephone lines or ~ power lines. The fundamental principles of radio and its relations to line radio telegraphy and tele- ‘phony are also discussed. This pamphlet is, “In- - troduction of Line Radio Communication,” Signal © Corps Radio Communication Pamphlet No. 41, a © copy of which may be obtained for 10 cents from ae Superintendent of Documents, Government FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY INTERESTING RADIO NEWS AND HINT3_ “ ' The easiest is . SF A DANGEROUS STUNT Audio frequency amplifying transformers fave a very annoying habit of blowing out most un- expectedly, even when the value of “B” battery used is below normal. The fan will without thinking condemn the particular brand he has as a poor one, but the fault is just as likely to be his own. ake i If a transformer does not blow out the first — time it is connected in a circuit there is no rea- son why it should ever blow, providing, of course, — that an excess of plate voltage is not applied. One —_ good reason why many reputable instruments go dead is that the plate circuit is often opened too suddenly. If the tube filaments are lighted at the usual operating temperature, this action will © cause the development of a very high voltage in the transformer windings. This “inductive kick” voltage, as it is popularly known, lasts only an _ instant, but that is usually time enough for the — very fine wire to burn out. ; 3 (ae To avoid such accidents, the rheostats should be turned down before the telephone plug is re- moved. If a habit is made of this practice, the — amplifier will work without trouble. : NOW THE RADIO PLAY as Radio Dramas have been broadcasted by the WGY station of the General Electric Company at. Schenectady for nearly a year. During that’ period the little group of WGY players have had the largest audiences ever before accorded dram- atic offerings. There are at least 2,000,000 radio and director on the professional stage, has been handing this feature of the WGY programs. Mr Smith and his players have pioneered in the art of the radio drama; they have had to develop’a new technique, It hag been found necessary to make occasional changes in play manuscrips, e pecially where a climac depended upon sightitor its. appreciation. The entrance to or departure from a room by one of the characters has to be indicated by sound, as a closing door. A_ bell helps somewhat in announcing a newcomer to the invisible stage. Various sound devices have been created to produce atmosphere. A telegraph k and an imitation of an engine whistle have helped in a railway station scene. Storms have been stimulated by devices similar to those used on the stage. ene CONTROLLING GENERATION | If the grid and plate circuits of a vacuum t are coupled together so that the energy can b fed back from the plate circuit into the grib circuit the tube will oscillate. When a tube cillates it serves as a transmitter and is of value for receiving. To he of use for recep the circuit must be so adjusted that the tu just at the point of oscillating. How + nige the critical point is . 12 way to dete i short a g
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denser with a piece of wire, and touch the grid terminal of the socket. If a distinct sick: is heard in the phones when the finger touches the terminal and another click when it is removed, the circuit is oscillating. There is no oscillation without regeneration. Regeneration is controlled by the tickler; the amount of current flowing in the filament circuit, the amount of plate voltage and, in some sets, - chiefly radio frequency, a potentiometer is em- ployed to keen the amplifying tubes just below the point of oscillation. Adjustment of the plate variometer Or,other means of feed-back; regula- tion of the “A” battery rheostat and by adding or removing “B” batteries from the circuit play important parts in the reception of clear music. THE JAPANESE RADIO LINK The'radio telegraph circuit between the United States and Japan is operated continuously, carry- ting a large portion of the trans-pacific telegraph traffic. When the recent disastrous earthquake devastated Tokio and Yokohama the radio service was not interrupted. The first news of the disas- ter came to the United States over this radio cir- _ cuit, and for several days thereafter the most complete dispatches describing the extent of the ‘losses and damage came via the Radio Corpora- tion service. There are several Japanese stations _ working with American. First, there is the Iwaki radio system, owned and operated by the Jap- _. anese Government, comprising a transmitting : station at Haranomachi and a receiving station at Tomioka. The general location of these sta- tions were determined by the comparative free- doom of the district from seismic disturbances. The transmitting aerial at Haranomachi is of the umbrella type, supported by a self-supporting ~eentral tower and an outer ring of 18 spliced, guyed wooden masts at a radius af 1,300 feet. fhe central tower is a reinforeed concrete tube 660 feet high, 57 feet in outside diameter at the a wooden masts in the outer ring are 250 feet high and consist of three sections. : , TUBES FIT BATTERIES filament current by amateurs who do. not, care for the storage battery. : The dry battery is a fairly good substitute, but its use is not advised except with certain tubes cause these cells soon become exhausted and must be replaced. This continual replacement on mounts up to the cost of a storage battery. “A numberof flashlight batteries may be con- nected and used for the plate voltage of the tube. ‘Different uses require different values of vol- r A vacuum tube of the stor- ge battery type requires the pressure of 6 volts Recently filament current. Dry cells can be used success- y with these tubes. 