Fame And Fortune Weekly (no. 978) (1924 06 27)

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BOYS, READ THE RADIO ARTICLES IN THIS NUMBER JUNE 27, 1924 No. 978 Price 8 Cents Ww A masked man, with a revolver in his hand, came down the steps. “Ahal” he exclaimed, with a smothered imprecation. “I’ve caught you, have I?” Mrs. Tarbox uttered a cry of dismay, while Johnny. looked the picture of terror.

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rs Are You A Radio Fan? Read Pages 24 and 25 \ FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKL Issued Hyde eat ie hatte price, $4.00 per year; Canada, $4.50; Foreign, $5.00. Harry W. Wolff, Publisher, Inc., 160 est 23d Street, New York, N. Y. Fo i! No. 978. NEW. YORK, JUNE 27, Entered as Second-Class Matter, October 4, 1911, at the Post-Office at New York, N. Y., under the Act of March 3, 1879. 1924 Price 8 Cénts. MAKING HIS MARK eG OR, THE BOY’ WHO BECAME PRESIDENT By A SELF-MADE MAN CHAPTER I.—The Ghost of the. Old Mill. “It’s rainin’, Vic!” exclaimed Johnny Tarbox a stout, freckle-faced youth of eleven years, « knowed it would.” : - His companion, a stalwart, good-looking lad '-of seventeen, whose name was Victor Bell, held out the back of his hand and a big drop of _ Smoisture fell upon it. “Youre right, Johnny; I’m afraid we’re in for it after all. I thought we could beat it out, for we only had a mile to walk to reach your house.” The hour was nine in the evening, and the landscape was lonesome and deserted. Victor Bell was an orphan and boarded with Mrs. Tar- box, Johnny's mother. He was employed by a manufacturing company as shipping clerk; and was regarded by the manager as an unusually smart boy. Vie was very fond of outdoor sports, though business prevented him. from devoting as much time to athletic exercises, as he wished. He was a member of a yacht and rowing club, which had a club-house on the upper reaches of the Harlem River. He was also a crack boxer, | and few of-his associates cared to put on the gloves with him, owing to his slugging abilities. ae Among other things, Vic enjoyed a good walk, ind that afternoon he had accompanied Johnny. Tarbox, who had a message to carry from his > mother to her sister, and the boys had stayed to {supper at Spuyten Duyvil. When they set out on their return home the reflections of lightning above the distant horizon, and the far-off mut- terings of thunder, warned them of an approach- ing storm. o “We'll get soaked trough and trough if we — £0 .0n,”. grumbled the small boy, as the drops _ began to come down faster and faster each mo- ~ ment, and the soughing wind gave signs of devel- : ‘oping into a smart gale. “Let’s rnin over to the » mill and get in out of the wet.” "* he mill in question was a relic of Revolu- i tionary days, and had long since been abandoned ~ @to idleness and the encroachments of time. It is - reputation of being haunted by the ghost of the original miller, who, tradition said, was a pretty bad sort of fellow. : It was’ a lucky thing for the boys that the ancient mill was at hand, for barely had they dashed inside of the doorless opening of the first floor when the thunder-storm swooped down upon them in all its fury. - “This is a corker for fair,” said Vic, as he glanced out into the night and saw the rain de- scending in sheets swished about by the high wind which accompanied the storm. . “Bet your life it is,” responded Johnny; “but I don’t care as long as I ain’t out in it.” “This is a fine night for the old Dutch miller ‘ to make his rounds of the mill,” grinned Vic. “Hol” ejaculated Johnny, contemptuously. “TI don’t believe no sich stuff.” : Hardly were thé words out of his mouth before there came up from the foundations of the build- ing the sound of machinery in motion, inter- mingled with a steady thump, thump, like that given off by a stamping-mill “What the dickens is that?” exclaimed Vic, in a tone of some astonishment. “It sounds like the rumbling of machinery under this floor.” Johnny made no answer. He didn’t seem as confident as before. As a matter of fact he was a bit scared. Vic, however, was blessed with strong’ nerves, and believed that there was always a natural cause for every effect, however unac- countable. ‘Doar “Seems rather,mysterious, doesn’t it, Johhny?” he said, calmly. “Maybe dere’s some one in the cellar poundin’ away at somet’in’,” answered Master Tarbox, edging nearer to the door, as if he thought it would be advantageous to be close to the open- ing in case it became necessary for any reason to scoot. “T don’t see why any one should be down in the cellar of this old rookery, nor can I imagine what he could be pounding at.” “Wow! Look dere!” cried the boy, pointing his finger toward a doorless opening as a flash of electricity illuminated every corner of the room. ‘ Vic looked, and truly it seemed as if some im- palpable object, resembling a man, melted away | before his eyes.

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3 2 “What did you see, Johnny ?” he asked. “T seen a man’s face. An old man wit’ white - hair and goggle eyes, standin’ in dat door,” : ae the little fellow, now thoroughly fright- ened. Vie was willing to believe that the boy had seen something, for he was conscious of a similiar impression; but that it was a ghost did not strike him favorably. “Tl tell you what, Johnny, it’s my opinion ; there are tramps in this. old mill. At any rate, “3 I’m going to find out for sure.” Es “YT wouldn’t if I was you,” replied Johnny nerv- ously. “Dey might kick de stuffin’ out of you.” “You stay here, Johnny, while I go and see what I can see.” z “Better take dat piece of wood dere to defend yourself wit’,” suggested the youth, pointing at a club-like object which lay against one of the walls. Vic picked it up and started for the door where the apparition, if such it was, had appeared. At ~ that moment the sounds below ceased as sud- _ denly as they. began, and not a sound was to be heard to disturb the death-like stillness of the - place, save the occasional crash of the thunder - without, the wild sweep of the wind, and the rain beating against the sides and roof of the mill. ~. Vie came to a pause at the door and looked ~ jnto the dense darkness beyond. The stoppage of the mysteridus noise below, and the intense = stillness which ensued, rather disconcerted him. ine All of a sudden, while he stood there unde- - ¢ided what he had best do, there smote upon -_—‘\wis ear, as well as Johnny’s, a most unearthly “_. ery, which seemed to penetrate every nook and corner of the old building. It died away in a - solemn wail, and all was silent and death-like as before. oe To say that Vie was startled would hardly ~~ be telling the truth. As for Johnny, he leaned ‘wp against the wall near the door, a very badly frightened boy. A heavy clap of the receding thunder now shook the building. Vie drew back - jnto the corner away from the door, while Johnny _ began to shiver as with the ague, and his eyes ~ stuck out like a lobster’s, as some one began to mount the stairs. The “ghost” came on with a thump—thump and clank—clank made by ~~ chains, till it reached the door, then it entered the room. The “spook” was a large, broad-shoul- dered man, all-covered with dust and flour. He worse a loose, smock-frock, which reached be- lew his waist, but what struck the sharp-eyed Vie was that this ghost of a hundred years back wore a modern pair of trousers and shoes to “match. He carried a lantern, modern, too, in d about with a sardonical laugh i That is, he took off the ad covered hi > MAKING HIS MARK “all,” chuckled Vie, after the spook had retired _ just been impersonating the “miller’s ghos ‘several ste: parently b ccuntenance, revealing himself to be a plain everyday mortal. Tucking it under his arm, he walked to the door by which he had entered, with- out observing that he had frightened away only one of the two intruders, and Vic soon heard him descending to the cellar beneath. ee a CHAPTER Ii.—In the Cellar of the Old Milles “That seems to be a very human ghost-after to the depths whence he came. “This place may be the hiding-place for a gang of thieves; and probably they keep their booty here. I’m going to look into this thing. If my idea is correct it will be a feather in my hat to furnish the information that will lead to the — capture of a gang of crooks. I might get a re- ward out of it. That would suit me all right.” Vie removed his shoes and, leaving them nea the door, started to feel his way along the dark passage to the stairs. As soon as he located them he began. with extreme caution, to descend. They were pretty solid steps, considering their age, but the boy found several that were loose and creaked under his tread. In a few minutes he reached the foot of the flight. A moldy smell greeted his nostrils, not unlike that from an old vault. He did not dare strike a match, lest the momentary glare should betray his presence ~ there. So he felt about till his hand rested on_a rough board partition. sbeceela' a, He followed this slowly along till he can to where it branched off, then he saw a brig light shining through a knot-hole. Applying his eye to the opening, Vic looked in upon an enclosed — space in the cellar. Above were the flooring and under beams of the mill, almost completely cover- ed by long, pendant, dirty spiders’ webs, while on one side was the high, stone wall that com posed the foundation of the building, the oth three sides being constructed of comparative new boards. ae _In one corner stood a rude kind of machine, like a large grindstone, whose long handle show- ed that it was worked by hand. Vic, who had a — good idea of the uses of machinery in general, examined it narrowly, but could not see w function it was intended to perform, beyond ma ing the wheels on the shaft and counter-shaft go around. In another corner was a bunk provided with a pair of blankets and a mattress, wi showed that some one slept in the room. ther away was a small cookstove, while s : pans hung from nails driven into the wall. The: was also an open cupboard with three shelves — in which reposed a few plates, a cup and saucer, knives, forks, spoons, and other articles of a similar nature. s Ree An ordinary kitchen table stood in the ce of the enclosure. At this table were seate men—one of whom was the individual who while the other was a tall, stalwart man, wit heavy, dark beard, the upper part of his being hidden by a black mask similar to worn by crooks when they wish to conce: identity. pen rie table in front of h Sh ich h

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ss that now stood beside it. Close to the bench _ stood a machine that resembled a Washington hand printing press, such as is used in large print- ing offices for taking proofs of engravings. ‘I wonder what kind of business these chaps are -earrying on here?” Vic asked himself, as his yes took in everything within his range of vision. It can’t be anything honest, or the workers vouldn’t:carry it. on,in the seclusion of this dis- al cellar, and then work a fake spook busi- ess to scare off intruders. Perhaps they are -bank-note counterfeiters. That man at the table eems to have an engraved plate just the size of a bank-note before him, That press yonder ‘may be used to print them. I think the Govern- ‘ment authorities ought to be notified about this plant on general principles.” hile Vie was examining the rooms with his ae, his ears were also taking in the conversa- m going on between the men. “Well,” said the man in the mask, “did you ten those chaps off?” ‘T’ll bet I did!” chuckled the companion. “I'll arrant J scared the kid out of a year’s growth, e other chap, I fancy, flew on hearing our patent unearthly screech.” © - “You are certain they are both gone?” ure as death. Both of them are sure to ead the news of what they saw, and the old end of ake to he ghost will be renewed with ficient fo to keep all stragglers away from Tr e. I wouldn’t be surprised if an account of this haunted mill got into the Sunday _ ne wspapers, with appropriate illustrations: That ’ machine in the corner gives a first-class imitation ‘the rumbling of mill machinery in motion. It fas a great idea of mine, wasn’t it?” ‘It was pretty clever,” nodded the man, who seemed to be the head and front of whatever rprise was carried on in the cellar of the “Now, look here, Bender, as the object _ this plant ° is now practically accomplished, will, of course, see the necessity of getting of every bit of evidence that might subse- ently involve either of us in trouble. The s,” continued the masked man, tapping those he table, “are aH in good condition, and it be advantageous to preserve them. So just that strong-box from the inner hae and them in it for safe-keeping.” rirht, sir,” replied the other, Sesueritnlly. from his stool and entering the far room. presently returned, dragging an oblong box, ornamented with heavy brass corner- es, and studded with a great number of brass- d nails. He threw up the cover, and took out a number of pieces of chamois skin. Then ifting the plates one by one from the table he yped them in the soft chamois and packed in the bottom of the box. “Now,” said the masked individual, reaching own and picking up a good-sized package from oor at his feet, “here are the original reasury ‘ponds of the Duplex Manufacturing © npany, bearing the real official signatures—the ones, with the counterfeit signatures, are e company’s safe, and in a day or two sent to Wall Street to be sold, in pur- aoe resolution of the board of ‘directors ting, ‘authorizing the sale of the 250,000 of Issue A in order to MAKING HIS MARK s fasee man and market.a newly invented machine, the patent of which they have just acquired.” “JT suppose you want to place them.in this box, | teo, until you are ready to dispose of them?” said his associate: “Precisely,” replied the other, handing him the package, which the man immediately deposited in the box, nearly filling it. : “Now,” went on the masked man, taking a small packet from an inside pocket, “I have here $50,000 in good American money, which the presi- dént of the company deposited in the office safe this afternoon. His intention is to use it to- morrow to pay for a plot of land he bought a month ago. be disappointed,” and something very like a chuckle issued from his bearded mouth. The speaker opened the packet and exhibited several layers of bills just. as they had come” from the bank. “T am now in a position to pay you the $5, 000 I agreed to give you for your skilled labor in this scheme. As, however, I of you far a little while, I have decided to pay you only $1,000 on account at present, and hand you the balance later on.” His companion looked disappointed at this an- nouncement. . “You needn’t feel put out, Bender. You know our understanding was you were not to be paid until I began to realize on the bonds.” “That’s true, sir; but that was because you did not see your way toward raising the money any other way. Now that you have come unex- ~ pectedly into possession of a big sum like $50,000, - In fact, Tt you can afford to settle up on the nail. you ought to act liberally in this matter and double the $5,000.” - “Why should 1?” asked the masked man, coldly. “Because you yourself have admitted that my work has surpassed your Seca ae. My “That is ‘true, Bender. I'll tell you what I'll do. I'll give you a bonus of $2,000, and pay it | now. “The $5,000 Yl pay you later.” “I’m, satisfied, sir.” . “Very well,” said the other, bending down, plac- ‘ ing the packet of money in the box and locking ~ it. “Now help me to place this out of harm’s ~ Way.” The bearded man seized the lamp in one hand, and one of the handles of the box in the other, while Bender grabbed the other handle, then they started for a door in the partition behind which Vie was concealed. CHAPTER IIl.—One of the Ways By Which Vie- = tor Bell Expected to Make His Mark. Vic saw them coming and hastily atruck | match in ‘order to find some ee where he catia conceal himself. Close to number of empty barrels. popped himself, just in the nick of time. The door in the parition flew open and the two men, with the lamp and box, came out into the wide passageway. The man with the mask led the way to a spot midway between the stone walls, and not far from the row of barrels. and ‘put down the box. ave the rope inside, Bender, bd said, Here tney paused I’m afraid, however, that he will don’t wish to lose sight. he stairs stood a Into one of them he = Ss

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While his asociates was gone the masked man put down the lamp and, running his fingers over the floor, grasped something and lifted a trap- ee: door, which opened up on hinges. Then he waited for his companion to return. Bender soon re- *. appeared with several yards of stout rope. The other man took it from him, wound one end of it twice around the box, and then they both lowered it into the hole. , “Now, Bender,” said the bearded man, “I am going home. Your type cases and printing ma- terial, which you purchased as a blind to account for the presence of the press, you had better . leave just as they are.. Anybody investigating this cellar later on will then surmise that it -- was utilized by some poor hermit-printer, who 'earried on a desultory business in this building.” 5 “All right, sir. Whatever you say goes.” ~.“That’s all, I guess. Good-night.” “Good-night, sir.” _ The beardéd man handed the lamp to Bender, other returned inside the enclosure and bolted the door, leaving Victor Bell outside in the dark. _ “Well, if this doesn’t beat the Dutch” ex- claimed Vie, as he climbed out of the barrel. “I seem to have accidentally got on to a pretty foxy scheme. I wonder who that masked chap is? His voice sounds a bit familiar to me, as if I had heard it more than once before. Why did he keep masked in the presence of his com- panion, who evidently knows who he is? There seems to be an element of mystery in this affair. The big fellow has not only deposited $150,000 worth of bogus bonds of the Duplex Manufac- turing Company in the company’s vault in place -. of a similar amount of genuine ones, but he has - also stolen $50,000 in money from the office safe. - He must be employed by the company in some capacity to enable him to do this in such a ‘slick manner. Now, what officer or employee _. of the company do I know who is in the position te accomplish such a trick that looks like this chap?” : sah _ Vie cudgeled his recollection, but couldn’t find an answer to the query. -. Vie went to his former peep-hole and looked through the partition. The middle enclosure was shrouded in gloom. The lamp stood in the bench in the far room, and Vic could see Bender pack- - Ing up his tools. He watched Bender a while, and, - believing he would be ready to leave the place goon, he crept back to the ground floor of the “mill, put on his shoes, and started for the creek road. In fifteen minutes Victor Bell was at the door of Mrs. Tarbox’s cottage. That good woman had heard her sonwWohnny’s highly varnished ac- count of the ghost of the mill, in which, being a person of good, common sense, she put little “eredence, and was trying to. persuade Master John to return to the so-called haunted building with her, in quest of Vic, of whom she thought a great deal, when the subject of their thoughts opened the door and presented himself before them. : Maye our hero, “I thought the ghost had you for sure. w did you get away?” é ‘MAKING HIS MARK _ ‘ascended the steps and left the mill, while the- “Ho, Vic!” roared Johnny, as soon as he saw — “Johnny,” chuckled Vic. Ee as: ? pene “What you saw was a man playing off that he was a spook. That horrible looking face was only a mask he had on over his real countenance.” “Aw, get out!” retorted the Tarbox kid. “Dat was the real ghost of the miller. Do you t’in I ain’t got no eyes? Didn’t I see the flour on his jacket? And den w’at about dem awful\ yells? You heard the spook machinery goin’,* too, didn’t you? Now you say dat deré wasn’t no ghost. W’at you take me for?” Neo “I thought you didn’t believe in spooks,” laughed Vic. “When we went into the mill at first, and I remarked that it was a fine night for the old Dutch miller to wander about, you said that was all rot.” = “T’ve changed me mind,” replied the youth, © “You'd have changed back again if you’d waited and seen what I saw.” : apa tee _ “Wat did you see?” asked Johnny, with great interest. F r So Vie told Johnny his experience in the old mill and suggested he go along with him to re- cover the box. Roe “Nixy. No mill for me,” replied Johnny, in an emphatie tone. za Vic assured Johnny that he had no cause to be afraid of revisiting the old mill, as there wa not the slightest danger of his seeing a spook of any kind. Mrs. Tarbox also insisted that he son must go along and help drag the box fro the cellar, and take the ¢art along. Final Johnny yielded a reluctant assent after Vic sured him he would give him a small part of an reward he got from the company. peter ae “How much will you give me—a dollar?” a Vie had t Las and ae him forward. ar “I want you two to remain here outside the door until I go down into the cellar and see if the coast is clear,” said Bell, when they rea the mill. of the: cart, ligh

