1 N The Black Menace
By ARTHUR B. REEVE
1
He picked up another test tube
In which I knew he had separated
some of the poison, whatever it
was, from the liquor. Then he
took from one of the shelves
above his laboratory table a bot
tle labelled “Alcoholic Potassium
Hydroxide.” lie poured some of
It into the test tube. The color
less liquid in the tube slowly
turned a brilliant red.
At I watched the transforma
tion, Kennedy reached for a bot
tle of sulphuric acid. The liquid
bad seal cely turned red when he
poured u few drops of the acid
into it, picked up the tube with a
bolder, and held it iu the flame
«f a burner until the liquid
boiled. This time it changed to
a delicate shade of violet.
A Well Known Drug.
"That is the test for santonin.”
"Santonin?” I repeated,
"What is that?”
"A drug, well known in Turke
•tan, where it is sometimes called
Levant Worm-seed. It comes
from the dried flower tops of a
plant known as Artemisia san
tonics. I suppose 1 should have
recognized it from its effect, but
one does not expect to see it here
in New York.
“Its most noticeable effect is
what it does to vision. Every
thing that Kato and I)r. Gilbert
told -us of Granby was quite typ
ical. First the victim sees every
thing about him yellow and if
enough of the drug has been tak
en, this yellow vision gradually
changes to green; insensibility,
convulsions and death follow.
“Placed in food or drink its
•light taste can be easily masked,
although sometimes even a small
amount has been known to pro
duce unexpectedly bad results.”
I looked at Kennedy in amaze
ment and horror.
“The green death,” I ex
claimed.
He nodded, “We know what it
was, but we are just as far as
ever from knowing whence it
came.”
CHATTER 3.
The Double Cross.
There was a knock at the labor
atory door and Kennedy opened
it, admitting a young man whom
I recognised *t once as Jack
Bpeed.
Spaed was a rather handsome
young fellpw, u splendid figure
of a man, athletic and with a
free and careless manner, which
otamped him a» one whom you
oonld easily find very likeable.
“Professor Kennedy!” he in
auired as he stepped in through
ic door.
“Yes,” andswered Craig.
"I'm from the Star,” he went
“My name is Speed. I was
out on an assignment and about
to telephone in my story when
the city editor told me to go
over to Granby's. They said
that you had b*ten there, and I
thought I’d better come to see
you to get the inside story.” \
Kennedy smiled. ‘‘Trying to'
get a beat on Jameson!” he
laughed, nodding toward me.
“Oh hello,” greeted Speed,
turning toward xne. “I didn’t
recognise you at first—didn’t
think about it.”
“Th*t’a all riyht,” I replied,
“I’d much rather the story
were yours anyhow. Besides,
from what I know of it already I
think it will take more than both
of us to handle it anyhow.”
Speed turned from me in
quiringly at Kennedy, as though
to ask just how much he did
know.
Getting Too Deep.
"Miss luaremont eaneu on im
this afternoon,'' explained
Craig.
"Oh, she didT That’s fine. I
am delighted. In fact I have
been telling her that she should
do something of the sort. Ravcn
al is all right, but this thing is
getting’too deep fnr us.”
Without wastiiig any more
words Kennedy related briefly
what had aappenei at the inter
view, the strang* note from
Granby and the fatal sequel.
Speed grew more and more ex
cited as Kennedy finished.
"My God”, he exclaimed,
"This thing has ramifications I
never dreamed of. I had no idea
that poor Ripley was involved.
What a desperate gang this must
be.”
"Involved in whatt” asked
Kennedy, watching the young
man’s face keenly.
Speed shook his bead doubt
fully, but said nothing.
"What do you m*k* of the
3
Black Menace, Jack?” I in
quired for Speed was one of those
fellows whom you irresistibly
call by his first name almost on
acquaintance.
Speed’s face clearly indicated
not only great perplexity, but
something as near fear as his na
ture was capable. “I don’t
know,” he confessed. “There is
some blackmailing scheme here.
I can’t make it out—first Dale,
then Granby—why, I could
name a dozen people in high so
ciety, whom I think are victims.
Yet all are as dumb as oysters.”
“And you—have you received
no threats?”
“Indeed I have.” He set his
jaws tightly. “But I am going
through with this thing and so Is
Clare.”