3 see “Most dry cell tubes require a small amount of ent current but the voltage must be watch- n the case of the UV201 A and C301 = cure FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY pase and 14 feet outside diameter at the top. The Dry cells are used extensively for vaccum tube. 25 Therefore in order to apply dry. cells to these tubes a combination of dry cells in series is re- quired in order to obtain the correct voltage. . VOLTAGE CONTROL The various detector tubes require careful ad-_ justment of the plate battery for their proper operation. There are no two tubes that possess. the same characteristic either in the filament cur- rent or plate supply. It is easy for any one to make adjustments on the filament since the rheo- states give fine control of the current; in fact, for micrometer adjustment’ vernier rheostat may be employed. Vernier rheostats in some cases have an extra arm built on the same shaft as the regular arm and travel over a single wire tightening around the body of the instrument. Other rheostats of the micrometer type are composed of a carbon resistance embodying the principle of compressed carbon granules. High voltage batteries referred to as. plate bat- teries or B batteries can be had in tapped or un- : tapped form. The tapped battery has five or more taps fastened in a composition of wax. Each one of these posts is connected to a cell in __ the battery so that by connecting leads to differ- + ent posts various values of voltage can be se- cured. There is also an additional post in the iS; corner of the battery which is the other connec- tion. of the battery, usually the negative post. : In order to jump from one post to another, a ~~ test clip of some form can be'used, but itis more ~ convenient to put five contaet points on a switch arm on the panel of the set in which condition Rg the variation of voltage may be obtained by sim- ~~ ply turning the arm or knob. \This entails a little work, but is compensated for by the ease’ and rapidity with which tubes can be tested to determine the relative efficiency of different types. If the switch arm is so wide or the contact points so close together that the blade touches . two posts at the same time the cell between these __ posts will be short circuited. Care, then, should be taken to see that the points are kept apart — _ from each other. Another valuable piece of apparatus to be added to a vacuum tube outfit is the battery ~ — potentiometer, This give fine adjustment to the tube and is most important when cumpoxed with : radio frequency sets. The battery potentiometer comes in two sizes—200 ohms and 400 ohms. The — 200 ohms is satisfactory when used with straight — regenerative receivers. The ends of the winding — are connected directly across the A or filament lighting battéry while the arm is the common post for the input and output circuits of the tube, The potentiometer, despite its high resistance, ~ acts as a drain on the battery, therefore to do — i: away with this loss it is essential to have the instrument connected only when the set is in 2 operation. For this reason a double pole switch- — ing arrangement is made. oes Before making any adjustments set the arm. at the middle of the winding. Then proceed to experiment with the other tube controls. Listen in for a while and move the potentiometer arm slowly: until signal strength is increased. The effect of this movement may be small on local stations, but it is noticeabel on the weak distant make ae
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P96 : FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY S NEW YORK, DECEMBER 28, 1923 TERMS TO SUBSCRIBERS Single Copies...... ieatced ....-Rostage Free 4 Cents One Copy Three Months..... “ a 90 Cents One Copy Six Months.,..... sea « $1.75 One Copy One Year.........- “ ¢ 3.50 Canada, $4.00; Foreign, $4.50. HOW TO SEND MONEY — At our risk send P. O. Money Order, Check or Registered Letter; remittances - any other way are at your risk. We accept Postage -Btamps the same as cash. When sending silver wrap fe Coin in a separate piece of paper to avoid cutting he envelope. Write your name and address plainly. Address letters to HARRY E. WOLFF, Publisher, Inc., Harry EK. Woiff, Pres. } Seo. 166 W. 23d St., N. Y¥. _- Charles H. Nylander, L. EF. Wilsin, Treas. ITEMS OF INTEREST POOR EYESIGHT AMONG EMPLOYEES Examination of 10,000 employees in factories found 53 per cent. with uncorrected, faulty vision. ~_ ‘Of 675 employees in a typewriter company 58 per eent. were found to be in' need of glasses. Among “3 3,000 employees in a paper-box factory the per- “centage of normal was only 28. LEATHER MADE OF EXPLOSIVES __ _ The latest exploit of Henry Ford is to buy 35,- ~~ 000,000 pounds of deteriorating cordite gunpow- der at one-fifth war-time quotations, and use it ~ for making artificial leather. Besides halving the gost of leather, of which 25,000 square yards are - turned out daily, this also releases for other pur- «* poses more than a million gallons of benzol an- - nually. _ INSECTS EATING UP SAGHALIEN =f FORESTS During 1921 the forests of the southern half