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“Non’t you worry about what’s in there,” re- plied. Vic, looking for the handle of the trap- door. “There’s no spooks there at any rate.” at suits me if dere ain’t,” grinned the youth, who seemed to have recovered a portion of his courage. “Here it is,” ejaculated Vic, putting down the mp, grasping an iron ring and, giving a tug, ed the trap. He flashed the light down, and there, sure enough, lay the brass-bound oak box, just as the masked man had left it, rope and all. The hole was probably a yard deep. Vic jumped into it, a i the rope and tossed the loose end up to he boy. ~ “Now, Johnny, you and your mother catch d and haul away, while I shove from down They followed his directions. Vic had just succeeded, with the help of Mrs. Tarbox and hnny, in landing the heavy box on the floor of e cellar when they were treated to an unpleas- oe A masked man, with a revolver and, came down the steps. AS “Aha!” he exclaimed, with a smothered oath. *ve caught you, have I?” Ba it : Mrs. Tarbox uttered a cry of dismay, while fohnny looked the picture of terror. As for Vic, he recognized the intruder in an instant, is chagrin was intense. ‘ ell, what have you people got to say for elves?” demanded the bearded man, “You ought to answer that question yourself,” replied Vic, fearlessly, leaping from the hole. “What do you mean by that?” thundered the an, glaring at him through his mask. “Y mean that you are a forger and a thief, | the proofs are in this box.” “How dare you address such language to me, young whelp?” the masked man cried, nerv- y fingering his weapon, as if he had half a to use it on the.boy. . ; “You know whether you deserve it or not,” - lied Vie, who was angry clear through, and ps a bit reckless, on account of his failure t away with the box. : et out of this cellar, all of you!” ordered ‘rascal, threatening them with his revolver, There was nothing to do but obey, for it was \possible to say how far the man’s patience ould last. Mrs. Tarbox and Johnny were only 10 glad to get away now, but Vie followed The masked man, however, ’m not telling everything I know,” answered F ependently, . With a snarl of rage the masked stranger re- rsed his revolver and struck the brave boy a mining blow on the head with the butt. Vic ped on the stairs like an ox stricken in the S ae lay there unconscious. The man eae to anger. ‘ MAKING HIS MARK «© ~ “We are waiting for Victor Bell,” said Mrs. Tarbox.. “\ ee “You needn’t wait for him,” replied the man, . brusquely. “Go!” ee - They went. The masked man seized the cart and drew it inside. He then returned to. the cellar where the lamp still glowed brightly. He took the rope off the box, and with it tied the unconscious Vie hand and foot, so that he could not get away of his own accord. Then he shut down the trap, drew the brass-bound box under the stairs and covered it, with one of the empty — barrels. He turned the lamp out and left the ~— mill, heading straight for Kingsbridge, after re- moving the mask from his face and putting it in his pocket. A half-hour’s walk brought him to the Kingsbridge Hotel. Going to the desk of this small hostelry he asked the night clerk if Adam Bender was stopping there. “Yes. He registered an hour or so ago, and was shown to, a room on the second floor. “T want to. see him on urgent business,” said the bearded nian. / The clerk called the night porter and told him to show the gentleman to Room 29 on the second — floor. On reaching the room the bearded man — rapped loudly on the door. ~— ; - Hf “Who’s there?” demanded. Bender. : eee “Duplex,” was the reply, in tones that the skilled engraver and printer recognized at once. “Come in,” he said, opening the door. : The bearded man entered the closed the door. “Don’t light up, but put on your clothes and © come with me,” ~ CHAPTER V.—Vic Turns the Tables on the — Masked Man. On their way back to the old mill the bearded man ‘explained to his accomplice what had oc- curred. i Dee “Do you know of any place in this vicinity where that boy can be safely kept a prisoner until I shall have disposed of the bonds in the market?” he asked Bender. : . “The cellar of the mill is the best place I know of,” replied his companion. ; ag ~ “That won’t do. The police will be sure to— search the mill when the boy fails to turn up at his home, for that Mrs. Tarbox will tell all she knows.” 5 ; Bender suggested several other ways of keep- ing Victor Bell in subjection for a short period — of time, none of avhich, however, met with his employer’s approbation. By that time they ar rived at the mill and entered the building. - “T’ve got to remoye the box, too, and it’s a pretty heavy thing to handle,” said the man with the beard, “That boy fetched a small cart for the* purpose of carrying it away and I took possession of it for a like purpose.” “Where are you going to take it to?” asked Bender. 3 es Instead ofe answering the question, his co panion uttered an exclamation of surprise : “What's the matter?” inquired Bender . 2 < “Th a Re

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“Then somebody has been here while you were away,” said Bender. The other rushed downstairs to the cellar and struck another match, His worst fears were yealized. His prisoner was gone, and not even the rope with which he had been bound was left behind. “That woman and her son must have come back and released him,” snarled the big rascal. “And have they taken the box?” asked Bender. The bearded man went to the barrel under which he had left the brass-bound box and to his rage found that gone also. The two men ex- -. amined the stairs closely and found marks that . showed the box had been pushed or dragged up f to the floor above. Then they saw where the -eart had been brought to the head of the flight for the purpose, of course, of loading the heavy box upon it. The track of the wheels could be plainly seen - in the dust They were able to follow the nar- - y¥ow wheel-marks right along down the road, till they noted where they turned off up a side street. 4 Here they almost lost sight of them, but by bs patient scrutiny they recovered the tracks, and with some difficulty traced them directly to the -* Widow Tarbox’ s house. ; “Well, we’ve got the box located at any rate,” said the bearded man. “The next thing will be to recover it. There’s $47,000 cold cash in_ it, {4 Besides those bonds. If this bond scheme is going to be a failure after all, I can’t afford to lose —. that money, too.” ’ #3 “Tt seems funny how that boy came to get , on to you.” “Tt does that. I don’t understand The “Well, what are you going to do now?- The box is probably in that cottage. How are you going to recover it?” “We must wait for an hour or two and then force an entrance.” That will be burglary,” said Bender. “What of it? I must get possession of that box at all hazards.” “How about the poy? He'll spoil the bond scheme in any case “Maybe not, if I work quickly. I can perhaps ‘succeed in hypothecating a large part of the bonds: before the news’ leaks out.” “Tt would be better if we could think of. some scheme to entice him from. the house before morning. In order to prevent the failure of the bond matter, you must keep him from telling -. what he knows about it.” being a good one, and they put their heads to- gether to think out a plan to accomplish their purpose. While they are thus engaged, we will explain how, Vie got away et a the mill during the absence of the chief schemer and how it happened that the box vanished with him. The erack that the boy got on his head from the butt of the bearded man’s revolver, was a heavy née, and it sent his brains wool-gathering for a il& He was not unconscious as long as his enemy imagined, for when the masked man be- ‘hile the rascal was putting the box under e. barrel, Vie had revived sufficiently to see, in : ; what the man Wes donne: MAKING HIS MARK ‘those chaps may be able to track me here Bender’s suggestion struck his-companion as: wen, binding his arms and legs. he was coming to.. to go to Kingsbridge after Bender. ‘Five minute later Vic was once more in full possession his senses. It was then he realized that he bound hand and foot. The rope, however, was too large to thoroughly accomplish the purpose — it had been put to, and in a few minutes boy was able to wriggle out of his bonds. Th he stood up and began Se consider the situatioi they had all nen aa upward. Now one o them was reversed. Lifting that barrel up me brass-bound box stood revealed. and dragged it to the foot of the steps. on the thought occurred to him to replace the ba barrel in the same position in which it had been — left by the masked man. After doing that he, with much labor, hauled the box up step by step until he reached the passage above. He then went back for the lamp. As he placed it on the floor its-light revealed Johnny’s cai drawn up.against the wall. So Vic loaded the box on the cart and Started for. Kingsbridge. He had only a third of a mile to go to reach the Tarbox cottage, and it didn take him ‘long to cover that distance. He found the widow and her son waiting for him to turn, and great was their astonishment when the found that he had not only brought back the cart,” but the box itself as well. “However did you do it?” asked Mrs. Tarbo: rs while Johnny gazed at the box and wagon with distended eyes. Vie told his story briefly. “ 1g on “4 eee s in it?” asked Johnny, curiously “Yes, There’s a considerable sum of mo in the box, but there’s something more*valua to that masked man than money.”. “What can be more valuable than money sf ohnny wanted to ene “You don’t say,” gasped the Tarbox eee ‘I really don’t think it is safe to keep thi box in the house,” went on Vic. “It is po that case the masked man is desperate en to break in and try to recover the box, with assistance of his partner. He’s got a revolve you know, and I wouldn’t like to run against it.” — “You might put the box in ‘the cellar and cover ‘it up,” said Mrs. Tarbox. lot. ‘It is almost entirely filled up vith eart! and rock. I thoyght I’d hide it there until the morning, when Johnny and I could haul it: ou again a and wheel it over to the company’s offic Dat would be a fine place,” said Johnny, thusiastically. No one ever goes ,down ea Get the lantern,” said Vic, ae we'll - it to the old well.” ypened the kitchen eer “aid ighted pee oi Nol -of the wagon tongue and drew the cart into the yard. Across the ee they went, and th through a gate that. led into the’ rea hich | ed as astur

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ging the cart, quite unconscious that they were 3 watched and followed in the gloom by the very men they were trying to circumvent. ouarrer Pane _ Fortune Sides Against ic. ; _ The bearded man and his companion were lean- ing over the corner of the front fence of Mrs. Tarbox’s little property, figuring on how they a could manage to entice Victor Bell from the cot- ; tage, when Bender’s sharp eyes detected the flash of light on the flagging of the yard facing the kitchen when Vic opened the door so that he and Johnny could drag.the cart outside on the way to the dried-up well. . - “Took!” whispered Bender, “there’s something going on over there.” The bearded man recognized the two boys and the cart before the widow closed the door behind them. “They're up to something, those boys,” he said. ~ “We must follow them.” ; They jumped the fence into the adjoining lot and hurried forward till they got in line with ~ the shadowy forms of the boys, and then they . kept pace with them. : '. “J wonder if they’ve got the box in the cart?” ~ said the chief rascal. “They seem to be dragging a load between them.” ; 3 “What can they be doing with it out here?” Bender. “One would think they’d keep it in | the house.” de : “Well, they’re dragging something in that cart, that’s certain. And it is a weighty load, too. Maybe they intend to hide the box out here somewhere.” : Hy “Seems kind of foolish for them to do that,” replied Bender. : : >; The two men crept cautiously toward Vie and “Johnny. Vic flashed the lantern down the dry well and saw that it was about seven feet deep. “Now, Johnny,” he said, “we'll lower the box = into this hole, cover it with those old boards and - then return to the house.” Then it was that the two men sprang over e fence and rushed upon them, The arch-ras- ‘eal had resumed his mask again, and it was he that shoved his revolver into Vic’s, face and ‘or- “dered him to give in, while Bender attended to the frightened Johnny Tarbox. Then the rascal jumped upon ‘Vic, turned the dazed boy over and bound his wrists together with his handker- chief, Bender tied Johnny in a similar way,+ : pecnped him into the dry well and placed the hoards over the top to drown his cries. Taking “the loose end of the rope that was attached, to _ the box, Bender tied it around Vic’s body so that he couldn’t get away. : “Now, young man,” said the masked man, ~ sternly, “if you utter a sound to attract any no- tice T’ll knock the whole top of your head in -_ ‘with the: butt of my revolver. I don’t intend hat you shall escape me this time.” Then he .told Bender to take a section of the fence down so they could drag the cart through. As soon as this was accomplished, they started to move oo and Vie was obliged to accompany reached the’ creek road ae MAKING HIS MARK 7 es and followed it toward the mill. It was now - after midnight, and the late moon had risen in the sky. Its light illuminated the banks of the creek, and brought out many objects:that before had beén invisible. Among: others, a good-sized rowboat that was tied to a stake in the bank. The sight of the boat suggested something to Bender, and he took his companion aside and held a consultation with him in tones too low to reach Vie’s ears. The masked man agreed with whatever proposal it was that he advanced. Bender then stepped down to the edge of the creek, and, laying hold of the bo&t’s painter, drew her close in. Vie judgéd that they intended to embark in the little traft. “Get in!” commanded the masked man to the boy, and Vic, seeing no way of avoiding the issue, got in the beat. The two men followed him, with the box, and shoved off into the creek. They seized the two pairs of oars that lay in the bottom of the boat and began rowing up toward the Hudson River. They took things easy, and the boat went along slowly. In three-quarters of an hour they reach- ed and passed under the railroad bridge which spanned the mouth of the creek, and soon came out on the broad Hudson. They headed down- stream, and, as the tide was on the ebb, the boat made very fair progress. Vie wondered where they were aiming for. He -could gather no in- formation from their conversation, which was earried on in a desultory sort of way, and in low tones. They might have covered a mile in this way, keeping within the shadows of the shore, . - when a small sailboat at anchor loomed up ahead. They were quite close to her before either of the men noticed her presence, though Vic had had his eye on her for some time. : Bender stopped rowing and said something to his companion. The beaded man nodded, where- upon Bender headed for the sailboat. Rowing alongside of her, the engraver stepped on joard. He saw that the slide which covered the entrance to the little cabin was padlocked. It was clear to Vie that his captor intended to take possession of the catboat. _They did so by lifting the box into. the eock- pit and ordering. Vic to follow. After securing the rowboat astern, Bender took the stops off the sail and hoisted it. When the anchor had been secured on deck, Bender, who appeared to be perfectly familiar with the management of a sailboat, took the tiller and steered for the center of the river. CHAPTER Vil—The Key of. the ‘Brass-Bound Ox. ‘ There was a- very fair breeze on the river, and the cat-boat glided along as if on greased ways. After a little while the masked man spied a short boat-hook under the seat. He picked it up and smashed the padlock which se- cured the cabin door. Opening the slide, he went inside and looked around. He lighted a lantern that hung from a hook in the forward end. ‘There were two bunks in the cabin—one on either side. The lockers contained various odds and enis, ~ and among other things a bottle of whisky, some glasses, and a box of crackers. The bearded man bys iebt the bottle and twa __

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3 of the glasses out into the cock-pit, filled out a good drink for himself and his accomplice, and the two drank to thé success of their enterprise. ~ Then the chief raseal removed the rone from the box, and, ordering Vie to hold the tiller steady, he and his associate carried the box into the cabin. “Now, young man,” he said to the boy, when they returned, “get into the cabin and stay there. If you want to turn in on one of the bunks, you are at liberty to do so.” : “Aren’t you going to take that rope off me?’ asked Vic. Without a word, the masked man relieved him of the rope. ; “Tf you'll promise to be reasonable, and not make any fuss, I’ll untie your wrists,” he replied. “What can I do against you two and a re- volver?” was Vie’s answer. “Not much,” retorted the man, with a short laugh. Then he released the boy, pushed him into the cabin, and closed the slide upon him. “This is pretty fierce,” muttered Vic, as he sat down on the edge of one of the bunks: and began to consider the situation. “Just to think, after getting hold of this box for the second time, those rascals should be hovering around at the ‘very moment Johnny and I started out to conceal it in the dry well. It’s a regular diamond-cut- diamond game between us. At the present mo- ment the other side is on top. These rascals are heading down the river for the lower part of the island. I suppose their plan is to keep me aboard of this sailboat. Well, we’ll ‘see if they can do ing e Vic, now that he had nothing to do, began to feel a bit tired’ from the exertions he had under- gone in connection with the brass-bound box. He stretched himself. out on the bunk, to’ ease his limbs and to figure out some plan by which he might overreach his captors. Before he had accomplished Ynuch in the latter line, sleep over- came him, and he was soon lost in deep slumber. He was in this conditjon when the bearded man entered the cabin half an hour later. The bearded man opened the box and took out some letter heads. Under the lantern there was a shelf which worked on hinges. . The rascal raised it and secured it in a position to use as a writing table. Then, with a fountain-pen which + he took from his vest. pocket, he wrote a letter addressed to the president of the Seaboard Na- - tional Bank, which authorized the bearer, Mark Manning, to receive from the bank an advance payment of $100,000 in cash on delivery of $150;- 000 worth of treasury stock, Series A, of the - Duplex Manufacturing Company, said stock to be marketed at par by the bank, and the balance due the company, less commission; interest on the $100,000, and other expenses connected with the transaction, to be held on deposit by the bank, ' subject to the company’s order. ; The bearded man then forged the signature of Harley Sherwood, president of the Duplex Manu- facturing Company, at the bottom of the writ- ing. He then folded the letter, placed it in one ’ of the company’s envelopes, sealed and addressed it to the bank. _ - “That -will do the business all right,” he said, , with a look of satisfaction, drapping the envelope MAKING HIS MARK , around with the lantern. into the box, on top of the package of bonds, clos- ing the lid down, and locking it. , As he was about to’ remove the brass key — from the lock, he heard his companion outside give a loud shout, and he became aware that. the sailboat was bobbing up and down on a heavy, surge. Springing to his feet, he fell over on*#v the bunk where Vic lay asleep, and the impact of his body awoke the boy. Recovering himself, the masked man rushed into the cockpit, to find out what was the cause of the trouble. He dis- covered that the sailboat had got caught between a Fort Lee ferryboat, which had just left her slip at one Hundred and Thirtieth’ street, Man- hattan, and a string of canal boat coming, down the river, close inshore. f “aes The wobbling of the sailboat dumped Vie out - on the floor, his face coming within a narrow ~~ margin of striking the brass-bound box. As he. — sat up, wondering what had happened, his eye lighted on the key that still remained in the lock. Glancing out into the cock-pit, he saw that both his, captors were looking toward the ferryboat. So the boy. snatched out the key, hid it under the inner corner of the bunk’s mattress, then laid down’ and awaited possible developments. In a little while the bearded man, resuming his mask, re-entered the cabin and went to the box for the key. Not seeing any trace of it, he |” regarded the motionless boy with some suspicion. # He watched Vie for several minutes, and then seemed satisfied that his prisoner was still asleep. “Where could that key have gone?” he mut- tered, with an impatient oath. “I thought I left it in the lock, but it must have been in my * fingers when.the boat commenced to jump up and down, and it flew somewhere.” Vic heard him swear a good bit as he fumbled Finally he gave the matter up, for the present at least, and went out into the cock-pit to talk to his associate ‘in villainy. : CHAPTER VIII.—Forewarned Is Forearmed. Vie chuckled to himself over the masked ras- ~ cal’s disappointment. : ee “He’ll make another and more thorough search. pis. presently,,;when he finds me awake, so Ill just hide that key in my shoe.”. j The boy glanced out into the /cock-pit, and, sesing- that the two men were conversing to- gether, he cautiously removed the brass key from the spot where he had hidden it and shoved it into his shoe, where, as it was small and flat, like ‘a Yale lock key, it did not inconvenience him very much. Then he turned over and. went to’ sleep again. It was broad daylight when he woke up, much refreshed. The bearded man was asleep on the opposite bunk, with his mask still - over the upper half of his face. Vic was curious about that mask which, as far as his experience went, the rascal wore- continuously. “IT wonder when he takes: that thing off?” the boy asked himself. “He;certainly can’t go about ~ in the daylight, where people can see him with that mask on. I'd like to get a good, square © look at his face, to see if I have ever seen him before. At tifmes his voice seems familiar to me, but that may be my imagination, or because it resembles the yoice-of some one I know” = % ber Ss DEI etn eet : “i ete Ne

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by Vic got up and stuck his head out of the cabin entrance. The sailboat was lying at ancher in the neighborhood of Pier 1, North River. Adam Bender was reclining in the cock-pit, smoking a cigar. He saw the boy at once. , ’- “Go back!” he said, curtly, motioning him back, : t the same time significantly tapoing the butt _ © of his employer’s revolver, which reposed in his o pocket. . : 3 Vic didn’t fear that the man had any intention of using the weapon in daylight and in that neighborhood, where any such demonstration - would have been sure to attract attention. It flashed through his mind that, by a bold effort, he would be able to make his escape; but if he sue- ceeded in doing so he would prebably lose sight of the rascals and the box, maybe for good, and that did not fit in with his plans, which were to recover the box and, if possible, have the two /men arrested. 3 So he drew in his head and returned to his bunk. He wanted to impress the man with the . idea that he was more or less cowed, and thus -~ ’ fool them into the belief that he was not danger- ous. In a little while the bearded man awoke ‘and got up. ; “So you’re awake, young man, are you?” he remarked.’ “Well, it’s daylight now, and I'll have to restrict your movements, otherwise you might - mere us a good deal of trouble. If all goes well, ‘I shall let you go this afternoon, so don’t grow - impatient for a few hours’ confinement.” He called Bender inside, and between them _they bound Vie’s hands behind his back and tied a handkerchief over his eyes and mouth. Then, after the bearded men had made a close search + of the bunk, for the missing key—not finding it, _/ gf course—Vic was pushed down on it, and the ’ curtains let down in front, entirely concealing his presence there. The boss rascal then removed his mask and put it in his pocket. Then he and “Bender went all over the cabin, in an effort to find the lost key. The -bearded man indulged in a good deal of profanity when they finally gave ~ up the job in disgust. “T can’t see where it could have got to,” he said, - moodily: : _ “You might have dropped it out in the cock- “pit,” suggested Bender. we dont think so, but there is no harm in look- n” . *% The two men left the cabin, and drew the slide - after them. Their search outside for the key - was equally vain. | “T suppose I’ll have to get a locksmith to open “it,” said the bearded man, at length, any. uy want to take those bonds up te Wall Street at eleven o’clock.” ~_ “You can’t bring a locksmith aboard with that boy in the cabin.” “Y'll fix him. You’d better go ashore and get zp breakfast at a restaurant. Take that small _ tin pail with you and bring off some coffee and a ' €ouple of Saviaestanien for his breakfast. First go * to a drug store and get a small vial of tincture _ of opium and some cotton—to relieve a toothache, < understand? I'll dose his coffee with the laud- @ enum. That will send him into a deep sleep for - the rest of the day. By the time he awakes, the of us ought to be out of the reach of danger.” MAKING HIS MARK oe expected to keep him quiet, unless you meant to keep him bound and gagged as he is now.” Vie had heard every word they said, for he had crawled out of the bunk as soon as he heard the slide close to. “So that rascal is going to get a locksmith to open the box, and, before he does that, he is going to drug me. PerhapXhe will, but I rather faney, now that I am on to his little game, that he won’t. I wish I could get my arms free—I would try to work a little surprise on those villains.” — Vie heard Bender draw the rowboat alongside, get into her and shove off. “He’ll be gone probably three-quarters of an hour,” thought the boy. “What can I do in that time ?” . He determined to employ the time in trying to free his hands, if he was not interfered with, He soon found that they had bound him too securely to admit of that. “Ylk have to give it up,” he said, in a dis- couraged tone. “They’ve got me dead to rights this time. I must fall back on strategey—that is, I must spill that drugged coffee somehow while pretending to drink it, and then simulate uncon- sciousness. Ifthe game works, I may be able to do something; if it fails, I can’t be any worse off than I am now.” He crawled into the bunk again, and was only jut in time to avoid being discovered by the earded man, who opened the slide and entered the cabin. Vic heard him moving about the place a little while, and then he went into the cockpit again, leaving the slide_open. Something over half an hour elapsed, and then Bender. returned. He brought the tin-pail half full of coffee, a couple of meat sandwiches and the vial of laud- anum. The bearded man took the things from him and entered the cabin alone. He removed the cover of the can, tasted the coffee and, seein that it was properly sweetened, he emptied hal of the contents of the vial into it, stirring it well with a spoon he found in the locker underneath the bunk. Then he pushed back the curtain, after resuming his mask, took the handkerchief from Vie’s eyes and untied his hands. “There’s your breakfast,” he said, grimly. “You see, we’re not going to starve you. Hat it up, and if you continue to behave yourself you'll get some dinner later on.” : He handed the boy the sandwiches and the tin- pail of coffee. Then he sat down on the opposite Nags tox te daria intending to watch Vic fall into e trap. CHAPTER IX.—Vig on Top Once More, and What He Finds on the River. Vic began to eat one of the sandwiches, while he held the tin of coffee in his other hand. He stole a glance across at the bearded man, who sat a few feet away, and the man’s presence and evident watchfulness disconcerted him. Un- der present conditions it wasn’t possible to fool him,-and the boy began to feel desperate. He determined not to drink the coffee under any cir- cumstances. He was about concluded to let it slip, as if by accident, out of his fingers, and thus go to waste on the floor, when a piece of good luck befriended him. Bender suddenly call- ee , SY Sb SR ce

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“MAKING HIS MARK ed his employer out into the cockpit, and Vie - took instant advantage of his temporary absence to empty the entire conténts of the tin can under the mattress of the opposite bunk. He was finishing his second sandwich when - the bearded man returned and noted, with satis- faction, the boy drain apparently the last of the drugged coffee. Vie put down the empty can and wiped his lips with the back of his hand. “That was good coffee,” he remarked, with a forced grin. “I’m glad you liked it,” replied the man, dryly. “Turn in on that bunk,” he added, “and lie quiet, and I. won't tie your hands.” Vie, with a thrill of hope, obeyed with ap- parent *meekness, and his captor drew the red eurtains in front of him. He heard the chief rascal talking to his com- 'panion through the cabin opening, and he listened ‘with all his ears. They were speaking in too low _ a tone for him to make out what they said. At ~ length he heard the bearded man say: - “He ought to be off by this time. I'll take a took at him.” The boy was now face to face with the ticklish operation of ‘simulating a heavy slumber, and he sueceeded in performing his part well-enough to deceive the rascal. The man, feeling quite sure that Vic was helpless for several hours, re- - moved his mask and announced to his companion ae Sention of going ashore for his own break- ast. ~ “Pll return in about an hour,” he said, “and will bring a locksmith with -me.” “All right,” answered Bender. x i The bearded man then left the catboat in the ‘rowboat, after shutting the slide of the cabin, leaving Vic entirely to himself. “Now for action!” cried the boy, resolutely, sitting up on the bunk, “I’ve got about an hour to do something, and I guess I shan‘t need half of that time.” . He slipped over to the slide and pulled it open -a trifle. Bender was in the act of lighting a fresh cigar, and seemed to be taking matters _ pretty easy in the morning sunshine. : While waiting for the moment to act aggres- sively, Vie took the key from his shoe-and un- ~ locked the brass-bound box. He wanted to make sure that the money, as well as the bonds, was ~~ still in the box. He found that it was, and then decided to remove it, stowing the bills away in the inner pockets of his jacket, lest anything should happen to go wrong with his plan of operations. : ; Then he started to get busy. His first idea was to fling back the slide suddenly, rush out and overpower Bender in the cockpit. He did ot question his ability to do this successfully, ‘but he was afraid the act would attract notice, and his scheme was to avoid such a thing, if - possible. “Stratery is always a’ winner,” he said to him- self, thinking how artfully he had fooled the head rascal into the belief that he had swallowed he drugged coffee and was, for a while, dead to he world. “If I can only get him to enter the cabin I'll have him dead to rights. Now, how can [ manage it?” . ; _of Bender to his satisfaction, Vic left the ca self looked heavy about the eyes. This fact attracted Vie’s notice. ~ : ‘f ce “That chap looks half-asleep,” said Vie - himself. “I’m going to attract his attention an see how it works.” ae He grabbed a blanket from the bunk, pick up the tin’can and threw it against the ro of the cabin, and then crouched down in a eS near the sliding door. The can made a grea racket when it fell back on the floor and rolled about. The ruse produced the desired effect. Bender jumped up, opened the slide and looked in to see what had made the noise. This was what Vic was waiting for. He rose up suddenly, — enveloped the man’s head in the blanket and yanked him bodily into the cabin. Then he sat down him and proceedd to stifle him into insen- — sibility with the folds of the blanket. Bender struggled as well as he could under the disadvan- tageous circumstances in which he was placed but the advantage was all with the boy, who could not be dislodged. The result was that the en- © graver -soon succumbed and lay quite still. Vie lifted the ends of the blanket slowly and cau- — tiously. The man was unconscious. ake “Tll treat you to a dose of the same medic you helped to deal out to me,” said, Vie, pro ; ceeding to bind Bender’s arms securely behind — his back, and then to gag him with a handker- chief. “Now, you can take a good rest in thai bunk. You look as though you needed ie 1 grinned, picking the man up and placing him i the bunk he himself had only lately vacated. “Now, Ull get the boat under way for Supyten Duyvil Creek and Kingsbridge.” 5 What Vie didn’t know about sailing a catb or even a small yacht, wasn’t worth mentioni It was one of his hobbies, and constant practice on the Harlem River, and sometimes on the Hud- son, had made him an expert. Having dispo: and, throwing off his jacket, hauled up the b mainsail, The anchor was light and he soo had it on board, and the boat headed up ~ Hudson under a smacking breeze which ier to bring her to her destination in a few hou At that hour ins the morning the ‘lower re of the Hudson was covered with all sorts: eraft—ferryboats, .tugboats, lighters, sl schooners, and goodness knows what not in way of buats—so thac it required considera skil! for the bey ws work his way through + maze of marine acchitecture. He was equal - the ordeal, however, and gradually left the wo: of it behind him. When opposite Forty-second street, well out in the center of the river, he observed a piecegof wood flvating toward . him, As he steered, so as to avoid contact with it, — he saw a brilliant sparkle of light flashing the center of it. ; “T wonder what that can be?” he asked | He guided the boat close to the bit. and threw her up into the wind, stonping progress. The log floated alongside. Vic reac over and picked up a lady’s pocketbook, to was attached a handsome diamond ring wi large stone. - Seen “Gee whiz!” he exclaimed, “This is a

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MAKING HIS: MARK “Pook. The former seemed to be of considerable value, though Vic had not the slightest idea what it was really worth. The pocketbook contained a hundred-dollar bill and some smaller notes, amounting, in all, to $124. There were also a number of newspaper clippings, am eye-glass with ““igold settings and a variety of-odds and ends, but .fiap—ZJ. B. not the slightset clue to the name or identity of the owner, other than a pair of initials on the - “Bunny how this purse and ring came to be floating down the river on an old lo& It’s a wonder it: wasn’t dumped overboard. Seems as if it was intended that I should find it. The owner shall have them back if-T ever can locate her, otherwise I suppose they become my prop- erty.” ° ; Shortly after noon Vic passed under the rail- road bridge at Spuyten Duyvil, and headed up the creek in the direction of Kingsbridge. CHAPTER X.—Vic Astonishes the President of the Duplex Manufacturing Company. “It was about one o’clock when Vic hauled up alongside one of the landings in the neighbor- hood of Kinesbridge. He saw several young lads playing near the creek, one of whom he knew, and he‘sent him over \to Widow Tarbox’s cottage, to inform her that he had got back, and to ask Johnny, if he was around, to bring ’ his cart down to the landing. In fifteen minutes Johnny came prancing downto the creek with his cart. 7 3 “ello, Vic!” he shouted. “Where did dose men take you off to?” : j “T’}] tell you all about it later on. I’ve got one of them in this catboat now, and I want you to run to the police station and fetch a cop back with you to take charge of him.” 3 “T'1] do dat, Vic. Where did you vet dat boat? “Tyon’t ask questions, Johnny, but run along. I’m waiting.” ? The Tarbox youngster started off at once. In a short time he returned with an officer. Vic '* told the policeman the character of the man he 2 had in the cabin. N E ~ “You must come to the station and make a charge against him,” said the officer. ; “You take him alons. and the Duplex Manu- facturing Company will make the charge.” The policeman said that the sergeant would- n’t hold the man unless a definite charge was wade when he was brought to the station. “All right, officer. DV’ go with you. I’ve got the evidence of his crime in a ‘brass-bound box aboard the boat. I want you to give me a lift ~ with it.” ; ' The policeman’ consented to help Vie carry the “Hox ashore and place it in Johnny’s cart. Then he went back and got his prisoner, who was now - fully conscious. ‘The procession took up its line of march for the station, accompanied by a num- ber of idle and curious people, in addition to all Waar boys in the vicinity. fac 38 At the station Vie charged the prisoner with the crime of forgery—that is, the reproduction of facsinifle plates, and printing from same a _ eextain number of duplicate ‘copies of the first - mortgage bonds, Series A, of the Duplex Manu-_ ice -a cell. Aid é facturing Company, with intent to defraud both the company and the public. “This man,” said Vic, “is not the chief offender in this crime, but he is just as guilty as his principal, who is still at-large. The genuine bonds of the Duplex Company are in that box, which I turn over to your charge, sergeant. So, also, are the spurious plates. The forged bonds - are in the company’s safe.” The prisoner Had no statement to make, so his pedigree was taken, and he was locked up in Vie sent Johnny home and started for the plant of the Duplex Company, where he was employed as shipping. clerk. He went direct to the offices, and asked if he could see President Harley Sherwood. Being asked to mention the nature/of his business with the head of the com- pany, he stated that it was a matter of the ut- most importance. After some delay he was admitted to the presi- dent’s office. That gentleman looked very much worried. He was, at that moment, investigating the disappearance of the envelope containing the $50,000 which he had placed in the office safe the previous afternoon, and he was not pleased to be disturbed, especially by one of the minor employees of the company. “What do you wish to see me about, young man?” he asked, a bit sharply. . “Two matters of great importance, sir,” replied Vic, eagerly. “Name them, and make your communication as brief as possible.” “Yes, sir,” said the boy, respectfully. “I wish to know, im the first place, if you have missed a large sum of money from your safe.” President Sherwood sat back in his chair and stared at the boy in considerable surprise. “Why do you ask that question?” he inquired, with a keen glance at Vic. “Because I have good reason to believe that the sum of $50,000 was taken* from the office safe late yesterday, afternoon, or, maybe, early in the evening, sir.” “What has led you to form that belief?” “A conversation that I overheard in the cellar of the old mill on the creek road last evening between two men, one of whom now is in the Kingsbridge police station. on a very serious charge I have brought against him.” “Indeed,” replied: Mr. Sherwood, knitting his brows. “May I ask you what you were doing in that deserted building last night?” “T took refuge there with a young friend of mine named Johnny Tarbox, from the thunder- storm.” “T see. How came you to overhear the con- ‘versation which, I should imagine, was not in- tended for your ears?” asked Mr. Sherwood, with some interest. “T think you will understand the matter better if I begin at the beginning and tell you all I have been through and discovered. I think you will find that it affects this company to a very serious extent.” “Tt certainly affects us to the extent of $50,- 000,” answered the president. : “Tt concerns the company much more than ~ that, sir,” said Vic, with such a serious ex-. pression that Mr. Sherwood became deeply ‘n- terested. od i rf t .