of Saghalien (Japan) have suffered severely from an insect known as matsukemushi —(lasiccampi- dae). According to information obtained from the company owning the greater portion of the for- ~ ests by Vice Consul Broomall, Yokohama, 85,750 acres of timber were destroyed by this insect dur- “ing last year, or about 800,000,000 cabic feet of standing timber. It is reported that some of the __timber can still be used if cut within a year. SLAYS TWO BIG GRIZZLIES Major Carter, local resident of Ashland, Ore., ~ member of'a Gove-nment survey party operating Gn the Mount McLaughlin region, met two enorm- ous grizzly bears white making his way to a sec- tion stake for da-a the chief of party. ‘The sor ort 7AME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY | 5 planning to elope with Mabel and I mistook _ father’s room for hi : : DANES SOLVE PROBLEM OF THE 5 SPEAKING FILM Cio Two Danish civil engineers, M. Axel Petersen _ and M. Arnold Poulsen, demonstrated before an — audience of prominent persons in Copenhagen a few days ago, a new invention by which the prob- lem of a “speaking film” is solved. The human voice is photographed by a special method on a separate film, which is not connected ~ with the picture film. Thus the voice film can be ae handled separately, which is regarded as a great advantage, The audience was much impressed by the re- if sults demonstrated by the inventors. Prof. P. 0. Mi Pedersen, Director of the Polytechnic High” 3 School, Copenhagen, who worked with M. Valde- 2 mar Poulsen (a pioneer of wireless telegraphy), ae declares that the problem has been solved and in ag the only possible way. : LAUGHS The Janitor—How did you come ter lose yer job? Ex-Officé Boy—Mine and the boss’s grand- mother died on the same day. noe Miss Young—In Turkey a woman doesn’t know her husband until after she’s married him. Mrs. ~ Wedd—Why mention Turkey especially? ee Bud—I was talking to your girl yesterday. Jim —Are you sure you were doing the talking? Bud ~ —yYes. Jim—Then it wasn’t my girl. ; _He—Just one kiss, please. She—If I let you z kiss me once you'll want to kiss me again. He— No, ie She—Then you don’t deserve to kiss me a i j Z Some one had left a button on the table in the © restaurant in place of a tip. “Ah, well,” philo-— sophized the waiter, “everything comes to him- who waits.” ie Mrs. Muldooly—Th’ throuble wid my husband is that he niver sticks to any wan thing more’n a week. Mr. McGroggin—Yez do him injoostice, — Mrs. Muldocly. Oi never saw a firmer man than your husband phwin it comes to-a strike. ; “You must have had some strong inspiration when you wrote this poem.” “Verily,” said the poet, “I had.” “And what was it, may I ask?” “A dispossess notice.” : “5 She—You are very kind to invite me to go sleighing, but—did your horse ever run away? He—Often. You see, I am careless about horses, — and often let the reins fall.to the bottom of the sleigh and drive with my feet. She—I'll go, Jack—You say you fell from a ladder and were painfully injured? Why don’t you file a claim — on your insurance company? Clarence—I would, put you see it wasn’t exactly an accident. I wa
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FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY 4 eS ; INTERESTING ARTICLES GIRL KILLED WHILE JOKING “T couldn’t commit suicide if I wanted to,” nineteen-year-old Rafale Manfredonia of No, 3203 Wilkinson avenue, the Bronx, gayly exclaimed to her sister, Eva, thirteen, the other night as she pressed the muzzle of an automatic pistol to her » right temple and pulled the trigger: 3 There was a report and ja bullet. ploughed y through her brain. Hva ran screaming from the house. Patrolman Mischler of the Westchester ~ station summoned an ambulance from Fordham Hospital, but Rafale was dead. Eva told the police Rafale, impressed by stories of robberies in the neighborhood, had purchased the revolver for protection without letting her parents know anything about it. “ CHAMPION HEN SCORES WITH 276 FOR : A YEAR _. Nebraska’s champion hen, Queen of Cherry- : eroft, laid 276 eggs in a contest lasting a year, which has just been finished. She defeated other _ natign, shattering a former*record of 272 eggs - established some years ago. The contest was con- _ ducted under the auspices of the University of _ Nebraska Agricultural College, i — Queén of Cherrycroft is a white Leghorn be- longing to John W. Welch, who operates a big ; high-powered layers from several States of the y Mrs. H. C. Kleinsmith, Hoff, Ore., was second in the contest with 265 eggs. Nebraska has a hen population of 11,615,257, ~ producing: 50,000,000 dozen eggs annually. The _. poultry and egg industry is worth $35,000,000 a _ year to Nebraska. NATURAL WOOD WITH. ARTIFICIAL TINT Many of our most famous woods are known by their colors. Ebony wood, we know, is black. Wal- nut is a brownish-black and mahogany is red. - Were we to go into a furniture store to purchase if the merchant were to attempt to sell us a table made from a greenish-colored wood and tell us that it was walnut. W’d probably walk out and brand him as several kinds of a liar. But he might be perfectly truthful. The “black” walnut * might be green, or, conversely, the green wood might be “black” walnut. Science has discovered that the wood of grow- ing trees may be colored with aniline dyes so that tinted lumber will be preduced séveral months latex when the tree is cut and sawed... A slanting hole is bored through