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Ve ‘12 ue *Madam,” said H “Jam ready to hear your story, young man,” e@ said. “As for the $50,000,” continued Vic, “I can re- lieve your mind as to most of it. I have ‘re- covered $47,000 of the amount,.and you. ought to find the balance in the possession of the pris- oner, whose name is Bender, at the station-house, for I saw him receive $3,000 from the man who paputted that he had taken the money from the safe.” ; Thus speaking, to Mr. Sherwood’s great amaze- ment, Vic placed upon.the president’s desk the notes he had taken from the brass-bound box. “How did you recover this money?” asked Mr. Sherwood. “Tt will all come out in my story, sir,” Vic. “Very well. Proceed.” Whereupon Vic told the complete story of his adventures during the last twelve hours, com- mencing from the moment he and Johnny Tarbox took refuge in the old’ mill from the thunder- storm until he returned to Kingsbridge a. short time ago and handed his prisoner over to the police. “The robbery of the safe of the $50,000, how- ever, paled into insignificance beside the bond forgery, of which President Sherwood had not the slightest suspicion, and Vic’s statement of which thoroughly staggered him. He sent at once for the package of treasury first mortgage bonds that were in the vault—the ones that the bearded’ man had told his accomplice, in Vic’s hearing, he had substituted for the genuine bonds —and a close.examination of these securities bore ? replied -out the truth of the boy’s story, for there was every evidence, under a microscope. that they were forgeries. This discovery greatly. agitated Harley Sherwood, and he used some very strong language on the subject. “Victor Bell,” he said, tuming to the boy, “you have rendered the company an extremely valuable service, and I can assure» you that your zeal in our interest shall be rewarded as it deserves. I shall want you to write down the most accurate description of the bearded and’ masked man you are able to do, and I will send it to the head- quarters of the Manhattan police. I haye no doubt that they will be able to run the man -down.” Vie was permitted to go off for the rest. of the day. He went home at once to g’et some- thing’ to eat, for he felt uncommonly hungry, having had nothing to eat that day but the two sandwiches furnished to him by his eaptors that morning. A special meeting of the board of ‘directors. of the Duplex Manufacturing Company was called for that evening, and the forgery of the treasury bonds was laid ‘before them. Vi¢ had been notified to be in attendance, together with Mrs. Tarbox. and her son Johnny. The board was astounded by the revelation. Vic was ealled into the room, and -told his story in a clear and concise way. before the president that afternoon.’ Mrs. Tarbox and Johnny were called upon to corroborate such _ parts of Vie’s story as they figured in, and they. _ did so without hesitation, though somewhat awed “in the presence of the gentlemen who composed the board. His statement did not. vary in the least from the narrative he laid arley Sherwood, “we shall MAKING HIS MARK : expect you to appear at the examination to-mor- row morning, of the prisoner, Bender. I pre- sume you will have no hesitation in repeating your story under oath.” 1? “Thank you, madam. We are very much oblig- ed to you for coming before us this evening to substantiate Victor Bell’s story.. You and your son. may go now, as we have heard all that is necessary.” me “No, sir,” replied Mrs. Tarbox. “Why should ; Vie went home with them, and the board then | summoned. before them the cashier and book- keepers of the establishment.. They were sub- jected to a rigid examination, but not the least thing could be found against them. ‘The only other person who had access to the safe and vaults, including, of course, the president, was Ralph Roundtree, the vice-president, and he was out of town with his famfly on his annual vaea- tion. As neither he nor the president were sus- pected of having any hand in forging the com- pany’s bonds, the whole matter seemed to be ins volved in the deepest mystery. It. was unanimously decided to authorize Mr. Sherwood to employ a shrewd detective to under= take the unravelment of the tangle. The board then adjourned, to meet atthe president’s pleas- ure, ; CHAPTER XI.—Vie’s Reward. President Sherwood telegraphed that night for ~ a Pinkerton detective, and one of the best men attached to the New York agency responded next morning to the call. Victor Bell, who had resumed his duties in the shipping department, was called to the president’s office, and repeated - his story to the detective. ; “You could identify this rascal if you saw — him again, I suppose?” said the detective. “Not if IT saw him without his mask. I have since thought that his beard might also have been a false one.” j “Well, I can help you some in case I make an arrest. What kind of a beard did the man wear ?’ “A dark-brown one—about so long,” and the boy indicated the length. _ “Twill procure such a beard and a black mask, in order to decorate any person we may have reason to suspect in this matter,” said the de- tective. “It may help you to identify the right man. Describe: this individual as fully as it is possible for you to do under the circumstances.” — _ Vie did so, and the detective made some notes in his book. ; Vie met the manager. On~leaving the’ president’s. office “May I ask your advice on a little matter that has happened to me?” asked the boy. Seb LEN replied Manager Brown, pleas- antly. ‘ _ He had taken a great fancy’ to the lad, and — it was he who had told Vie that he was sure some day he would make his mark in life. The — boy drew from his pocket the ring and pocket- book he had found floating dewn the Hudson on the log. He handed both to-Mr. Brown to look at, at the same time detailing the circumstances — under which they had come into his possession, — “I suppose I ought to try to find the owner,

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don’t you think so, sir?” said Vic. “The ring seems to be a valuable one, and there is $124 n money in the pocketbook.” “Well it is only right you should make some effort to discover the person to whom they be- long,” replied the manager. “I am not an ex- 4 pert judge of diamonds, but, comparing it with one my wife owns, I should think this ring was worth every cent of $500 or $600.” _ “That’s a lot of money, sir, to put into a ring.” _ “That’s nothing. There are rings whose value runs into the thousands. For instance, I have a friend who wears a large ruby which cost him $2,000. Flawless rubies are worth almost as “much as diamonds similar in weight.” - “Well, what shall I do? Advertise the ring and pocketbook?” “J think you had better. It wants to be care- fully done, so as not to give a hint that an un- -serupulous person could avail himself of to make -elaim to the property. If you will leave the matter with me I will attend to it.” ~ “JT shall be much obliged to you if you will, sir.” “In the meantime I will wrap the articles up 1 a package, and place it in the office safe.” “Thank you, sir.”” . ___ That settled the matter for the present, and a ‘Vic returried to the shipping-room and resumed _ his work, which was somewhat behind, owing to “his having been away the day before. He hadn’t more than got things in shape again before the etective made his ‘appearance and said he would have to accompany him to the police court and “give such evidence as would be-required of him, to ensure that the prisoner be held for subse- quent trial. At the examination before the magis- trate the prisoner denied everything, but could not account for the $3,000 found on his person e when searched the day before at the police sta- : tion immediately after his arrest. Nor could he er any explanation about the kit of fine en- aving tools found in the room he had engaged ‘associate of the night before, and was silent as ‘to why he participated in the assault on Vic, and erward took part in that lad’s abduction. After the testimony was in, the justice decided to : ad him for trial on the charge of abduction, 2 ere was not sufficient evidence to show that ad actually engraved the plates found in the z ss-bound box. So the charge of forgery was Lo aes abandoned pending the efforts of the ‘Pinkerton man to capture the principal in the se. - : At a’ subsequent meeting of the directors of the Manufacturing Company a resolution was “I told you that you were bound to make mark, Vic,” said Manager Brown-after he led the boy into his office, to acquaint him his good fortune. “You seem to have suc- t direction much faster than I sup- ould with all your smartness. It rut. instruc "MAKING HIS “MARK age my chances were not half as bright. as present you with this letter”—handing. Vic an_ unsealed envelope—“which contains a vote of — thanks from the directors, signed by the presi- dent and secretary of the board; second, to-place in your hands this check for $5,000, in acknowl- edgment of your valuable services in the com- —. pany’s interest; and, third, to inform you that, beginning with this week, your wages will be $1 instead of $10, as heretofore.” ; Vie had hoped to receive something from the company in the way of a present, but he had not ~~ expected to be so liberally dealt with. As he accepted the envelope and check he could hardly find words to express his thanks for the com= — pany’s generosity. “Don’t say a word, Vic,” said the manager, checking him. “You deserve all you have receiv- ed. It isn’t necessary to express any thanks.” “Still I should like the company to understand that I appreciate this evidence of its considera- tion.” “That’s all right. I will inform Mr. Sherwood ~ as to your feelings on the subject. Now, that — you have made yourself solid with the company, which [ may say, is increasing in importance every day, it is up to you to make the most of your opportunities. There is no reason that I can see why you should not, in time, rise to the very post I fill at present. When I was your yours are now.” 3 : “Well, sir,” replied Vic, confidently. “I cer- tainly mean to do my best. It is my ambition not only to become manager of this plant eventu- ally, but I hope to go a step higher and become president of the company.” : “Tt is not impossible, Vic,” replied Mr. Brown, rather amused at the lad’s ambitious expecta- tions; “but, in order to reach the presidency, you will have to save your money and buy a block of the stock. It is generally the man who holds the controlling interest, either in person or through his friends, that gets chimself elected — president of a corporation. If you are serious in your purpose I atlvise you to try and invest the amount of your check in Duplex stock, if you can find any one willing to part with his holdings, or — a part thereof. You can’t get-in any too quick, as this is a close corporation—that is, the shares — are held by probably not over a dozen men, = you would have to pay a good premium if you found a stockholder willing to let you have any shares, which, I think, is very doubtful. The chances that any of the shares of this company will ever go on the open market is exceedingly slim. The prospects of the company are too brilliant.” . ? eat “Then my chances of ever becoming president” are slim, too, I suppose,” replied Vic, regretfully. “Ordinarily considered, I may say, yes; but a thousand things happen every day in this world that are unlooked for. In fact, it has come to be a saying that ‘it is the unexpected which always happens.’ I believe in a boy aiming high. If, the end, he be not fortunate enough to hit th bull’s-eye, he is almost sure to come within cicse relationship to it. If you go ahead with the : solve that some day you hope to become pre of this company, and, in the end, you w as general ya will at least ha cares

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pete ee + b= ARS i { ; 14 plished as much as was. possible within your sphere of action.” ; When Vic returned to the: shipping-room he ed not help pondering over the manager’s words. : CHAPTER® XII.—Vic’s. Real Estate Deal. The days passed away, pleasantly enough for Vic, after that, and the time set for the trial of Adam Bender drew near. A strong effort had been brought to bear on the man to induce him to confess the identity of his principal, who was recognized by the company as a very astute and dangerous man, but Bender seemed resigned to taking his medicine sooner than “peach” on his employer. It seemed to be a case of honor among thieves. Somebody hired a distinguished lawyer to defend Bender at his trial—who this person was the Pinkerton Agency could not dis- cover. The best efforts of the detectives failed to bring: to light the man behind the attempted forgery, so Bender was tried for abducting Victor Bell from his home, as the district-attorney de- cided that the charge of forgery could not be proved. He was convicted and sentenced to three years in Sing Sing. The Pinkerton man visited im in his cell just: before he was taken away, and assured him of a pardon, and complete im- munity from prosecution in the forgery matter, ~ if he would agree to furnish the evidence that would lead to the arrest and conyiction of the “man behind.” ; . Bender, however, wowd not speak, and the de- tective left the Tombs disappointed. That after- noon the masked man’s accomplice began his three-year sentence, which good behavior would reduce to two years and three months. In the - meantime Vic had been building a few air-castles on the foundation of.his dream of the presidency, in the sweet by-and-by of the Duplex Manufae- turing Company. After pondering more than once on the wards of Mr. Brown, the manager, he finally approached Mr. Sherwood one after- noon when that gentleman was inspecting the shipping-room, and asked him if there was any chance of his investing the»proceeds of the com- pany’s check in Duplex stock. “Tm afraid not, Bell,” replied the president, with a smile. “None of the stock is for sale, nor is it likely to be.” Then, noting the boy’s look of disappointment, he added: “I can get _ you five of our $1,000 five per cent. first mort-- age bonds, Series A, mt par. They form a first fien on all the property of the!company, and are a gilt-edge investment, especially for a’ young man of your age.” ; .“Thank you, sir; I will think about it,” replied MAKING HIS MARK _ | ‘unimproved. real estate where the chances point: _ indebted to you interesting yourself in my ¢ to a rise in values within a reasonable period.” _A few days afterward Vic heard of a handsome : piece of property that was about to pe put.on the market, owing to the sudden death of the owner. He went to the manager and.told him about it. “Yd like to get hold of that if I couwld,” said. Vie. “I heard that it can be bought for $12,000, and am sure it is worth much more than that from what I know of property in the same neigh- Es borhood. _Do you think I could get it for $5,000 down, by giving a mortgage for the balance ?” “In the ‘first place, Vic, you, being a minor, cannot buy nor hold real property.” : “Then I’m out of it,” replied the boy, disap- pointedly. : “Not necessarily. If you mean business, you can apply to the proper court for a guardian to be appointed to earry this thing through for you. I would suggest some good trust company. If you wish me to look into this matter for’you I will do so.” ; ee “Thank you, Mr. Brown, I wish you would. +! But it must be done right away, or I shall lose | © the chance of getting hold of that property.” “Vl tell you what I'll do I'll go and look the property over, and if I think it is a bargain — Pit secure a thirty-da¥ option on it for you. Then I'll go before the court and make application to .. have a certain trust company whieh I can recom- mend to you appointed your guardian. I can - have the matter rushed, throigh, and within the = ae goed you will become the owner of the prop- ~ erty.” i ee, “T’ll be much obliged to you, sir, if you will —~ do this for me,” teplied Vic, in a tone that . ~~ showed he meant business. ‘ rs Mr. Brown found, in investigation, that the property ought to be worth all of $16,000, so he decided to take an option of thirty days, pend- — ing ‘examination of title. He reported the facts — to Vie, and the boy drew $1,000 from ‘a Yonkers savings bank to make good the option. .Mry — Brown then lost no time in making application for a guardian for Vic.- In two weeks a judge signed the necessary order appointing the Title . — Guarantee & Trust Company Vic’s guardian. and the trust company, in anticipation of the ~~ order, had, in the meantime, been having its lawyers search the title of the property it was © to purchase for its ward. When the thirey days ~~ expired, the trust company took title for Vie, itself. advancing the $7,000 balance and taking a mortgage therefor on the property. ae The deed had hardly been signed before the = N company received an offer of $15,000 for the — company, which was subsequently increased to: ‘~~ $17,000. Vic, however, on being consulted, re-~ ~~ fused to sell at that figure. ae “It’s worth.as much to me as to any one else,” ” | he remarked to Mr. Brown one day. “The trust company has a tenant ready to take it as soon as certain repairs are made, and the 0. 8, ‘ promises to yield six per cent. on $18,000. So, you seé, my judgment in this case wasn’t so bad. — I have really doubled my capital in this deal, besides haying the prospect of clearing six per cent. on $11,000 and one per cent. on the $7,000 — mortgage for which the trust company is charg-— ing me five per cent. For this good luck I ae z Sas)

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airs, Mr. Brown, and I am very grateful to you. You are certainly helping me to make my mark.” “Don’t mention it, Vic. I have merely done or you what you couldn’t do yourself, I am glad of the chance to help a bright boy like you roved yourself to be.” - CHAPTER XIII—Vie Performs A Gallant ; Action. ~The advertisement which Mr. Brown had in- erted in the Herald and other papers, in the Lost and Found” column, having reference to thé | Syeeeets and ring Vic found. floating on e Hudson River, was productive of no results, though the notice was repeated several times. ‘What, shall we do about them, Mr. Brown?” c¢ asked, one morning. “Advertising is ex- pensive, and ‘it doesn’t do any good, as far as I 7 n a ‘T don’t know that we can do any better than keep on advertising. There is money enough in » pocketbook to repay you for considerable outlay in that direction,” replied the manager. “All right,” answered the boy. “I’m willing to guided by whatever you say, sir.” liday of the season for the employees of the plex Manufacturing Company. Vic went down the Yacht and Boat Club, on the Harlem River, led off his clothes and arrayed himself in ‘light and airy costume adopted by the mem- when they went out for an afternoon spin a shell. Then he and another member grabbed one of the light boats, carried it out of the build- ' ng and deposited it in the water. There is a knack, of course, in getting into a shell in a raceful and apparently careless manner. Vie and his companion were adepts at this, ac- d by long practise. They started off up river at a swinging pace that sent the shell ing along like a gull skimming the water. <3 as a loyely afternoon, and the two boys were overflowing with health and spirits. They had e a mile when they saw a good-sized launch yroaching at a swift rate. Between them and Jaunch was a small rowboat, pulled by: a coat- gentleman. He had two passengers—a mid- le-aged lady, who sat facing him, and a young girl. who sat in the stern sheets, steering the boat. rhe oe back was toward the approach- ing launch. xeathing spell, and both turned to look in the direction their shell was gliding now at reduced speed. At that moment, when the launch was elm became confused and pulled the wrong rope. a gentleman was pulling a lusty stroke at the MAKING HIS MARK The next day was Saturday, and the last half- . _ locality. Vie and his companion had stopped for a : se upon the rowboat, the young girl at the . 15 “Good gracious!” exclaimed Vic. “That girl — will be drowned. Pull like fun!” : They pulled like good fellows, and presently ~ Vie saw the girl come to the surface close by, wave her arms wildly and sink again. In a mo- ment he was on his feet, and, dropping his oars, - he dived to her rescue. The red sash of her white — dress guided him to her, and he grabbed her a yard under the water. Kicking out, he rose to the surface with his now almost unconscious burden. The gentleman was supporting the lady and trying to keep afloat until the launch got near enough to take them aboard... Vie was like a duck in the water, and it was no difficulty for him to hold the girl out of further peril till the launch picked up the other two, and then came : toward them. The girl was lifted on board the launch, which waited a moment until the boy resumed his seat in the shell, none the worst for his ducking, then it darted off down the river. Two hours later, when Vic and his companion arrived at the club-house, an attendant asked if one of them hadn’t saved a young lady from drowning up the river. | “Well, I went overboard after a young girl that was spilled out of a rowboat in a collision with a launch. What about it?” “The party was landed here by the launch. It ~ was Mr. Saunders, his wife, and niece, Miss Butterick. They were using one of our boats. They went home in their automobile, and Mr. Saunders left this note for the person who res- _ cued Miss Butterick”—and the man handed Vic — an envelope with the club’s stamp on it. eng Vie opened and read it. It was a brief note of thanks for the service rendered to the writer’s niece, and a pressing invitation to the unknown rescuer to. call at Saunders’ home at his earliest convenience. Vic knew that Mr. Saunders was _ one of the directors of the Duplex Manufacturing Company, and a man of wealth and of some in- fluence in the Kingsbridge district. : “Well,” asked his companion, curiously, “what does he say?” eo “Read it for yourself,” replied Vic, handing him the note. “Of cofirse you'll call,” said the other, after reading the note. “Saunders is a bigbug in this _ It’s well worth while making a friend of him.” “Vl think about it,” answered Vic, who was thinking about the lovely miss he had been so — fortunate as,to save from a possible watery grave. 4 Pp: “T wouldn’t leave it later than to-morrow. That was a pretty girl you saved, and ’most any ; fellow would be just crazy to improve the op- portunity to make himself solid with her.” e Vie did not make any reply “to that speech. In his heart he was anxious to make Miss But- terick’s acquaintance, but he did not want his companion to: guess his feelings on the subject. So he changed the topic, and soon afterward — they left the club-house for their homes. | ae On the following afternoon Vie dressed him- self with,extra care, and set out for the Saunder home. -It was: a fine mansion, surrounded by spacious, velvety lawns, about a mile from “Tarbox cottage: When he reached the front ; where a graveled walk led yereie rete rage failed him

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16 doctor. After walking two blocks he came to a pause. ° + “What a chump I’m making of myself,” he muttered. “What am I afraid of?” ; So he turned about and went back. When h came to the gate again, and noticed the flutter of a white dress on the paizza, he got another attack of stage fright, and sailed on two blocks ‘the other way before he realized what he was doing. Then he metaphorically kicked himself, turned around and retraced his steps. For the third time he charged down on the gate, and would probably have continued on again but that he saw Mr. Sherwood, president of the Duplex Manufacturing Company, coming up the road toward him. “Good-afternoon, Bell,” he said, laying his hand on the Saunders gate, as though he were about to entere the grounds, “are you out for a stroll?” “Well, sir, I was just about to call on Mr. Saunders,” replied Vic, desperately. “Indeed! I was not aware you were acquainted with him.” ; “I’m not, sir; but the fact of the matter is he, his wife, and niece Were out on the Harlem River yesterday afternoon and met with an accident,- I was fortunate enough to render them a service, and Mr. Saunders left a note at the rowing club for me to call on: him. on them, perhaps you will not mind introducing me. I’m almost afraid to venture in alone, sir.” “Oh, I see how it is,” laughed Mr. Sherwood. “Come right along with me, and I will see you through.” He linked his arm in Vic’s, and together they passed through the gate.. Two minutes later the boy was being introduced to Mr. and Mrs. Saun- ders and Miss Jennie Butterick. CHAPTER XIV.—Miss Jennie Butterick. Jennie Butterick was a pretty girl. Vic had discovered that fact at their first meeting, while holding her up in the.water, in ‘a partly uncon- scious state, waiting for the launch to bear down on them and take her on board. At that time, being drenched and limp, she naturally was not looking her best. Now, however, arrayed in her best, and appearing serene and comfortable, she presented an altogether different picture. Her age was fifteen, and she looked as bright as a dollar fresh from the mint. Whatever may have been Miss Butterick’s shortcomings, bashfulness was not one of them. Vic hadn’t exchanged a dozen words with her before he realized that the advantage was all on her side. Mr. and Mrs. Saunders, after expressing their gratitude to Vic for the service he had rendered their niece, and/ - hoping that they and the lad would become better ‘acquainted, had turned him over to the young Jady.’ Most girls would have felt embarrassed in the presence of a good-looking boy who had saved their life, and have found some difficulty in expressing. their sentiments. Not .so Miss Butterick. - “T’-hope you understand, Mr. Bell,” she said, in _ well-chosen words, at the same time stealing a glance at his face and mentally deciding that he was a handsome boy, “that I am very grateful to you for saving my. life yesterday: afternoon.” . MAKING HIS MARK If you are going to call - I have not given the subject any thought. If you slight grin, “that having been so unfortunate as “That’s all right, Miss Butterick,” replied Vic, — cheerfully. “I am very glad I happened to be at hand to help you out of your scrape.” ; on “TI might have been drowned but that you ~ bravely came to my rescue,” she continued, with another sly look. ie “You might, that is true, for the Harlem River, has no respect even for a pretty girl when she falls overboard and cannot swim.” ; The implied compliment in Vic’s words stirred up the saucy side of the girl’s nature. . “Isn’t it ridiculous that I should become the’ heroine of such a misadventure? I have often read of similar affairs in novels, but, really, I never thought it would fall to my lot to be saved from a watery grave by a good-looking young man.” : Vie was somewhat taken aback by her words, for he could not decide whether her remarks were intended as a compliment, or whether she was making fun at him. He cast a single, furtive glance at her, but without solving the problem. As he did not exactly know how to make a suit- able reply, he kept silent. : “J suppose,” she continued, after a brief pause, — “that you have been longing, for years, for an opportunity-to rescue some unfortunate young ~ lady from a watery grave, or from a runaway | horse, or some such ridiculous situation Your patience has at last been rewarded, and I am the © victim.” ; Vie was sure now she wa making sport of him, and the idea nettled him. : “No, Miss Butterick,” he replied, coolly. “I as- sure you, not being in the habit of reading novels, 1 : 5 < feel that fate has treated you unkindly in giving me the chance to’ pull you out of an unpleasant situation, it will give me great pleasure to try and correct the mistake.” a ee “Why, what do you mean?” asked the pretty miss, staring hard at the speaker, as if she didn’t grasp the meaning of his words. “J mean, Miss’ Butterick,” replied Vic, with a ) to save you—in your own languape—from a. watery grave, I am ready to repair my blunder.” — “Repair your blunder!” gasped the girl, in be-. wilderment. a “Exactly.. If you will permit me the pleasure, * ; I will take you out in a boat this very afternoon, or next Saturday if you prefer; and drop you — overboard in nearly the exact spot I found you*— yesterday. I can’t offer to do a fairer thing than that, can I!” ; ‘ “Well!” exclaimed the girl, almost paralyzed at ~ his cool proposal, though she understood-that he — was merely getting back at her for her sauciness, “you are certainly the most remarkable young’ ~ man I ever have met!” : 3g “Am I to take that as a compliment?” he grinned. Or——” x iy ; “As a compliment, by all means,” she replied. ~ “So you are sorry, after all, that you rescued me _ from : a upted. “Oh, no; it £, | Re Se rere vi Sy a al a pl are “A watery grave,” he inte was you who seemed to regret the fact that fate had made you a victim.. As far as I am con- cerned, that fate had honored me in selecting me~ as Ss instrument to rescue an exceedingly pretty girl. 2 hte “Really,” replied Miss Butterick, with a vivid

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blush. - “You said that very nice, indeed. Your language would lead me to believe that you carry a small edition of the Standard Dictionary around in your pocket for consultation as occasion re- quires.” “T have no doubt that a dictionary is an excel- * lent book to have within reach at all times, Miss Butterick,” replied Vic, politely; “but, all the same, I do not possess a portable edition. Prob- ably that is where you have the advantage of me.” “T presume you think you are on uncommonly smart young m4n,” she said, saucily. “It was ; you, wasn’t it, who saved the Duplex Manufactur- 2 ing Company from a heavy financial loss some /yweeks ago? Strange that I didn’t recall the fact until this moment. I now wish to apologize for - saying that I thought fate had treated me un- : kindly in making me a victim yesterday after- noon. I have decided that I ought to be truly thankful that the opportunity was mine to have been rescued from a perilous situation by the smartest young man in Kingsbridge.” “Thank you, Miss Butterick,” grinned Vic, who had now lost all his reserve. in the presence of the prettiest girl in the neighborhood... “You can Say some very nice things yourself when you’ve the mind to.” By: “T hope you understand how highly I appre- a | ciate the honor which has been conferred on me,” ’ she replied, demurely. “I remember, now that I E have been just dying to make your acquaintance ever since papa spoke about your brilliant feat of saving the money and the bonds of the company, and actually capturing one of the men all by yourself. Do you know, I think you*are quite a prodigy.” Vie grinned. “Don’t you think you are a prodigy?” she per- sisted, with a winsome glance. . “T haven’t thought about the matter at all, Miss Butterick.” “Haven't you? What a modest young man you are,” she retorted. : “We all have our failings,” he snickered. *' - . “Certainly, bashfulness isn’t one of them,” she retorted. : ; “T couldn’t be bashful in the presence of such a, a witty and lovely: ei é ») “Come, now, Mr. Bell,” she protested, with a ~ rosy blush. “I think/it’s time to change the sub- ject, don’t you?” “T agree with you, Miss Butterick.” > “Then I'll tell you a most remarkable incident ~ _ that happened to auntie and me up the river some _ \weeks since,” she continued, vivaciously. | “You .. Bee, We were spending the summer at West Point. - One day auntie and I went down to the landing _ to meet some friends we expected by the Albany - day boat. They did not come; and, after the boat went on her way, we walked some little distance -. down the river, and finally sat down to rest on a log close to the water’s edge. I took from my finger a valuable diamond ring that belonged to My mother; and attached it to the rubber band around my pocketbook, laying the wallet beside me on the log.” At this point Vic grew uncommonly interested in her story. ' ae “The reason I did this was because I saw what ~ I took to be a very curious shell sticking out of the bank about a-foot under the surface of the ae p j 5 ee PSP or ie are ew Ag MAKING HIS MARK 17 river, and I wanted to get it without wetting the ring. I got the.shell, and it was a very interest- ing specimen. Collecting shells is a hobby of mine. I have a cabinet full of them, and it will give me great pleasure to show them to you when we go into the house. The shell took up my at- tention so much that when auntie and I rose to leave the spot I forgot all about the ring and the pocketbook.” c “And the log got loose and floated off down the river* with your property,” said Vic, in some little excitement. “Why, yes; that is just what it did do,” she answered, in surprise. “How did you guess?” “Oh, that was easy. Go on and tell me the rest.” “We had walked up the bank beyond the rail- roadesome little distance before I missed my ring and pocketbook. Then I remembered the circum- stances of the case and rushed back to get them. To my dismay I saw the log floating off quite a -distance from the shore. I was greatly distressed. There was over $100 in money in my wallet, though I did not care so much for that as I did for my ring, which was priceless to me, because it came to me from my mother when she died.” And Vie saw the girl’s handsome eyes fill with tears. ’ eae was a great loss to you, wasn’t it?” said Ie. “T° could hardly have suffered a more severe one!” she replied. : “Now, what would you give to have that ring and pocketbook come back to you in the same condition you lost them?” “What would I give?” she exclaimed. “Every- thing I possess in this world!” she cried earnestly. “But they never will! Uncle has advertised a fteward of $1,000 for them, but I’m afraid they“ lie at the bottom of the river!” she concluded, mournfully. “Don’t be so sure of that, Miss Butterick,” said Vic, with sparkling eyes. “Do yeu know that 1 am something of a magician?” “A magician!” she ejaculated, wonderingly. “Yes. I have the ability sometimes to rocover . lost property.” “You are joking, aren’t you?” she said, looking him straight in the face, ; _ “Not inthis instance. Now, Miss Butterick,’ some day I might want you to bestow a favor on me. Will you’ promise to do it, or at: least ° consider the matter favorably, if I put on my magical cap, and whistleSback your ring and pocketbook ?” he asked, eagerly. “I'd promise anything to get my ring back,” she cried; “but I know that is quite out of the ques- tion. “We'll see if it is. Just imagine that T am in a trance now, please.” : “Tn a trance! Why, you foolish boy ss “Hush!” whispered Vic, mysteriously, as he closed his eyes. and leaned back in his chair. “Answer my questions. Describe the pocketbook, please.” : : Miss Butterick described it, and its contents . exactly. ve x “I see it!”. exclaimed Vic, solemnly. “And the ring, too. They are not at the bottom of the ‘river, but done up in a package’that lies in the es

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“MAKING: HIS MARK ee safe >f the Duplex MahGtaceacla Com- “Don’t be too rash, Miss Butterick,” auiles Vie. x “You Jnight want to draw out at the critical. mo- eh “Mr. Bell!” eried the girl, quivering with ex- ment.” -¢itement. “What do you mean?” “No, I won’t. I never go back on my word.” - “Y mean, Miss Butterick, that your ring and “All right. Ill remember that.” i | pocketbook are quite safe, ‘and shall be returned “Come in and see my cabinet of shells,” the to you to-morrow. I found them myself floating pretty miss said, suddenly. = down the Hudson on the identical log on which Vic accompanied her inside, and was much in- - you placed them. They are, at this moment, in terested in her collection, which was both unique - our office safe.” Z 2 and valuable. The boy was easily induced to remain to tea, and when he left he was pressed fe to call again soon. Next day Jennie Butterick » CHAPTER XV. —Vic’s Success In the Real Estate called at the Duplex establishment, and, at her Field. own deat Bis Pe ahs to i shipping- room, where s Jennie Butterick uttered a scream of delight pusiness. Se Ce ee and clasped her hands together. Her aunt, who, “This visit is quite an honor, Miss Butterick,” in company with her husband and Mr, Sherwood, — said the boy, gallantly. was sitting a short distance away, looked around The girl smiled and blushed a little. at her, wondering what had occasioned hér excite- ment. “Oh, auntie, what do you think ?” the girl called out to her. “Mr. Bell found my diamond ring and pocketbook floating down the Hudson on that ag aie Te Ce ‘romd log. ‘ int s "1 it possible?” ejaculated Mrs. Saunders, ‘xis- and one or two other sections of the establish- See ment, and she expressed herself very much enter- ing and coming over to them. : tained by what she saw: Then Vie took her to : ea ey answered Vic. “T’ll tell you how it hap-. the manager’s office and introduced her to Mr And he explained how the incident transpired Beg Brown, this is the owner of the ring “ee on the morning he was returning from the Bat- ocketbook which you'd sad ane ~ tery to Kingsbridge in the catboat with his pris- Will you kindly eat Boal san he office safe. oner and the company’s property on, board. __ “I never would have paid any attention to that ;, Ps areata: said he would, and they were soon iS eek Pa ee ee “and——” :: Som Ge DE eR After that Vic became a regular caller at. the “Now, aren’t you just too horrid for anything!” Saunders home, and it was understood that Jennie she pouted. Butterick was the magnet which drew him th “Al right. We'll let it. stand as it is,” he One afternoon Mr. Ralph Roundtree, the v Jaughed. president of the company, walked into the sh “Auntie, you must tell uncle.to give Mr. Bell ping-room to look around. Vie had seen hi _ the reward he offered for my ring and pocket- once or twice before, though not for some weeks 5 He was a fine-looking, stalwart man, with a black “Don't do anything of the kind, Mrs. ~Saun- mustache and piercing black eyes. He walked ers!” cried Vic, quickly. about the room, examining the system Vic used ; “Why not, Mr. Bell?” asked the girl: “Uncle for sending off the goods. Finally the stopped my guardian, and I cam easily afford a thou- before the boy, and asked him a trivial questi and dollars for such'a service, without consider- At the sound of his voice Vic looked at hi ng the matter of my life, which is something I Sharp’y before ne made any reply. =~ not think of offering you pay for.” ; ' “Ah,” he thought, “now I know whose voi ink we made a bargain about that ring and was that: the masked man’s resembled pocketbook. You promised to peat, me a small Roundtree has just his figure, too. It’s eee eee if I should agit it wes you... ae the: eee were never success: w s ¥ i

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Roundtree while he remained in the. shipping department, and the longer he looked at him the - more the gentleman reminded him of the rascal who had engineered the scheme for defrauding the company out of $150,000 worth of bonds, be- ides stealing $50,000 outright from the office é safe. Of course it was preposterous to even ' think that Mr. Roundtree had any connection with » such a piece of crooked business, so Vic dismissed the matter from his mind. A whole year passed _ away, and summer came around once more. The Duplex Manufacturing Company had grown in een’ and Vic’s wages had been raised to $18 per week. It was about this time that he ran across a great bargain in real estate. The trust - company that acted as guardian for the boy had received an offer of $20,000 for his property, and _ wrote to him advising him by all means to accept “it. Vie wrote back that they could sell it for * him. The day that he did so his attention was _ accidentally called to a tract of land which some - speculators were negotiating for. They were anxious to buy the land, bit were dickering over - the price, which was really dirt cheap, and they knew it. Just the same they were hoggish in the - matter, because they thought they had the inside track. Vic went and looked the property over, and tren cffered the owner his price. “Whom do you represent?” asked the man, %» eager to close the deal. » ° “How does the Title Guarantee & Trust Com- _ pany strike you?” asked Vic. _ - “They’re good enough for anybody,” said the man. é t “All right,” replied the boy. “I’ll give you a note to the president. Take it down to their offices on Broadway to-morrow’ morning and the company will make arrangements with you.” Vie wrote a letter telling the company that he wAnteld to invest the proceeds of the sale of his “present property in the new deal, which involved @ matter of $35,000. He wanted the company to “advance him the amount necessary to secure an option ot: the new ‘property, while they investi- ‘Bated the title, and closed out his other realty. fis $13,000 interest in his present property was Security enough for the company to comply with his’ wishes, and the new déal was arranged. When the speculators found out that they were dished out of the land they had intended to cut 1p into building Jots, improve and sell at a good rice, they were madder than hornets. But‘they couldn’t do@& thing, except make a higher offer to the trust. company. which was refused. ‘In due time Vic sold his first real estate invest- ment and became owner of the $35,000 plet of ~ land, on which the trust company advanced the necessary $22,000 on a first mortgage. This deal vas purely speculative in character, as there was © income from it, and Vic had $550 semi-annual nterest to face, besides taxes and possible as- sessments.. Jennie Butterick promised to see him through the deal if necessary, though he had no intention of calling on her to do so,,if he could help: it: He understood that the trust company vould carry him. His plan was to hold the land year or so, by which time he expected all ‘operty in that neighborhood would make a big idvance. Before long he got an offer of $42,000 it, which showed him that he had made no n buying MAKING HIS MARK ; ig it. Taking the above figures ~ = : 19 as a fair indication of its present value, he al- lowed that his $5,000 check from the company had, in one year, increased to $20,000 through shrewd judgment in realty values. CHAPTER XVI.—Conclusion. As Jennie Butterick had taken Vic under her wing, so to speak, he had entry into the best society of upper New York. She wouldn’t have anybody else for an escort when she could get Vic to accompany her. Everybody said they made a very handsome couple, and not a few wise ones predicted a marriage in the future, in which they would figure as the principals. When the Christ- mas holidays came around again, Vic had passed his eighteenth birthday by a lap, while Jennie had arrived at sweet sixteen. Vic still boarded at the humble cottage of Mrs. Tarbox. She was as good as a mother to him, and the boy wouldn’t have shaken her for the world. He was invited to eat his Christmas dinner with the Saunderses and Miss Jennie, and he wouldn’t have missed it for a farm. Jennie had-come to exercise a sort of proprietorship dver him, and he enjoyed the sensation. “T have an invitation to attend a masquerade ball at Mr. Sherwood’s on New Year's night,” she remarked to Vic on Christmas evening after dinner. The pair were sitting by themselves in the conservatory of the mansion, and the gas was turned down quite low. “Have you?” answered’ Vic, thinking that. his fair companion had never looked quite so pretty as she did that evening. : “Yes. Of course. you’re going with me,” she said, in thant decided tone she always addressed him, as if what she said went every time. “Haven’t I got anything to say in the matter?” he asked. “Well, T’ll permit you to say—yes.” “Thank you; you’re getting liberal. you know, I’ve been thinking of asserting my independence,” he said, quizzically. “T have no objection to you being as inde- eg as you wish, as long as you do everything ask,” she laughed. “Come, now, I like that,” he protested. “I am very glad, indeed, that you like it.” “T like something better than that, though,” he said, getting an inch closer to her. j “What is that?” “Why, you, of course.” Jennie blushed and was silent. “Do you know, Jennie, I’ve been thinking of realizing on some of my investments.” “Are you thinking of selling your land at this time?” she asked, in surprise. “No. I mean my other investment,” “What is it?” _ “That promise you made me a year and a half ago when I whistled back your ring and pocket- book that you thought were lost for good.” “Oh!” she exclaimed, somewhat wonderingly. “Are you prepared to redeem that promise now?”.- ts é : “What. was it?” —° Now, ‘do