the foot of the tree trunk and into this is poured a dye solution, filling the ole to the brim. The natural circulatory sys- ém of the tree absorbs the dye and distributes it to. every cell, so that when the timber is sawed the wood is tented. It is said that almost any jor may be effected in this way, so don’t be as- able made from a gre ny or mahoga: en_wood is “ - He may be Saree might ! Lape abd farm near Omaha. A barred rock owned - "a walnut table we should be considerably surprised | shed if your furniture dealer tells you that a” ‘ black” walnut. oF of war. si PAINTING OF CHRIST WINS LIBERTY FOR COUNTERFERITER A mural painting in the chapel in the Federal Penitentiary, Atlanta, Ga., won freedom for Max Sasonoff, former member of the Metropolitan Opera Company. After serving a year and a half — of a three-year sentence for counterfeiting, Saso- noff walked out of the prison gates the other morning, paroled, (-% “Jesus Ministering Unto the Helpless” is the title of Sasonoff’s painting, and many critics have characterized it as one of the finest exam- ples of mural paining in this country. } Visitors to the prison have taken great inter- » est in it, with the result that efforts were made tg obtain a pardon or a parole for Sasonoff. Of Russian birth, he studied under noted Eu- ropean operatic teachers and sang with Chaliapin and Caruso on the Continént. He was a member of the Metropolitan Opera Company for some time and achieved considerable reputation as a painter, exhitibing several canvasses. ~ » Sasonoff was convicted in New York of pre- paring plates for a counterfeit bank note. His defense was that he was compelled by a relative to complete the plates after he had discovered the _ sae to eae they were to be put and had refused o finish. MOST SENSITIVE OF INSTRUMENTS Remarkable progress has been made during the — past decade in the development of scientific in- struments of unusual sensitivity. It is now possi- ble to measure the ten-thousandth part of an inch, and so accurate have our scientific instruments be- come that the parts of engines must be calibrated to this precision, Another machine exists with which it is possible to rule nearly 30,000 lines in the space of an inch. One of the greatest accomplishments of makers of astronomical instruments is the invention of a _ highly polished mirror, made of metal, which splits a single beam of light into seven separate — beams, each of a different color,. The seven beams in themselves constitute a single white beam. Another instrument is so sensitive that it re- sponds to the heat of a man’s body at a distance of 200 yards. Other instruments have been de- veloped and are now in use for the detection OL cea lies. It is thought that when a man tells a lie : his heart undergoes a slight change in its rhyth- mic beat, due to his nerves, and these instruments : are so delicate that they will indicate the change, however slight, that takes place, We recently-read of a machine so delicate in its . precision that it will inscribe a message of several. hundred words on the head of a pin. A manu- seript of several thousand words in length might be thus Inscribed on the head of a shoe nail, The purpose of such fine writing might be questione but one of the uses for it would seem - ) be in tis "1 ae fj I USHOI MLA). g ot aes
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98 a FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY HERE AND THERE EXCAVATION ON SEA OF GALILEE Part of an ancient wall and columns belonging _ to the ancient city of Biberias on the Sea of Gal- ilee have been recently recovered. As soon as the ruins were discovered expert archeologists were summoned and the excavations will be car- ried out under scientific control. It was near this city that Jesus preached his- Sermon on the Mount, and Mary Magdalene is believed to have come from a near-by town. at SHOT BY BROTHER While at target practice in the back-yard of his home, No. 481 Mamaroneck avenue, Mamaroneck, two. y _N. Y., the other afternoon, Henry Stone, eigh- _ teen, was shot by his brother, Franklin, twenty- The rifle, a .22 calibre repeater, was acci- _ dentally discharged while being loaded. _ The accident was witnessed by their mother, Mrs, Michael Hogan, wife of an official of the White Plains Water Department. She rushed to the yard to find Henry unconscious and his brother bending over him. : - At the Portchester Hospital, where the bullet was removed, it was said Henry had been struck in the right groin. Though the wound is danger- ous, his probably will recover. Franklin was ar- ' vested on a technical charge of assault and re- ~ leased in the custody of his parents. ~- THREE ROOMS AND BATH ON WHEELS _ One of the striking novelties of the Paris Salon was a large automobile bungalow built by Auto- mobile Industrielles Saurer. The wheelbase of this large machine is thirty feet. Bedrooms for ~ three people are provided besides a bathroom, a _ iences. front room and controls a sixty-horse-power en- = Santax which sells for about $285, the former kitchen with a good-size range and other conven- The driver sits in-an armchair in the gine capable of propelling this monster at forty ~ miles per hour. In contrast to this giant is the little two-seated selling for about $13,500. This midget is seven feet. long, has a single cylinder three-and-a-half - horse-power engine, three speeds and is capable of doing thirty-five miles per hour with a