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" "MAKING “You: promised to grant any little request I Might ask you in the future. Don’t you remem- ber?” “Oh; yes. Have you a request you want me to grant?’ If you have, consider it granted,” she said, with a smile. = “Don’t get reckless, Jennie. hear what it is first.” “I’m listening.” “Jennie,” he continued, earnestly, “you and I - are good friends, but I am always worrying about how long it may be before you’ll find somebody else that you will learn to like better than me. - I hope you won’t get angry with me for saying that the whole world is nothing to me beside you. I have learned to love you with all my heart. I __ want to prove worthy of winning you some day -.. for my wife. Perhaps I oughtn’t to talk this way to you, because of the difference in our social standing, and because we are both rather young to consider so serious a subject. But I cannot help it, Jennie. I must know whether you really care for me as I care for you. The request I 3 make of you, and I do not insist on you keeping Better wait and a -- your promise to grant it, is that you tell me _ frankly if there is any hope for me to look for- ward to the realization of my fondest dream— that of winning your love and your hand even- tually. That is all I have to say. I have opened -my heart to you. If I have offended you I shall regret it, but I could not have acted otherwise.” - _ Jennie’s color came and went, and her bosom _ rose and fell with the emotion she was expe- - riencing. : “What do you wish me to say?” she asked at length, in a low tone. yet . “Ts there any hope for me to expect that some day you will become my wife?” he asked, with mivering lips, for the stake he was playing for was high. “Yes,” she whispered, and then she let her head drop on his shoulder. They went to the masque- yade ball together in the Saunders automobile on “New Year’s night. There was a big crowd pres- ent at the Sherwood mansion. Every one was expected to be masked during the first part of the evening, and many were there in fantastic costumes. Vice had just finished a waltz with _ Jennie, who was dressed to represent Little Red -Ridinghood, and he was leading her back to her seat when he came face to face with a masked man, who also wore a heavy brown beard. The boy gazed in bewilderment at the man, for he was the counterpart of the masked forger of months before. ' “What's the matter, Vic?” asked Jennie. “Nothing,” he answered quickly, leading her to Then, excusing himself, he hurried off to find Mr. Sherwood. After some difficulty he - Jocated that gentleman, and told him what he had Seen. “You must-be mistaken in your idea that that the mask you saw on the rascal who put the gery almost through. No one is present here night but those I should be able to identify as iP are all my personal friends.” _ ight people if their masks were removed.. My _ HIS MARK ‘that forgery? The man has never been cai Who could have had access to your vaults safe’ but a man who. knew the ins and outs of the Duplex Company’s offices? Who would have undertaken such a scheme, with prospects of s cess, but a man closely identified with the b ness of the company? With your permission am going to find out the identity of this man wh wears the suspicious mask.” bare “You may do so, of course, but be careful ho you manage it, Bell. I cannot have one of m guests offended.” ; Mr. Sherwood walked off, leaving Vic to con: sider how he was going to accomplish his pur pose. As he turned away he ran into a small man in a dress-suit and a purple mask, The mask became dislodged, and Vie recognized the Pinker. ton detective. ; ; “I’d like to talk with you, Mr. Hawkshaw, said the boy. = ad They went downstairs to the deserted. dinii room, where Vic took-off his mask, so the detec- tive could’ identify him, and then told him his suspicions. Pace. “All right. You have furnished me with - clew I have wanted. ; Who do you suppose t gentleman is?” Ss ange “T think I can guess, Mr. Hawkshaw. It is Mr. Roundtree, vice-president of the Duplex M: facturing Company.” ‘ “You are right. I have long suspected him to 7S be the ‘man behind’ the forgery. Now I am su of it: In his fancied security, he is wearing night the identical mask he wore when you we: up against him. Also the same beard. It was. fool’s trick, but there is always a time in a man’s life when he makes a grievous mistake. Round- ea has, made his, and it shall land him in Sing — ing.” ¢ An hour later a telegram was delivered to Ralph Roundtree summoning him to his home. As he stepped out of his automobile at his doo: the Pinkerton man, followed by Vic, stepped and arrested him. He was taken to the T and locked up. Next day Hawkshaw visited Si Sing and had an interview with Adam Bend When the convict heard that Roundtree was i the Tombs he wilted and was induced to mak full confession. At the trial of Roundtree, Bender was permitted~to turn State’s evidence, and hi testimony, in addition to Vie’s evidence, sent the vice-president of the Duplex Manufacturing Co: pany to Sing Sing for ten years. His wife fe the disgrace so keenly that she sold out ey: thing and left the neighborhood. Mr. Saun _at Jennie’s request, loaned Vic the funds nec sary to purchase Roundtree’s block: of D stock, and the boy found himself in-line f. presidency of the company. j That was ten years ago, and to-day Me : the proud and handsome husband of Jennie terick, is president of the Duplex Manufacturi Company, the biggest concern in its eae S ness in the United States. Who, then, sha that Victor Bell hasn’t made his mark in lif “s

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FAME, AND FORTUNE Ww CURRENT NEWS AT 63 SWIMS TEN MILES » Mrs. Anna Vanslike of Santa Monica, Cal., celebrated the 68d anniversary of her birth by mming ten miles in the ocean. Just before hing the swim she sarig a verse of “The Star ngled Banner” to show she was not exhausted end on leaving the water dressed without as- tance. She was in the sea nine hours and nty minutes. he came here twelve years ago suffering from tub eae according to physicians. LECTRIC EELS HAVE POWER PLANTS Attendants at the New York zoo having been unned by current from the electric eel, an in- ame has been began of the creature’ $ r plant. Previous attempts at measuring the ‘rent have failed because the apparatus used s not sufficiently sensitive to register the sud- and intense shocks delivered. These, accord- 0 Popular Mechanics, are said to be power- mough to stun a horse and are described by epers who suffered them as “sledge-hammer” that caused black and blue marks on the ‘ skin. A German professor, according to R. Le Witmars, curator, has obtained light of dazzling intensity by connecting the current to the bulbs, — but the flash was over in an instant, defying 25 attempts to measure it. : MEANEST MAN SOUGHT All color barriers have been let down in Hous- ton, Tex., for a time at least, and good citizens, both white and black, are scouring the city for a — “jelly bean” who, they declare, is the meanest men here and whom they want to see punished. He was in a street car that passed along as Oscar Mayfield, a blind Negro, was waiting for ibd 3 The Negro was depending on a six-year-old Negro boy to tell him when the right car came along. As he was standing there the “jelly . bean” reached out and hit him in the eye with. his fist, knocking him to the ground. The Negro was carried to the hospital seriously injured and the police dragnet has been put out for the “Jelly bean,” who was laughing as the «ar dis- appeared and the Negro lay prostrate. : Nf LOOK! LOOK! LOOK! eee MAGAZINE No. 160 Is Now on the Newsstands ore ie you boys want to read some dandy stories, get a copy, and you will not regret it, and Here is what it contains: “THE RIVER PIRATES” - By HAMILTON CRAIGIE pe tive who runs them down. _ It’s a long story about thieves of the river front, and the daring adventures of thie plucky | “BEATING THE BURGLAR ALARM” By JOE BURKE A lively two-part detective story, full of pep and very interesting. “WHAT HANDWRITING REVEALS” siting is a: cae ee condueted by LOUISE RICE. Send her a specimen ‘of your hand- ing and she will tell you, free of charge, what you can best do to make money. : ae ers THE SHORT STORIES ARE ‘BY VIRTUE OF DISCIPLINE,” by P. T, Raymond; “SLICK WALTON’S DECISION,” J. Campbell; “THE FALSE TRUTH,” by John Holden; “THE HILLSBORO BANK by _ ROBBERY, ” by Frank S. Sullivan; “THE HELPING HAND,” by Arthur W. ‘Beer; “THE ‘MAN WHO WATCHED,” by Arthur Lockwood. ; THE SHORTER ARTICLES CONSIST OF “Fortune Teller’s Promise,” “A Facile Swindler,” “The Money Order. Gang,” “A Quiet 5 ef,” “Why Crooks Go Wrong, ” and several more equally as. ‘interesting... ; ‘ _ This ees is chock-full of splendid stories ee ee with ex- artrnen, from) Leda. to aes, siete

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FAME AND FORTUNE. WEEKLY Rob and the Reporters — Or, — Hustling for War News by Wireless ¢ ’ By GASTON GARNE (A Serial Story.) CHAPTER VIII. Rob Gets His Baptism Of Fire. -~When Rob reached the big tent he saw that . there were several other smaller ones behind it. Beyond these he saw women engaged in cook- ing, which was a relief when he thought of _ Edith. , Perhaps the brave girl read his thoughts. “Cheer up, boys!” she whispered. “Put on a bold front as I intende to. They won’t eat us, that’s one comfort: I’m not a pit afraid.” “Look out for your money,” said Rob. “They'll get some of it, but I.defy them to find all,” was the reply. ‘Phere was no chance for further talk. The officer now ordered them to leave the car. Edith was put in charge of two soldiers and -marched off among the tents, while Rob and _ Walter were taken inside the larger tent, where at a table littered with papers and plans sat a stout officer, with a fierce black mustache, whom Rob’s captor saluted, saying, in German: “These men with a young woman were cap- tured on the road in a car. They are probably spies.” “Tf so, short work will be made of them,” was the reply. “What are their relations.to each other?” F ‘The officer explained. * The big man, whom Rob subsequently learned was a Colonel Zimmermann, now proceeded to question him in English, which he spoke with scarcely any accent, along the same line as be- - fore. ~ “Let them be stripped and thoroughly searched, Captain Behrends,” he then said: “If. compro- mising papers are foynd on them, let them be instantly shot. Pass the word to have the same - disposition made of the woman.’ With this, the colonel resumed his work. “It was useless to protest, of course. Bob made no such attempt. His papers had been carefully sewed into his # oe. He could only hope that they might not be discovered, while as for his money, which was in French notes, some of it was loose and some psoncedled as was the case with Walter. Captain Behrends now took the boys into an eet compartment and told them to undress. _ There was no half-way, work about it. They W forced to strip to the th as patetully +, ost oak ff, sem isges article - Rob's courage almost failed him when thé cap- tain began work on his coat. But, though the examination was most tl rough, he failed to find the papers, yet, singu- larly enough, he discovered the hiding-place oi the money, which he calmly pocketed: Walter's hidden store, on the contrary, es- caped. “Apparently you have spoken the truth, Randall,” remarked Captain Behrends, at last, “and it is well for you that it is so. You tw oe remain prisoners of war until further or. ers.’ “And my money?” asked Rob. “Confiscated. Such is the rule.” iyo “Miss Morley- “Not in my hands. her case.’ ci suppose there is no chance of recovering my car?” “Not the aftehteat® All cams are comman- deered. Dress and follow me.’ ‘ He stepped back into the main tent as he sai this, leaving the boys to themselves. *“Gee, you’re in luck!” breathed Walter. “Hush! Hush!” whispered Rob. “We seem to be up against it hard,” he s aloud. “I wonder what they intend to do wi us?” trie “You can search’ me,” sighed Walter. “Up my word, I believe we would have done better we had passed as Americans.” Captain Behrends now returned. ae “What’s your name?” he asked Walter, wit told him. : “Can you cook?” : “After a fashion. I have dona camp- ee I have nothing to do wit “Good. You will be put at work with the coo unti] your master’s case is decided. Remain hére Mr. Randall, follow me.” ; Rob was taken. to the guardhouse—a lar; tent at the other end of the encampment—where he found several Belgian prisoners. There were no seats, simply an ipeoniia table, on which some of the prisoners were sit- ting. They appeared to be all of the peasant. class. None of them could speak English. Some hours passed. After dark a scanty, bad- ly-cooked supper was served; after which poeeans stretched themselves on the ground and Ks ell asleep. Rob followed. their example later, taking his coat and using it as a pillow. It was a long time before he slept, but he finally. : Several times during the night he was ak- ened. At last, at daybreak, he fell into a ana ze sleep from which he was aroused . by the bo of cannon.) : ‘He sprang up, as did all the others. _ Shot after shot was fired. They could horsemen dashing madly about, officers aban orders, and so on. Evidently the camp had been attacked a engagement was on. f Rob ventured to look outside at last. abe es Bas ‘Vanished, :

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BA Y SPIRITS REFUSE TO ENTER eg COURT ROOM W: W. Aber of Portland, Oreg., spiritualistic dium® accused of fraud, attempted to give a demonstration before a jury in Circuit Court of his ability to materalize a spirit, but after an hour’s effort gave it up, saying the atmosphere of the court was too stuffy and not sufficiently harmonious to permit a successful test. : ‘The seance had been arranged at Aber’s re- est. A cabinet was set up. The lights were Ginrtied: There was a wait. It grew and ex- ded. pee, happened, and finally Aber an- ounced he would give it up. Then he collapsed. JIENTALS THINK FOXES ENTER “2 HUMAN BODIES ; ; on the imagina- A fox baths yao ae an’s body—between the finger nails and the Ge they dap ahd haying make itself at home, will control the person’s thoughts, actions and even his voice, leading him into deviltries for which he feels he cannot be held responsible. To thus be inhabited by a fox—or rather by the “gpirit of the fox—is to suffer from what is recog- “nized as the demoniacal possession, says the, De- troit News i av re told “that the person possessed hears i Ree stands everything that the fox inside says or thinks; and the two often engage violent dispute, the fox speaking in a voice ifferent from that whic » and scientifically we have it 2 aa that “whereas in healthy persons one- ight-handed persons the left half of the brain, and in left-handed persons the right—in nervous- y excitable persons or in persons of weak minds the disused half of the brain-is often aroused into tivity by fear, and the two halves, now func- fioning—one, the normal self, and the other, the mew pathologically affected. self—are set one agairist the other, the result being that the activ- ities of the ‘new’ brain are ascribed to the fox. Somewhere in the cellars of New York are the ins of a large tribe of American Indians. se that have escaped the fire and smoke of al destruction bury their noses in the city’s bbish heaps. Only half a dozen lone survivors at happened to the Indians that were once ential to the tobacco dealer as the striped o the barber.and the three gold balls to the nbroker? Why were they torn from their id posts and ‘relegated to oblivion? City au- ‘ities are partly to blame, according to one ne dealer, who bemoaned the loss of the In- as he caressed limp leaves of tobacco. spread knee preparatory to a hand-made cigar. a he ia, moyed from my old shop,” he ex- _. FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY | GOOD READING GAR STORE INDIAN ONLY A MEMORY: " NOW. again here. It’s a great pity. We used to have — lots of fun with the Indians when I was a boy. “Once a bunch of us played such a.joke on a visitor! We asked him if he didn’t want to go to Brooklyn to meet a nice girl. After we took him all the way over there we introduced him to an Indian girl in front of a cigar store. We had a big laugh. But that’s all over now. You don’t see any more Indians.’ re Throughout the country the wooden Indians are almost as searce as in New York. Hundreds, even thousands, of them have passed from the scene. The pipe of peace and the Indian’s love for the weed, it is said, led originally to the use of the symbol. The passing of the figures is at- tributed to the introduction of a new tradition in the tobacco business, wiping out old standards and sweeping symbolism with them. ie ~ “In a city like New York I doubt if you could get away with an Indian in front of your shop,” an official, of a large group of chain cigar stores explained. “If you even so much as put a box out in front you will get a summons next day. But that is'not the only reason why the Indians disappeared. The modern tobacco shop brought a new idea into the business about twenty years — ago. It stands for cleanliness, efficiency and the thought of serying customers quickly. The old tobacco shop was a different sort of miata a loaf- ; ing place where men loitered and gossiped and no one was even in haste. In changing all this the modern chain stores did away with the old deco- rations, other shops followed their lead and the Indians became extinct. “Mystery Magazine” Semi-Monthly 10 Cents A Copy —— LATEST 1ssuES — reeait 1544 THE HOUSE ON THE ROCKS, py Jack Bechdolt. The following and future numbers of this magazine 7 ies , Price 15 Cents ? 155 LAUGHING DEATH'S TRAIL, by Nels LeRoy Jor- x gensen, = 156 THE MEDICINE DROPPER, by G. P. Wilson, 157 A QUESTION OF KICK, by Bugene Jones. 158 THE MYSTERY OF .ROARING Harry Adler. THE RIVER PIRATES ¥ By HAMILTON CRAIGIE - Out Today in No. 159 é HARRY E. WOLFF, Publisher, Ine, 166 West 23d Street WATERS, by i “Moving Picture Stories” A Weekly Magazine Devoted to Photoplays and Players _ PRICE EIGHT CENTS PER COPY — Each number contains Three Stories of the Best Films on the Screen—Hlegart Half-tone Scenes from the Pla —Interesting Articles About Prominent People in t Vilms—-Doings of Actors and Actresses in the Studio and Lessons in Scenario Writing. : = oS

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24 ae t FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY INTERESTING RADIO NEWS AND HINTS SINGLE TUBE LOUD-SPEAKER SETS Single tube loud-speaker sets should be taken with a grain of salt. Of late there has been an epidemic of single-tube receivers for which the lst is made that they will operate a loud- speaker. In the case of the reflex single-tube sets, there is a possibility of operating a loud- speaker under favorable conditions, especially if the sets are carefully made with nothing but the best parts. Super-regenerative single-tube sets may also be made to operate a loud-speaker, but here the feat is accomplished at the expense of \ clarity and quality of tone. After all is said and done, the easiest and most satisfactory way of obtaining loud-speaker results is to build. or buy a three-tube set. THE INTERFERENCE PROBLEM The interference problem is in a fair way to solution in the near future. The interfering spark transmitters of ship stations operating within the broadcasting wave-length band are being transferred to a higher wave-length well outside the broadcasing band. Meanwhile other phases of broadcasting j terference are being dealt with by experts, particularly radiating re- ceivers. Manufacturers are being asked not to produce radiating receivers. Publications are being asked not to publish diagrams and instruc- - tions on the construction of radiating receivers. The public is being taught the necessity of mak- . ing all receivers non-radiating, to the end that the shrieks and whistles and growls of the air may be disposed of in the very near future. * ONE ANTENNA TO SERVE MANY New York is covered with a network of copper wires hafging over the roofs of apartments, all because each receiving set requires an individual antenna. This great copper web may soon dis- appear, as naval radio experts have developed a “coupling-tube unit,” which allows one antenna * to ‘serve several receiving ‘sets. It is reported. that this device will be available to the public shortly after June 1. Inventors of the device are Dr. A. H. Taylor and L. C. Young of the Naval Laboratory at Bellevue, Md. After the apparatus was per- fected it was tested on board the U. S. S. Colo- rado. A coupling-tube unit, connected between each receiving set and a single antenna, enabled operators to copy simultaneously incoming mes- sages from stations using different wave lengths and at the same time the battleship’s transmit- ter was in action. POTENTIOMETER VARIES VOLTAGE It is often required to connect a variable source of Yoltage in the grid circuit of a vacuum tube. “The idea is to supply a convenient arrangement for giving the grid a variable potential. In or- der to get a fine adjustment a potentiometer is connected across the filament or A battery, which is generally of the four- or six-volt type. The resistance may not be high since the current through the potentiometer resistance will always ~ . , ‘manipulating a control knob. be small compared to the current through the filament of the tube. : The resistance may be as low as 200 ohms, but many potentiometers have a resistance of 400 ohms. A battery is connected in the circuit and may be either fixed or variable in type, de- pending upon the voltage required for the poten- tial placed on the grid. This arrangement is useful when carrying on experimental work and becomes an exceedingly important element when employing radio fre- quency amplification. SPARK INTERFERENCE a Spark interference has been all but” totally eliminated during the past: month or two, thanks to the active work of the Radio Club of America ” and the co-operation of Government officials and radio communication companies. A recent con- ference in New York City resulted in the abol- ishing of the 460-meter wave sometimes used in ship-to-shore radio work. This wave fell in the middle of the present broadcasting band and’ caused some pretty mean interfeyence for radio programs. Of course, this change helps matters a great deal—conditions had become almost in- tolerable in the vicinity of New York City, due to spark interference. However, it must be re- membered that the ruling made by the conference does not apply to hundreds of foreign ships which will operate the same as before. Furthermore, many of our ship and shore stations are equipped with the old-style spark sets which will continue to interfere with broadcasting reception at short distance until such apparatus has been replaced by the sharply-tuned continous-wave transmit- ters. “MONITORING” IN BROADCASTING One of the very necessary tasks connected with broadcasting is that of “monitoring.” In every first-class broadcasting station there will be found- some young man intently watching the fluctuating needle of a meter, and constantly This “monitor- ing” has to do with. overcoming the wide varia-_ tion in volume which must be handled in the case of certain musical instruments. For speech, the variation in average power is of pe order of 1,000 to 1. In music, and especially that such as given by a symphony orchestra, the ener; variation between the softest and the loud passages may be as great as 100,000 to 1. In the present state of the electrical art it is not prae- ticable to handle such an enormous range of se ume of broadcasting. This limitation arises n so much from the capacity of. the broadcasting apparatus as from the existence of extraneous noise... The softest musical passages when ~ broadcast must. be made sufficiently loud to over- ride static and other electrical interference in the ether, as well as receiving set noise and any incidental noise. When the softest passages are made loud enough to overcome such extraneous - interference, it would be extremely expensive to. a GF provide the equipment, for making the loudest x

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_ passages 100,000 time§ as loud. Consequently, _ good broadcasting requires a skilled listener and monitoring device at the point where the pro- gram is picked up. The function of this listener is to adjust the amplifier in the broadcasting sys- _-stem so that its output will take into account the changes in the loudness of the program. These . changes in loudness must not be unduly reduced, _ but they must be made such as will carry to the _ radio audience without overloading any element _ in the broadcasting system. BATTERY CHARGERS Direct current is still found in a great many homes, and the owner of a radio set living in one of them often finds the problem of charging _ his storage battery a very serious one, as most _ commercial chargers are for alternating current _ only. However, a simple outfit for this purpose - ¢an be made at home from standard parts which will work noiselessly and without trouble. All that really is required is a bank of house lamps. They should be of the old-fashioned _ thirty-two candlepower carbon type, as these are cheaper and serve the purpose just as well. Each bulb passes about one ampere of current, so not >more than five, or six at the most, can be used, ‘as the ordinary house wiring cannot stand the _ passage of a greater current than six amperes _ with safety. If the battery is of sixty ampere-hours or less, - this number will be plenty. z A heavy double-pole, double-throw, porcelain - base knife switch and a charge and discharge - battery meter are also necessary. The arms of the switch are connected directly to the posts on the battery through the ammeter. One set of the switch jaws goes to the receiving ' set.. After completing this much of the wiring, _ the switch should be closed and the bulbs lighted to test the connections of the meter. If the needle reads to the “discharge” side, it need not be disturbed. It is reads “charge,” the ~ wires leading to the posts on the back simply _ should be reversed. ; One side of the bank goes to one of’ the re- “maining free switch jaws. The other jaw is con- nected to the house current line. The two ends of ' wires can go to the two tips of a two-piece socket attachfient plug. The latter is inserted in a -. lamp socket and two bulbs screwed down in their - sockets. The switch is then thrown to the - “charge” position. = : : If the meter reads to the charge side, every- - thing is all right. If it reads the other way, the _ detachable half at the attachment plug is re- ~ moved and then reinserted so-that the prongs ~ have changed ‘positions. The meter will then read in the correct direction. ' sockets, the meter reading will rise. It should be adjusted to the figure recommended by the ~ manufacturer of the storage battery. _ = The wire used for connecting’the various parts of the charger should be not less than No. 14 _ vrubber covered. _ The lamps should be enclosed in some kind _ of a metal wire cage, as quite a good deal of heat tan also be provided as further protection. All teries are furnissed with full charging cae FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY _ As the other lamps‘ are screwed into their . 25 directions so no details need be given here on this process. ihe : —— THREE STAGES When it is desired to operdte a loud speaker on distant stations, or when enormous volume is required from local stations, it is often necessary to add a third stage of amplification. After the average signal passes through two stages or or- dinary amplification, the energy is increased to such an extent that a third stage amplifier, of ° the same type, would be greatly overloaded, and this would result in distortion. The only way to overcome this difficulty is to use a power am- plification after the first two stages of audio am- plification. ’ The greatest difference in the circuit is the method ‘in which the loud speaker is connected. A fixed condenser, having a capacity of from one to four mfds., is connected between the phones and the plate of the tube, and the “B” battery is connected to the plate through a thirty- henry choke coil. ° The reason for this arrange- ment is to keep the “B” battery current out of the loud speaker, as this makes it possible for the loud speaker windings to carry more useful energy without being overloaded. ; The thirty-henry choke coil that is used in this circuit may be purchased from some radio deal- ers, but usually they are rather difficult to locate. A very satisfactory substitute’ for a standard choke coil is the primary winding of an ordinary house bell-ringime transformer, and these trans- formers may be obtained for about $1.50 in any electrical store. The fixed condenser is an ordi- nary telephone condenser and may be obtained from either an electrical store or a_ radio dealer. The amplifying transformer used in a power amplifier of this type must be of the shell type, i, e., the windings should be mounted in the cen- ter of the core instead of on the legs, The ratio of this transformer should nét be greater than 4:1, and in many cases a transformer with a ratio of 8%:1 or 3:1 will give better reproduc- tion. In connection with the amplifying trans- former a 1 to 2 megohm grid lead should be con- nected across the secondary windings in order to prevent excessive voltage amplification; which would result in, distortion. A power tube must be used in a power ampli- fier, as the ordinary amplifier ‘tube would be greatly overloaded, and of the available tubes °° either the VT-2, the UV-202 or C-300 should be selected. The plate voltage to.be used on these tubes should not be less than 120 volts if good amplification is desired, and a “C” battery should be connected in the filament circuit to prevent the grid from becoming positive. For a 120-volt “B” battery the “C” battery voltage should be between six and nine volts, the correct value to be determined by experiment. - In wiring the amplifier tare should be taken . to keep the grid and plate wires as short as pos- sible, and separate from’ all other wiring and instruments. The wires in the battery cireuit . Should be kept parallel and direct from one point to the other. to prevent any inductive loops in the wiring. Another thing _ of the amplifvine transformer. as ; that will also frequently improve — the quality of amplification is grounding the core — Perey Ce 4 An endeavor should also be made i

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FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY NEW YORK, JUNH 27, 1924 TERMS TO SUBSCRIBERS Fame and Fortune Weekly 8 Cents $1.00 “ 00 00 HOW TO SEND MONKY—At our risk send VP. O. Money Order, Check or Registered Letter; remittances in any other way are at your risk. We accept Postage : oe S the same as cash. When sending silver .wrap e the envelope. rite your name and address plainly. Address letters to HARRY E. WOLFF, form QW. Wolff, Pres. Charles BH. Nylaue’ i. See. L. F. Wilzin, Treas. Publisher, Inc., “166 W. 28d St., N. Y. ITEMS OF INTEREST LONDON’S $1,000,000 AQUARIUM A new million dollar aquarium hag been erected by the Zoological Society for their gardens in - Regents Park. The building contains 900 tanks -. and shows nearly every kind of living fish. The tanks are filled with water brought from the - Bay of Biscay, which, with scientific aeration and - filtering, will last for years. ~ OLYMPIC GAMES HELD IN RUINS OF be apo POMPEII = _ he Royal University of Naples a few days ago celebrated its 700th anniversary. The. festi- vities were inaugurated by King Victor in the San Carlo Theatre. Olympic Games were held in the amphitheatre at the ruins of Pompeii by’ squads from the various Italian universities. Ancient rites of Partenope (the Greek Naples). were reconstructed in the twilight, giving a most picturesque effect amid the ruins. The rites in- eluded the “lampadedromiae”—the symbol of transmission of life and science from one gen- eration to the other. ; : -. Seven groups, each consisting of five beautiful _ girls dressed in ancient Roman costumes, were formed. The first five each held a flaming torch. The group of girls ran to the next group of -five and handed the torches over. The second group thereupon ran to the third, passing the torches on to~them, and so on until the last _ group was+reached. ; _ DIED AFTER FIRST BATH IN 40 YEARS _ How two elderly men died in miserable-cireum- stances associated with extreme poverty was re- _ ferred to in the probate Court, London, when Mr. Justice Hill granted an application to appoint a receiver in the estate of Willand Thomas Brissenden of New street, Westminster, S. W. - Last December William Brissenden died as the ~ esult of having his first bath for 40 years, which was ordered by the sanitary authorities. Thomas ied two months ago at the age of 60, from the f starvation. It was stated by a doctor , that he had probably had no food the ~ neighborhood. Oin in a separate piece of paper to avoid cutting® The two brothers, who lived and died in this wretched manner occupied their own house, a neat little brick building of four stories, and they are believed to have had other houses in the It appears that despite the money they had at. : their disposal the two brothers reduced their ex- penditure to the minimum. William was a fam: liar figure in Westminster, A bearded man, wore a very patched coat, and no collar or ti and went for a walk in Vincent square every day. esl tig ese however, rarely went out except at night. ath A local baker used to deliver a loaf of bread a week. It is not known what other eatables — the brothers had, and it is thought that they subsisted largely on bread. It is even said that one of them went out picking up cabbage leave; in the neighboring street. 5 LAUGHS Molly—Do you know I called to inquire for that rich uncle of mine this afternoon and found that he was a great deal better. —Kate—Now, didn’t I tell you not to call on Friday? Friday’s always an unlucky day. Bee Fond Father (trembling with emotion)—You are audacious! - You are heartless! She is my only child! Suitor (wishing to pacify)—But, m dear sir, you—er—you can’t blame me for that. _ “Yes,” said the man who had been traveling in the Far West. “I saw three trains held - in one night.” “You don’t say!” exclaimed th innocent bystander. “Was anyone hurt?” “No answered the traveler. “They were held up } women in a ballroom.” i “Your business college for young ladies seems to be all right.” “It is all right.” “Do you give the girls a good practical business tr, ing?” “In reply to that question I can only that 60 per cent. of our graduates marry 1 employers the first year.” Sees “Let me illustrate the difference between cz tal and bade said abe et uncle to the 3 pecunious nephew, “Suppose I give you $50 “That’s capital,” replied the nephew, es his hand for the money. ty ~ “Do you know, Sam, that a man does not h to do as much work now as he did ten «yea: ago?” “Yes, sah, I know it, sah. Why, I’se been married nearly eight years,*sah!” t As “Tommy,” said the hostess, “you appear in deep thought. “Yes’m,” replied Toran: é told me somethin’ to say if you should ask to have some cake or anvthin’, an’ I bin here long now I forgit what it was.” eigiee “T hope,” said the drummer, “you w fied with my report for the past month, ied the head of the firm, “the: pnde ey ed our

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A PAGODA : A pagoda is a. Hindu place of worship con- | taining an idol. It consists of three parts—an apartment surmounted by a dome resting on col- + umns and accessible, to all; a chamber into which - only Brahmins, the Hindo: priestly class, are al- lowed to enter, and-a cell containing the statue of the Deity, this cell closed by massive gates. “The most remarkable. pagodas are those of Benares, Siam, Pogue, and particularly that of Juggernaut, in Orissa. = Pom» re) { CHICKS HELP PRUNE CROP Henry Kleinsorge, an orchardist in Sutter County, Cal., raises chickens and prunes. When , the frosts came. Kleinsorge discovered that ‘while _ the buds were destroyed on the: prune trees in - which there were no hens roosting, the crop on the trees in which they did roost was only: par- » tially damaged. ; \ _.. to the warmth of the hens’ bodies, which he be- ~“}ieves appreciably raised the temperature among ‘the branches. » BRINGS DOWN HAWK 168 YARDS FROM = : HIM r While exercising his .22 rifle on the flat south- - east of Belgrade, Mont., the other day, W. B Wallace and two companions spied a sparrow hawk sitting in a tree about 100 yards away. - One of the*hunters tried a shot but missed, and the hawk flew to a tree down the field and con- _ siderably farther distant. Mr. Wallace then drew a bead and fired. The hawk fell dead and the rifleman’s friends came + near pulling the same stunt. 3 - The distance was then paced and proved to be 168 yards. -. s LARGEST STORE OF CAVIAR What is said to be the world’s largest store- ouse of caviar is situated in Hamburg, and ad- ministered purely as a Soviet Russian Govern- ment monopoly. It is from this storehouse that Virtually all shipments of this favorite relish of kings and czars of olden times are sent to New : York, Paris, London and other centers. -The fish toe, pressed and salted, is shipped from Petro-- grad in*batrels, packed away here in a central ‘warehouse, and then sold according to the de- mands of the trade, says the Detroit News. Caviar to-day is one of the most expensive duxuries of, European tables, that is,-outside of Russia. .In Berlin it retails at about $22 a pound. In Petrograd. or Moscow it is one of the * favorite dishes of the workingman, who takes - home a mess of it two or three times a week at dollar or so for all that: he and his family can sume at the evening meal. The roe is eaten v bread_and washed down with wines aged cellars of the wealthy long before the Soviets. nto power, — Saba Sta meat He attributes this phenomenon ' FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY a BRIEF BUT POINTED . | ‘ ABUNDANT SUPPLIES OF FOOD ARE FOUND ON OCEAN SURFACE The surface waters of the sea in ail parts of the globe abound in microscopic floating life ~ which ean be collected by towing a net of close mesh through the water indeed, it has been said that a man-on a raft with a silk handkerchief - never need starve, writes George IF’. Sleggs, B. So., in “The London Daily Mail.” Many of the micro-organisms possess tiny «shells of mineral matter, which. are often very beautiful on/ account of their graceful outlines, the sculpturing upon the shell, or the spines anil projections which it bears to lessen the rate of sinking through the water. , i Now when the micro-organisms die, . their shells, which are imperishable, start upon ‘the long, slow, downward journey. They descend gradually in the warm surface layers of water till they reach the limit of sunlight. This is usually at a depth of a hundred fathoms and here the water turns suddenly colder and, therefore, more yiscous. So that the hosts o: falling shell-pecks are halted in their rate of tumble. This lower limit of the twilight zone in the sea is called thé mudline, and it is a great feeding ground for the scavengers of the deep. The myriads of shells, however, pass the mud- line and continue their laborious descent through the waters, now in darkffess save for the gleams of phosphorescent. light. But while they are falling, fathom after fath- om, the sea water is slowly but surely dissclving’ their substance away. First to go are the cal- careous shells (consisting of carbonate of lime). If the. sea is not more than 2,000 fathoms deep the calcareous shells will reach bottom safely, and, collecting in a layer there, will be preserved. from further solution by those that follow. Thus it comes about that down to a depth of 2,000 fathoms: or so the great abyssal plain is covered with a grayish-white deposit of chalky mud, known as the globigerina ooze. The name is derived from the organism globigerina, whose shell preponderates in numbers over all othars. - Observations made in the work of laying and taking up cables in the Atlantic have shown that the rate of deposition of globigerina ooze may be as high as one inch in ten years. Then there is the radiolarian ooze, another — very important deep-sea deposit. The radiolarians have shells not of lime but of silica, Silica is the substance of which sand is largely composed and it is far more resistant to the shlvent action of sea-water than is carbonate of lim At greater depths than 1,000 fathoms on an average the globigerina shells are all dissolyed before they reach the bottom, but the radiolarians are still sinking and form radiolarian ooze in the deeper parts of the abyss. Even the glassy radi- olarians are dissolved in sinking to very nich greater depths, and in the deepest region of all living remains are scanty. — bak the ocean bed is covered with red clay in which

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“FAME AND FORTUNE "WEEKLY ITEMS OF INTEREST centrates that lagged behind the gold in the pan. re Reasoning that since platinum is the only eee _ MACHINE GUNNERS,GUARD $10,000,000 ON STREETS | he had heard of that was heavier than gold, an , _.. Stowed away in little steel boxes $100,000,000 was transported through the streets of New York - for more than a mile the other afternoon, locked _ in armored cars and guarded by a squad of sharp- -_ shooters armed with machine guns. The treasure was moved from the old Greenwich Savings Bank at 6th ave. and 16th st., Manhattan, to the new _ building of the bank at 36th st. and 6th ave. _- There weré 25 motortruck loads and each truck - earried several millions of dollars. NEEDLE IN WOMAN’S FOOT j Mrs. W. B. Tillett, of Manteo, N. C., cdme to Norfolk a few days ago and had a needle removed - from her foot, where it had been hidden for * twenty seven years. : ~- Doctor had treated her for years for rheuma- __tism, despite the fact that Mrs. Tillett believed _ that the pain she endured was caused by a needle that became embedded in her foot- when she was a young girl running around her home in her _ bare feet. : - Doetors said she imagined she had stepped on a needle and they contended that an examination : 2 of her foot failed to disclose the hidaen piece ~ of steel. Mrs. Tillett decided she would come to Nor- folk and have an X-ray photograph of her foot made, The picture showed the needle near her -ankle. It had worked its way from the sole of her foot, where it entered, to a point just above the angle, a distance of about seven inches. $ PLATINUM FOUND IN SOUTH AFRICA of Industries. * The discovery was made last summer by Adolph Erasmus, a well-known prospector. He was looking for tin at the time, and was, in fact, oing over a region that had been repeatedly pros- ected for both gold and tin without any plati- num having been found. The discovery, says the cle, ‘shows how largely blind fortune enters into these things, and how sometimes one discoy- ery leads to another.” : : ' The farm on which the discovery was made ~ proclaimed as a public gold field in the * had by weale lays. Mr. Erasmus thought there might be oe ‘tin there and proceéded to make a few * ait of ey yielded not only a few ¢ = sh ite Zz = that these residues must be heavier than the gold and therefore probably of platinum, Mr. Era: mus immediately communicated with his princi- pal. Investigation showed platinum present workable quantities, the first discovery of co mercial quantities of the metal in Africa. \ Several companies are now exploiting the de- posit, which is situated in the Waterberg di trict, about 100 miles north of Johannesberg. The lodes are known to extend for a distance. of t to fifteen miles, with many surface outcrops. T. ore averages about nine troy ounces to the short ton, although some samples have yielded as high oe ounces. The yield generally is very -vari able. . : ‘LOOK, BOYS! TRAPEZEE _ The Acrobatic Wonder Toy ALMOST HUMAN IN ITS” : : ACTIONS! — kaise _ It consists of a handsome parallel | iron frame on which the little yellow | fae accurately performs like an at. ete. i eae Five Different Stunts — 4 HE FLYING TRAPEZE — Release | trigger-pin and the figure swings fc ward, gripping the brass trapeze-bar, . turns a somersault in the air and cateh a_cross-bar by his heeis. . i THROUGH THE LOOP—A swift swing and he goes through a wire loop, aan JF: et - turn and, catching by his heels, swings — 3 head downward from a bar. = THE GIANT SWING —He goes forwar with a rush, releases the trapeze, catch a horizontal-bar with his heels, mak two swift somersaults in the air anc _ catches by his heels again. — : He’ performs two more horizental-bar acts with the grace and agility of a cir. cus Star, and many new ones can be in- vented. : : The Most Wonderful Toy in ‘ the World! PRICE $1.30 - = 2 The collapsible stand and the littlé mani- kin are neatly packed in a handsome box, . Delivered anywhere in the United States on receipt of price. Address Pict = WOL,