consump- _ tion of sixty miles to the gallon. : s “METALS FOUND IN MARINE ANIMALS - Marine animals are made partly of metal. Ex- - amination by Miss H. W. Seyery of Stanford Uni- versity of sixteen denizens of the sea from Y » shrimps to whales has demonstrated that all con- — - tain zine and most of them copper. For several - years it has been known that copper is present in oysters and sometimes it oecurs to “such an ex- them a metallic taste. Miss Severy showed that copper was also present in sea anemones, sea urch- ins, shrimps, crabs, salmon and sea }ions, but was tent that it colors them green and may even give . - amounted to four parts in one million. Certain animals such as the snake have long been known to have some copper in their blood which gave it the blue color. It acts in the same way the iron acts in the blood of higher animals: it is a carrier of oxygen to the tissues. The part zine plays in — the animal body has not been ascertained, al- though it is assumed that it functions as an aid ~ to the digestive fiuids. Zinc apparently is more widely distributed than copper, for the investiga- tor found it in two higher animals belonging to the group of mammals, namely, the sea lion and ~ the whale; the latter showed no trace of copper — in its body, : THE BREEZIEST SPOT ON THE ATLANTIC COAST : The first part of the researches on the vegeta- tion of Long Island, by Norman Taylor, curator of plants at the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens, has- _ recently been published as a part of Volume II of = — the Brooklyn Botanic Garden “Memoirs.” This part deals with the vegetation of Montauk, the — peninsula at the eastern end of the south fluke of Long Island, a region of great interest from — a botanical, geological and meteorological as well as an historical point of view. In an attractive literary style Mr. Taylor describes the condition on the peninsula as far back as historical records — go and brings the account up to the present with — prognostications as to the future. © mes One of the main points of interest is the con-— tinual struggle for domination between grass- lands and forest. On thei bleak, open downs, ex. isting climatic conditions, especially the wind makes forest growth impossible. Mr. Taylor states that Montauk is the windiest place on the Atlantic coast, the wind movement there averag- ing 155,975 miles per year which is nearly double the rate at the middle of the island and averages — twice as much as it does at Port Jefferson for in- stance. pias “During many single months,” the author says “the wind movement at Montauk averages 13,000 miles (about 6, at Port Jefferson), and hourly velocities of 60, 70, 75 and 80 miles are not un- common, while the wind-has been known to bl
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ow | increased my than 300 more : by Joseph Anderson AM just the average man—twenty-eight years old, with a wife and a three-year-old youngster, didn’t want me to do it, but I thought I knew more than they did. I can see my father now, standing before me, pleading, threatening, coaxing me to keep on with my schooling. With tears in his eyes he told me how he had been a failure all his life because of lack cf education—that the untrained man is always forced to work for a small salary—that he had hoped, yes, and prayed, that I would be a more guccessful man than he was. But no! My mind was made up. I had been offered a job at nine dollars a week and I was going to take it. . That nine dollars looked awfully big to me. I didn’t realize then, nor for years afterward, that I was being paid only for the work of my hands. My brain didn’t count. HEN one day, glancing through a magazine, I came across the story of a man just like myself. I left school when I was fourteen. My parents” He, too, had left school when he was fourteen years _ of age, and had worked for years at a small salary. But he was ambitious. He decided that he would get out of the rut by training himself to become expert in some line of work. So he got in touch with the International Corre- spondence Schools at Scranton and started to study in his spare time at home. It was the turn in the road for him—the beginning of his success. Most stories like that tell of the presidents of at institutions who are earning $25,000 and _ $50,000 a year. Those stories frighten me. I don’t think I could ever earn that much. But this story gold of a man who, through spare time study, lifted “ ‘bimself from $25 to $75 a week. It made an im- a pression on me because it talked in terms I could understand. It seemed reasonable to suppose that I could do as well. I tell you it didn’t take’me long that time to mark and send in that familiar coupon. Information ~ regarding the Course I had marked came back by return mail. I-found it wasn’t too late to make up the education I had denied myself as a boy. = I was surprised to find out how fascinating a > \pome-study course could be.