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“ i407 American Dollars Talk Again the supremacy of the good, old American Dollar has asserted itself. Dollars talkaand we made our money talk in the securing of the entire output of the Ortgie factory in Germany. Woe didn’t try to trade in Marks but flashed real money—American Dollars and Ba that is why we are now able to offer you the opportunity to secure a gen- uine Ortgie Automatic which hag never been sold before under $25.00, at tho ridiculously low price of $9.95, Any sporting goods dealer will tell you that the Ortgie Automatic is as fine a fire arm that has ever, been made, regardlesa 2 of price. > How ThisWonderful ° Origie ls Made - The very fact that the Ortgie Automatic has won over 70% of small fire arm prizes offered in shooting competition is evidence in itself of its supremacy... Champion Mr. Janich always uses an Ortgle. Its greatest feature is the reinforced cartridge chamber which fs built on the sama principle as a cannon. Made of the best dropped forge steel obtainable. It is the lightest, most powerful and accurate shooting small arm made. All the defects which previous pistols have shown have been avolded and new features added to this advanced model. Don't be fooled by seemingly low prices of unknown makes. You buy a fire arm for self-protection and be sure you get the protection you pay for. The Ortgie Automatic is guaran- teed to shoot quick and straight. Has automatic safety grip, making it practically foolproof, The Ortgie ts the only fire arm sold in America on a free trial basis, Order yours today at our risk. Order by number, Shoots standard American made cartridges. _ No. V 210—25 Cal. 8 shots, $9.95, plus postage. No.V 220—32 Cal. 9 shots, 11.95, plus postage. 41 East 29th St., New York, N. ¥. { Kindly send me by return mail, Ortgie No......Cal...... | ’ I will deposit with postman........ dollars and postage ‘on arrival. It is understood, if I am not satisfied, 1 may return the Ortgie after ten days and get my money back, Address... 2... cccee Peete reese ewaseseresesaunes Dhicsepiek zis tase. 2 Mirae viel nie pa toe pions State... os seeevvs Direct ftom Germany gt ToAMOMaTicS Se vee Gomme Orig Below Wholesale Cost arrives, deposit our special price with the postman plus a few cents postage. ination and inspection you do not feel that the Ortgie is everything you expected, send it back and we will immediatel are FAME | cic ceccccrnsepecevccsesescesecnccssscccseeee j Waaey: ediately refund your Cut RateArmsCo? 41 East 29th St., In these days of sensa- tional hold-ups and rob- bery it is the duty of every American citizen to protect the life of his family, to safeguard them against harm and to protect his per- sonsl property. You might be one of the lucky ones that novyer need such protec- tion. On the other hand, if you only need -this protection once in your life, be sure of that protection by securing an Ortgio Automatic. The Ortgie is your ever- ready, faithful servant—sure to coms to your assistance when called. Ortgies have never been sold in America under $25.00 and your own sporting goods dealer will tell you What o marvelous small arm it is. Freelrial So positive are we that you willagree that the Ortgie Automatic is the finest little fre arm that you have ever seen in your Jife and that you will keep it, that we will ship with the understanding, that you may use it, try it, or make any experiments you wish and if you do not agree after ten days’ trial and ex- amination that it is the biggest money's worth you ever received in your life, you have the privilege to return it and get your money back—every cent of it. Dorit Wait-Price SureToGoUlp While we purchased over 25,000 of these Ortgles from the manufacturers and imported them direct from Germany, wo only guarantee to fill orders at this remarkably low price while the supply lasts. After these are sold out, you may never again have this wonderful opportunity of securing an Ortgie for one third its real value. Gut tae tone Commer ‘| HowTOOrder-Send No Cash Just rush your name and address today mentioning the number and price of Automatic you want and your order will be ‘shipped by return” mail, When your bargain package If after ten days’. exam- New York, N. Y.

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EE Navy Model AIRSHIP Ne ® Boys! Here xthe greatnary model Airship. Large 6 {t. eix bag with infiators. para- chute with automatic release and complete instru ne for fying. Will fly for miles _ atheightof 1 000 fect. Many Great enance to stady serial nav th i be made. ion. Setd today for Tz packages of perfumed sachet, sel] at idceach, return money when so! and thin wonderful airship is yours, this sireblp. Wri Bi if you want real sport get ny JOnES ura. CO,, Dept. 901. ATTLEBORO, S4SSACHUSETIS PIMPLES Any form, cigars,cigarettes, pipe, chewing or snuff nteed. Harm) y plete treatment sent om triz!. Costs $1. it cures. Nothing if it faile. SUPERBA CO. M-21, Baltimore, Md. SEND NO MONEY Big 3 foot Telescope In 5 Sections numbers on freight cars mile ‘away, seo mountains on moon’” da pleased. le ‘istac or money bac! FERRY & CO.630 “Jackson Bird. Dept. 24 65Chicago, I. postage, D for 30 days trial on approval. Your %@ choice of 44 Styles, colors and sizes of iy the famous Rapger Bicycles. Express pre- paid. Bicycle: #}-50 and u) Sie 4 $5 a Mon gicis easily ake the bi- cycle earn the smalimonthly payments. ‘Tires wheels, lampa and equipment st FUE half naval pricea, Write for remark- able factory prices and marvelous offers. Mead Sit? omany | rata noll FREE cays ar Yes! ehe Bes viene ee si =< bea bs iy ve '. roy “te ee Ts HM - nie ee in 9 © happy, langh= moot seve teas right to romp en8 ploy ent Doll Swing -Glasses Given thie handsons Walking,Telking, ittle sewing MONEY FOR YOU Spare or Full Time Introducing the famous Artex French Pear) | Necklaces. No Investment or Experience Necessary $12 a day easy with our new selling idea— you take the order after showing sample and collect your commission immediately. We deliver and collect balance—only 12 sales dally gives you $72 per week—also fine spare time proposition to Jadies or men. Send for particulars and FREE Sample pearl at once. ARTEX SALES COMPANY 1183 Broadway, New York, N,’ ¥. TOBACCO, LIQUOR and MORPHINE Habits can be overcome with the aid of HILL’S CHLORIDE OF GOLD PREPARA- TIONS. Liquor remedy can be given secret- Ty. Particulars Free. OHIO CHEMICAL WORKS, Dept. 6, Westfield, N. ¥. FR f EE«. that Bicycle you’ve always wanted Most Amazing Offer Ever Mate were 1 12—that cirl's or Boy's ( N - LA — —<ee =e eo Bicycle that you have long wanted to own—yours absolutely FREE by our easy new Plan. A bicycle that will take you wherever you wish to go—to school, to the store —Everywhere! You can accomplish hundreds of trips on this wonderful bicycle. It’s easy to mount, easy to pedal and is the last word in riding ease, comfort and beauty. And it's YOURS absolutely FREB by the easy, Home Supply way! Write today for our-Free Bicycle Plan. ¢ ib other valuable premiums al- so given away—Bracelet Watches, Wardrobe Trunks, Silverware Sets, Tojlet and Manicure Sets, Cameras, Dinner Sets, Vacuum Cleaners—all yours FREE by our easy plan. Sit right down now and write to- day for our Free Plan of earning these wonderful articles. Don’t delay one moment. HOME SUPPLY CO. Dept. 871, 185 Duane St... N. Y. °C. i= SSeS og = UNDER- GROUND SEALIN SAHARA There is ani- mal life 200 and 300 feet beneath the burning sands of the Sa- hara Desert. That is the amaz- ing discovery made through ex- periments of sinking artesian wells at various oints in the orth African waste with a view to possible irrigation, Wa- ters drawn from great depths were found to contain small | crabs, fish and shell fish, all perfectly — alive. The discovery is proving~an abso- lute puzzle, no theory so far seeming entirely satisfactory. Usually it has been possible to explain the pres- ence of fish, ete. in underground waters in the fact that they were locked up during some primeval cata- clysm. Adapting usually to con- ditions these ani- mals living’ in darkness ure al- ways blind en- tirely or possess special apparatus suita- ble to ‘darkness, Those found un- derneath the Sa. hara belong to a species inhabit- ing the lakes of Palestine. Shafts sunk during the ‘last few years in the Sahara prove there are large sheets of water everywhere, Ani- mals found now cause the belief there is a vast underground sea, depres inhabit~ ° ed, optical * E 3 & *

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“CEE that coupon? Remerfiber the day you urged me to send it to Scranton? Mary, that was a red letter day for us. . ' “Mr, Carter called me-in to-day, and said he had been watching my work eyer since he had learned that I was studying with the - International Correspondence Schools. - “Then he asked me if I thought I could take over George Stevens’ job, I told him I was ~ sure that I could—that I had had that goal in view ever since I began studying with the coca 6, om “J start to-morrow, Mary, at an increase — of $60 a month.” : OW about you? Are you always going Re to work for a small salary? Are you going to waste your natural ability all your ‘life? Or are you going to get ahead in a big way? It all depends on what you do with your spare time. _- Opportunity is here—this time in the form of that familiar I. C. S. coupon. It may seem Tike a little thing, but it has been the means of bringing better jobs and bigger salaries to thousands of men and women. and your family the home, the comforts, the ttle luxuries you would like them to have. - You can have the position you want in the. work you like best, a salary that will give you~ r “?m Making Real Money Now!” _No matter what your age, your occupation, your education, or your means—you can do it! All we ask is the chance to prove it. That’s fair, isn’t it? Then mark and mail this cou- pon. There’s no obligation and not a penny of cost. It’s a little thing that takes but a moment, but it’s the most important thing you can do to-day, Do it now! INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENCE SCHOOLS Box 4488-C, Scranton, Penna. Without cost or obligation, please tell me how I can qualify for the position or in the subject before which I have marked an X: BUSINESS TRAINING COURSES Business Management Salesmanship Industrial Management Advertising Personnel Organization Botter Letters Traffic Management Show Card Lettering Business Law Stenography and Typing Banking and Banking Law Business English : Accountancy (including C.P.A.) Civil Service Nicholson Cost Accounting Railway Mail Clerk Bookkeeping Common School Subjects Private Secretary High School Subjects Spanish O french Wlustrating — C] Cartooning TECHNICAL’ AND INDUSTRIAL COURSES — Architect Blue Print Reading Contractor and Builder Architectural Draftsman Concrete Builder Ratlroad Positions Structural Enginser Gas Engine Operating Chemistry Pharmacy ivil ‘ineer Automobile Work Surveying and Mapping Airplane Engines Metallur, Navigation my Steam Engineering Agriculture and Poultry Radio Mathematics Namo. Street Address. City... Occupation. Persons residing in Oa thi, — : tional Correspondence Schools Canadian, Limited. Montrent, Uae aes =

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0 A Start in “ FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY — LATEST ISSUES — 936 The Young Editor; or, Running a Country News- paper. 937 A Big Stroke: or, The Tad Who. Made a Record. 938 In the Copper Fields; or, The Mine That Made the Money. P 989 From a Cent to Fortune; or, A Chicago Boy’s Great Seoop Life: or, A Poor Boy’s Rise to Fame. 941 A Wide‘Awake Boy; or, Born With a Winning Streak. 942 Capturing the Money; or, How Ben Bailey Made His Mark. 943 Digging for Gold; or, The Luck of a Boy Miner. $44 A Boy with Grit; or, Earning an Honest Living. $45 Andy the Mill Boy; or, Rising to the Top. 946 Fame Before the Footlights; or, The Boy Who Rossed the Theatre. Z ; 947 Lucky Lee the Office Boy; or, The Nerviest Lad in New, York 948 Sure to Get Rich; or, A Smart Young Messenger. 949 Pushing It Through; or. The Fate of a Lucky Day. 950 A Born Speculator; or, The Young Sphinx of Wall * Street. j 51 The Way to Success; of, The Boy Who Got There. 52 Struek Oil; or, The Boy Who Made a Million. 153 A Golden Risk; or, The Young Miners of Della Cruz. 054 A Sure Winner; or, The Boy Who Went Out With a Circus. For sale by all newsdealers, or will be sent to any ad- dress on receipt of price, Ic. per copy, in money or pos- tage stamps. THE FOLLOWING NUMBERS PRICE 8 CENTS yoo Golden Fleece; or, The Boy Brokers of Wall Street. 456 A Mad Cap Scheme; or, 'fThe Boy Treasure Hunters of Cocos Island. 57 Adrift On the World; or, Working His Way to For- tune. 158 Playing to Win; or, The Foxiest Boy in Wall Street 959 Tatters; or, a Boy From the Slums. 960 A youn a Monte Cristo; or, The Richest Boy in the orld. 961 Won by Pluck; or, The Boys Who Ran a Railroad. 962 “ Beating the Brokers; or, The Boy Who Couldn’t Be Done. 963 A Rolling Stoné; or, The Brightest Boy on Record. 964 Never Say Die; or, The Young Surveyor of Happy Valley. 965 Boss of the Market; or, The Greatest Boy in Watl Street. 966 The Chance of His Life; or, The Young Pilot of Crytal Lake. 967 St “td for Fortune; or, From Bell-Boy to Million- aire. 68 Out for Business: or, The Smartest Boy in Town. 969 A Favorite of Fortune; or, Striking It Rich in Wall Street. 70 Through Thick and Thin; or, The Adventures of a Smart Boy. 971 Doing His Level Best; or, Working His Way Up 972 Always on Deck; or, The Boy Who Made His Mark. 973 A Mint of Money; or, The Young Wall Street Broker. 974 The TDadder of Fame; or, From Office Boy to Senator. 975 On the Square: or, The Success of an Honest_Boy. 976 After a Fortune; or. The Plucktest Boy in the West. 977 ‘Winning the dollars; or ,The Young Wonder of Wall Street. HARRY K. WOLFF, Publisher, Inc, 166 West 23d Street New York City HOW TO SCENARIOS HOW TO EM Price 35 Cents Per Copy This book contains all the most recent changes in the method of construction and submission ot ‘scenarios. Sixty Lessons, covering every phase of scenario writing. For sale by all Newsdealers and Bookstores. If you cannot procure a copy, send, us the price, 35 cents, in money or postage stamps, and we will mail you one, postage free. ddress. LL. Senarens, 210 Seventh Ave., New York, N. Y. OUR TEN-CENT HAND BOOKS Useful, Instructive, and Amusing. They contain Valuable {nformation on Almost Every Subject. No. 57. HOW TO MAKE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, —#ull directions how to make a Banjo,’ Violin, Zither, Aeolian Harp, Xylophove and other musical instru- ments; together with a brief description of nearly every musical instrument used in ancient or modern’ times. Profusely illustrated, By Algernon 8S. Fitzgerald, for twenty years bandmaster of the Royal Bengal Marines. _No. 58. HOW TO BECOME A DETECTIVE.—By Old King Brady, the world-known detective. In which he Jays down some valuable and sensible rules for beginners, and also ‘relates some adventures and experiences of well-known detectives. _ No. 60. HOW TO BECOME A PHOTOGRAPHER.— Containing useful information regarding the Camera and how to work it: also how to make Photographic Magie Lantern Slides and other Transparencies. Hand- somely illustrated. . _ No. 64. HOW TO MAKE ELECTRICAL MACHINES, Containing full directions for making electrical ma- chines, inductions coils, dynamos, and _many novel toys to be worked by electricity. By R. A. R. Bennett. Fully illustrated No. 65. MULDOON’S JOKES.—The most original joke book ever published, and it is brimful of wit and humor. It contains a large collection of songs, jokes, conundrums, ete., of Terrence peo the great wit, humorist, and practical joker of the day. No. 6? HOW TO DO ELECTRICAL TRICKS,—Con- taining a large collection of instructive and highly amusing electrical tricks, together with illustrations. By A. Anderson. No. 68. ‘HOW TO DO CHEMICAL TRICKS.—Con- taining over one hundred highly amusing and instrue- tive tricks with chemicals. By A. Anderson. Hand- somely illustrated, No. 69. HOW TO DO SLEIGHT-OF-HAND.—Con- taining over fifty of the latest and best tricks used by magicians. Also containing the secret of second sight. Fully illustrated. . No. 72. HOWTO DO SIXTY TRICKS WITH CARDS, Embracing all of the latest and most deceptive card tricks, with illustrations. No. 73. HOW TO DO TRICKS WITH NUMBERS.— Showing many curious tricks with figures and the magie of numbers, By A. Anderson. Fully illustrated. No. 74. HOW TO WRITE LETTERS CORRECTLY, Containing full instructions for writing letters on al- mgst any subject; also rules for punctuation and com- position, with specimen leters. No. 76. HOW TO TELL FORTUNES BY THH HAND.—Containing rules for telling fortunes by the aid of lines of the hand, or the secret of palmistry, Also the secret of telling future events by aid of moles, marks, sears, ete. IJlustrated. No. 77. HOW TO DO FORTY TRICKS WITH CARDS.—Containing deceptive Card Tricks as performed by leading conjurers and magicians. Arranged for home amusement. Fully illustrated. . No. 79. HOW TO BECOME AN ACTOR.—Containing complete instructions how to make up for various ehar- acters on. the stage: together with the. duties of the” Frage Manager, Prompter, Scenic Artist and Property Man. No. 80. GUS WILLIAMS’ JOKE BOOK.—Containing the latest jokes, anecdotes and funtiy stories of thig world-renowned Germa. comedian. Sixty-four pages: handsome color®d cover cor iaining a half-tone photo of the author. No: 82. most approved methods of reading the lines on the hand, together with a full explanation of their meaning. Also explaining phrenology, and the key for telling char. acter by the bumps on the head. By Leo Hugo Koch, A. CG. S. Fully instrated. No. 84. HOW TO BECOME AN AUTHOR.—Contain- ing information regarding choice of subjects, the use of words aud the manner of preparing and submitting manuscript. Also containing valuable information as to oo neatness, legibility and general composition of manu- script. For sale by all newsdealers, o¢ will be sent to address on recept of price, 10c..per copy, . {mn money or stamps, by : HARRY E. WOLFF, Publisher, Inc. 166 West 23d Street «pow _ ’ HOW TO DO PALMISTRY.—Containing tha ~ ‘New York City — , :

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