- The I. C. S. worked with me every hour I had to spare. I felt myself : ng. I knew there was me somewhere. - Four months after I enrolled my employer came 9@ me and told me that he always gave preference » aes @ men who studied ‘their jobs—and that my next ‘a bigger job waiting salary ail A MMe ution Ane ney =a salary envelope would show how much he thought of the improvement in my work. Today, my salary is more than 300% greater than it was when I began my studies. That increase has meant a better home and all the luxuries that make life worth while, What I have done, you can do, For I am just an average man. I had no more education to begin with than you have—perhaps not as much. The only difference is a matter of training. O every man who is earning less than $75 a week, I say simply this:—Find out what the I. C. 8. can do |S youl : It will take only a minute of your time to mark and mail the coupon. But that one simple act may change your whole life. If I hadn’t taken that first step four years ago ~ I wouldn’t be writing this message to you today! No, and I wouldn’t be earning anywhere near $75 a week, either! INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENCE SCHOOLS Box 4495-B, Scranton, Penna, Without cost or obligation, pene tell mo how I can qualify for the position or in the subject before which I bave marked an XK: BUSINESS TRAINING COURSES Business Management Salesmanship : “A Industrial Management Advertising ? Personnel Organization Better Letters ‘Trafic Management Show Card Lettering Business Law Stenography and Typing Banking and Banking Law Business English Accountancy (including C,P.A.) Civil Service Cost Accounting Railway Mail Clerk Bookkeeping Common Schoo! Subjects Private Secretary High School Subjects Spanish () French Illustrating ( Cartooning TECHNICAL AND INDUSTRIAL COURSES Electrical Engineering Blectrice Lighting Mechanica) Engineer Architect - i Blue’ Print Reading ~ : Contractor and Builder Architectural Draftsman 7 LiConerete Builder Structural Engineer - Chemistry () Pharmacy Automobile Work * Airplane Engines Mechanical Draftsman Machine Shop Practice Railroad Positions Gas Engine Operating Civil Engineer Surveying and Mapping Metallurgy Navigation Steam Engineering Agriculture and Poultry Radio Mathematies ~ Persons residing in Oanada should send this coupon to the Interna~ c |, Oonada, DecupatlOn.......sessrneveersseierereneessnesraseinanuseestedusnannsuadnesieveananscuanses aS reapondence Schools Cunadian, Limited, Montreal, . signal Cor PS eee oe
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OLD MONEY WANTED- 3 $2 eon EACH paid for hundreds of old tlee ALL Old or odd money, it may be Yeas vaiua bles Send 10 cts. for ILLUS- TRATED COIN VALUE BOOK, 4x6. Get Posted. We pay CASH. CLARKE COIN CO., Ave. 13, LeRoy, N. ¥. DETECTIVES Bar Bie orey American Detective System, 1968 Broadway, New York City FIRST IN ITALY While it is gen- erally accepted that ice cream was first made in Italy, perhaps at about the time America was dis- covered, it was left. to the United States to develop Was Losing All Hair! But Now See What Koteatko Kas Done! the ind Miss Verdie Bolt’s hair was e industry on a coming out by combfuls and great scale, Prof. Seaplane loss seers sure. 2S or is Martin Morten- writes that she was terribly | Bia VALUE f {0 6 a |sen, head of the poo ap epee! ae | 8, words and music: 25 Pic- department of er about Kotalko. She os retty Girls4 40 Wa sto Make started using it. Her hair soon :t .00in Prises Given Aven First Price ord E Touring C Car. Writ rite frame Coupon entitl- werep Ke hy 17, 1923, Bil ask ont ey ane ia Eee | Money; 1 Joke Bo Book on |Cairying in the | stopped from falling and from @ Love; 1'Magic Book; i ‘Book Letter | Ohio State Col- coming away on the comb and Mi eg Beek tune Teller; 1 Cook Book; 1 Base | lege, saj Ball Book, gives rules for games; 1 Be, said recente, ze Maker Book, Language of at the World’s Owers; i Morse Telegra a- : abet; 13 Cheats _ periment; Dairy Congress. 2% Mag ?> ¢; Great North Pole 7 Game; eT Conundrums; 8 Puzzles; — is thought 12 Games: 80 Verses for Autograph Albums, > All a ice cream the above by mail for 20 ota. and 2 cts. poacage, | WaS introduced Royal Sales Oo., Desk 134, South Norwalk, Ct. | into France about 1550, and the © earliest record of Y it in England was as ae F a #4 7 ar a ee a house- omics, artoons, ommercial, ewspaper | kee ing’) magazine ond, maseaine tgstrating., Sect, CH72 | published in 1786. Classes. Dasy method. Write for terms and | But it was not un- — EA brush, and developed new, beautiful, Dense growth. The photo shows what 3 boxes of Kotalko did. There are legions _ of other stich wonderful cases on record. Kotalko is for men’s, women’s and children’s hair. ‘ Genuine Kotalko contains real bear oil, juice of the aoe peccepes plant and ten other ingredients. You may buy it at a busy druggist’s. preci ng in each box. Or write for proof box with bookl free by mail. Address: Kotal Company, Q-370, Station L, New York. Play this Jazzy Sax 7 Without Practice 4 No k ; List of successful students. 4 : Fianlgraguipe, long Play by, ~ Beatty, SSOCIATED ART STUDIOS til 1751 that the Sateen ae yore : This A-0@ Flatiron Building, New Yorks first wholesale ice atlas, ‘Gaucea, plontogs Entorta asy: I played : cream business cxer, except nickel mou! veoh ‘ was started “by 100k Just ike regular saxop! {ue same sis ae gighted 5 when you ' ‘Jacob Russell in Play Jaze can own a Jazzy Baltimore. Right aay ere Send ‘ The ice face tbs. Beautiful, usiness in e oeanke ¥ No Mone in- faeces Anoinassgeinscd Habit Cured or No Pay | oon trom se, Supply plus a tow penuies a peatess ga. Gusrantoed. Hlarmlage. Complete trontmsntsent 000,000 gallons in Z, bia Pats or | : ied r fet jSGBHleANY, pepe, 2464 Com: a me $ it cur ins if it 1909 to 263,529, — SUPERBA Go. Sy spNpins wid 000 gallons in 1912, The ice. cream cone was ‘UNDERGROUND EUs | invented in 1904, How a Vhere to Find Them [2 for aconia Professor Mor- Oneofthe most won. | Model Publishing Co.. 21 Comoe Building, Chleszo | tonsen attributed SSE, dertal plants known, : : the great success : of the industry to the sound busi- ness principles: oe employed by the men who entered ry herb to a onlot. Sim: ® plant in saucer of water, felt on ‘open, “ap and start to ue row in When taken out it _ a ee it. He said the pamper oF ¥ 10 cents rapid develop- — ment of machin’: 75 ery, trade jour-_ nals and instrue- tion in colleges in cleus AGENTS WANTED _ Johnson-Smith Co. Dept. 39, Racks, Wis. THIS WONDER RADIO SET to special metal cabinet with double head ly to hook up stoma ABSOLUTELY. FREE . the art of ice any concerts, sports, lectures,’ eream ~ making x 1. Rend ay your name Bake ICR ERED RADIO PLAN. - a ‘scttaanree PALE, co. lace, 5 | had-done much to increase the bus-
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yo U,, Boss This Job YOUR Future? Today you are earning $20 to $30 a week. In the same six days as an Electrical Expert, you can make from $70 to $200, and make iteasier —not work half sohard. Then why remain in the“‘small pay” game— in a line of work that offers—No Big Promo- tion—No Big Income— No Big Future? Fit yourself for a Big Job. Your Success Is Guar-= anteed So sure am I that you can learn electricity— so sure am|after study- ing with me, you too get in the “big money class in electrical work, that I will. guarantee under Bond to return every single penny paid ‘me in tuition if, when you have finished my Course you are not sat- isfied it was the best investment you ever made, Too, Can Learn EXTRA SPECIAL! Radio Course FREE An up-to-the-minute Home Study Course— e latest wireless de- velopments—given free to all who enroll for my great Electrical Course NOW., Two : 2 : f courses for the price of = 5 ; ewe one. Mail coupon for a y @ full particulars. “Electrical Experts” Earn $12 to $30 a Day Be an Electrical Expert Today even the ordinary electrician—the “screw-driver” kind—is making money ——big money. But it’s the trained man—the man who knows the whys and wherefores of Electricity—the “Electrical Expert’—who is picked out to “boss” ordinary electricians—to boss the big jobs—the jobs that pay $3,500 to $10,000 a Year.. Getin line for one of these “Big Jobs’’ by enrolling now for_my easily-learned, quickly-grasped, right- up-to-the-minute Spare Time Home Study Course in Practical Electricity. Age or Lack of Experience Ne Drawback You don’t have to be a College Man; you don’t have to be a High School Graduate. My Course in Electricity isthe most simple, thorough and successful in existence, and. offers every man, regardless of age, education or previous experience, the chance to become, ina o very short time, an “Electrical Expert,” able to make from $70 to $200 a week. ? E Give You a Real Training As Chief Engineer of the Chicago Engineering Works, I know exactly the kind of ale Serene “ae 4 4H riba ij 2 , ra training a man needs to enable him to get and hold good Positions. and to earn L. L big pay. I not only know, but I give you that training—I willtrain you as I eer have trained thousands of other men who, today, are holding splendid elec- o Cooke, trical positions, or are in business for themselves as Electrical Contractors. y Ehgienee TRI With me you do PRACTICAL work—at FREE ever sat HOME. You start right in after the y 4 Chicago Bode Exbeeeeah “3 MZ VUE s-s¢ few lessons to WORK AT o Engineering S H ; - ; I giveit to you ABSOLUTELY PER Visors Ne Tmited sortie ‘hope aa Works , 4 Dept. 208, 2150 Law- t 4 rence Ave., Chicago, Ill Dear Sir:—Send_ at once Sam- ple Lessons, your Big Book, and , 2 full particulars of your Free Outfit and the two Home Study Courses—all eally prepaid, without obligation on my part. ing a slashing cut in the cost of my tuition, I will GIVE. each new etud- ent ABSOLUTELY FREE OF COST, acomplete Blectrical Working Outfit, conaiading ot Voltmeter, Ammeter, Electric Motor, Bells, Wiro Gauge, Wire for Wiring, Tools, ete., for homeand construction work, But You Must Act Today This offer is positively limited, and may shortly be withdrawn, ? Fillin and send me the coupon, or drop me a post-card, giving me your full name and address, and receive full 4 particulars of this great offer. But doit NOW—TODAY —before it is too late. L. L. COOKE, Chief Engineer CHICAGO ENGINEERING WORKS Dept. 208 2150 Lawrence Ave., Chicago, Hl, we. F- NAMIC... ccscoeesvsnsdocosoccaraetcoesarecseorrecosscssssserepnistsooteey
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Fame and Fortune Weekly — LATEST rssvEsS — ; 908 A Snegieye at 16; or, The Lad Who Worked His ; rains, 909 Tom, the Steeplejack: or, Winning a Living by Nerve. 910 Saving a Million; or, Ben and the Wall Street Brokers. 911 Down and Out; or, A Hard Boy to Beat. 912 The Boy Banker's Double; or, A Strange Wall St. Mystery. 913 se 2 ate Beach Comber; or, A Fortune in the Sand. 914 The Little Boss; or, After the Wall St. Money Kings. 913 $250,000 in Gold; or, Hunting a Hindoo Treasure. 916 A Corner in Money: or, Beating the Wall St. Loan Sharks. 917 Going It Alone; of, The Boy Who Made His Own Luck. 91f “Attle Dan Tucker: or, Making Big Money in Wall : Street. § Fightin, ov A Boy Buried Gold; caneers, 922 Hitting It Rich; or, The Luckiest Firm in Wall St. Sam the Salesman; or, The Boy With the Silver Tongue, Playing in Luck; or, A Plotter’s Dangerous Deal. After a Big Stake; or, Brains Against Brawn. for Business: or. Beating a Bad Start. oney-Maker; or, In Wall St/ on His Nerve. or, The Treasure of the Old Buc- 926 Facing the Mexicuns: or, The Secret of the Aztec’s Gold. 927 Fighting for Fame; or, The Luck of a Young Con- tractor. 928 Seeking a Lost Treasure; or, The Nerve of a Young Explorer. 929 Matt the Mechanic; or, The Boy Who Made His Pile. 93) Among the Ice Peaks; or, The Voyage That Made the Money. ; 931 The Little Castaways; The Fortune That a Wreck Brougbt. 93% -Taking Big Chances; or, The Boy Who Saved a Town. - 93% Always Lucky; or, Winning on His Merits. 93% Out for a Corner; or, A Smart Chicago Boy” * o3f The Winning Trick; or, How a Boy Made His Mark. 93¢The Young Editor; or, Running a Country News- . paper. 937 A Big Stroke; or, The Lad Who Made a Record. 939 In the Copper Fields; or, The Mine That Made the Money. or, + 939 From a Cent to Fortune; or, A Chicago Boy’s Great Seoop. 940 A Start in Life; or, A Poor Boy’s Rise to Fame. 941 A ees Boy; or, Born With a Winning , . Streak. ; 942 Capturing the Money; or, How Ben Bailey Made is Mark. | 948 Digging for Gold; or, The Luck of a Boy Miner. 1944 A Boy with Grit; or, Earning an Honest Living. 45 Andy the Mill Boy; or, Rising to the Top. 046 Fame Before. the Footlights; or, The Boy Who Bossed the Theatre. ae - 947 Lucky Lee the Office Boy; or, The Nerviest Lad in . New York. 048 Sure to Get Rich; or, A. Smart Young Messenger. 49 Ppshing It Throuch: or. The Fate of a Lucky Day. 50 A Born Speculator; or, The Young Sphinx of Wall Street. A 951 The Way to Success; or, The Boy Who Got There. For sale by all newsdealers, or will be sent to any ad- dress on receipt of price, 7c. per copy, In money or pos- tage stamps, by a } HARRY E. WOLFF, Publisher, Inc., 166 West 23d Street, ~ New York City HOW TO. ) SCENARIOS = write THEM send us tho and we OUR TEN-CENT HAND BOOKS Useful, Instructive, and Amusing. They contain: ES Valuable Information on Almost ; Every Subject. “J : : } No. 56. HOW TO BEOME AN ENGINEER, — Con- taining full instructions how to become a locomotive engineer; also directions for building a model locomo- tive; together with a full description of everything an — engineer should know. No. 58. HOW TO BE A DETECTIVE. — By Old King Brady, the well-known detective. In which he lays down some valuable rules for beginners, and also relates some adventures of wéll-known detectives. ae No. 60. HOW TO BECOME A PHOTOGRAPHER. — * Containing useful information regarding the Camera and how to work it; also how to make Photographic Magic Lantern Slides and other Transparencies. Handsomely ~ illustrated. ; No. 64. HOW TO MAKE ELECTRICAL MAOHINES. | — Containing full directions for making electrical ma- _ chines, induction coils, dynamos and many novel-toys — to be worked by electricity. By B. A\-R. Bennett. Fully illustrated. er No. 65. MULDOON’S JOKES.—The most original er book ever published, and it is brimful of wit aa pattees It contains a large collection of songs, jokes, conun-— drums, ete., of Terrence Muldoon, the great wit, humor- — ist and practical joker of the day. it a No. 66. HOW TO DO PUZZLES. — Contai three hundred interesting puzzles and carne with - key to same. A complete book. Fully illustrated. a No. 67. HOW TO DO ELECTRICAL TRICKS.—Con- _ ears : seer cn bs lnsien oye and highly amus- ng electrical tricks, together wit ; ae ects g h illustrations. By Aes No. 68. HOW TO DO CHEMICAL TRICKS. sca pe Rag i aed ars tees eres and. pres, ve. eks Ww chemicals. . Anderson, ‘ >. illustrated. . Bae ss Handsome No. 69. HOW TO DO SLEIGHT-OF-HAND, — « ees oreo oe eee and best tricks ‘acne magicians. so containin e secret ©: rus ilastrated, g et of second sight. °. 70. HOW TO MAKE MAGIC TOYS. — Containing directions for making Magic Toys and dey. ao Kinds. Fully illustrated. Svices Sheaeee o 71. HOW TO DO MECHANICAL TRICKS.—Con. taining complete instructions for performi : z Mechanical Tricks. Fully inusthated. ee es! No. 72. HOW TO DO SIXTY TRICKS WITH CARDS — Embracing all of the latest.and most d tricks, with illustrations. ae eres No. 744. HOW TO WRITE LETTERS COR ° ei apiasS,» ae ap Hanie eae ee writing lations ee most any subject; also rules for punctu “ec ang pee specimen letters, ¥ pepe fe aie 0.16. HOW TO TELL FORTUNES BY TH — Containing rules for telling fortunes by the dd ne eee ae es or the pees of palmistry. Also the secret of telling future events by aid of sears, etc. Illustrated. if eek, eee No. 77. HOW TO DO FORTY TRICKS WIT é fe Tae aoe sae eee as perfomance eading conjurers and magicians. Arrange ‘on amusement. Fuily illustrated. ee See hong No. 80. GUS WILLIAMS’ JOKE BOOK. — Containing the latest jokes, anecdotes and funny stories of this world-renowned German comedian. ixty-four pages; handsome cofored cover, containing a half-tone Pp : of the author. 5 = No. 82. HOWTO DO PALMISTRY. — Containing th most approved methods of reading the lines on the han together with a full explanation of their meaning. A so explaining phrenology, and the key to felling character by the bumps on the head. By Leo Hugo Koch, A’ Fully illustrated. : * No. 88% HOW TO HYPNOTIZE.— Containing yalu-— able and instructive information regarding the science — of hypnotism. Also explaining the most approved meth- ods which are employed by the leading hypnotists of the world. By Leo Hugo Koch, A.C.S. Pte ae For sale by all newsdealers, or will be sent to address on receipt of price, 10¢. Der copy, in money or stamps, by we ‘ Des gs