“What clues have you had so
far?”
A Thoughtful Gaze.
“Scarcely anything, except
that everywhere we turn we find
some evidence of the power of
this band, that is, if it is a band.
I never dreamed that' anyone
could cover up evidence so com
pletely.”
Kennedy was gazing thought
fully at the apparatus before
him on the table. “There are
still a couple of hours before onr
appointment to meet Mias Clare
mont,” he decided. “To tell you
tha truth, I am rather sorry that
I let her go away alone.” He
jumped up with sudden energy.
“I must find her, and in the
meantime the best thing that you
and Walter can do will be to re
turn to Granby’s and make a
Bearch of his library before it is
too late. You can do it Speed, be
cause you were intimate with
him.
Kato might have hesitated to
admit even Kennedy again, but
he could hardly refuse to allow
Speed who had been a frequent
and welcome visitor at Granby’s
to enter. We mounted to the li
brary, and Speed and I immedi
ately set to work. I noticed, how
ever, that Kato hung about in the
hall, sometimes even venturing
into the far end of the library,
always masking his interest un
der his Japanese politeness. Fin
ally I whispered to Speed about
it.
“If you don’t mind, Kato,”
he directed, “we’d prefer to be
alone.”
Kato bowed, and his impassive
face betrayed nothing. We did
not see him, however, again.
Searching through the drawers
and pigeoholes, we turned over
an immense amount of papers
and memoranda. Speed even
opened the safe, but there did not
seem to be much in it except a
few dollars in cash, the Granby
plate, some old account books
and papers that had no bearing
whatever upon our search.
“There’s not even a will!” ex
claimed Speed. “Wait a mom
ent. I’m going to call up Rip
ley’s lawyer, Graham.”
He reached for the telephone,
and a moment later had Graham
on the wire. The conversation
was brief but intimate, and
Speed hung up, turning again to
111 P
Where is the Will?
“Yes, there is a will,” he said,
his face very puzzled. “Graham
didn’t draw it up, never saw it.
He says Granby told him of it,
though. I wonder where it could
be? It’s certainly not here.”
Turning over the stuff in the
safe. I had come across several
large bundles of cancelled
checks, and had laid them out
upon the library table. Spaed
came over and began looking at
them over my shoulder. They
were numbered beginning 1,000
and ran up into several thou
sands. Quickly Speed turned
them over. There did not seem
to be anything more remark
able about them than there would
have been about the checks of
any live spender until we got
down to the more recent ones
which had been drawn within the
past year. Suddenly Speed
stopped.
“Do you realize, I’ve been ad
ding up some of those large fel
lows that were drawn to cash.
They come already to over $100,
000, and they seem to be getting
larger and more frequent. I won
der what that means? No one
draws checks for large sums so
frequently to cash. Why didn't
he pay these things by check?”
I had noted the same thing
myself, wondering as we turned
the checks over to whom the
sums had been paid. With a
pencil I jotted down on a bank
sheet of paper the larger
amounts, passing over the ordi
nary cash withdrawals. Before
we finished, our total was close
upon $250,000.
We looked at each other. What
might there be in Granby’s life
that would shed light on the
Black Menace? We had searched
the library thoroughly and there
was certainly nothing there, ex
cept these checks.
“Let us go and have dinner,”
suggested Speed. “After we
have seen Kennedy we may know
better how to proceed. I cannot
tell you how much relieved I feel
to know that you fellows are in
on this thing. “Only”, he added,
suddenly turned and grasping
my hand,'“you are in to stick,
aren’t you?”
“I have known Kennedy for
many years,” I replied, “and I
i have yet to recall the case he ever
i deserted.”
A Little Womed.
‘ ‘ I know it. I oughtn’t to have
said it. Come, let’s get over to
the Crsytal palace. I begin to be
worried about Clare myself.”
It was still a bit early for our
appointment, but nevertheless
Speed, in his anxiety, hurried
over.
The Crystal palace was some
thing more than merely a res
taurant. It was almost an in
stitution in itself, with a big or
nate dining room, grill room, ball
room, innumerable private dining
rooms, in fact a palace of recre
ation to which everybody went.
We entered the main dining
room and stood for a moment in
the door, ignoring the effusive
head waiter who caught sight of
Speed. We looked about in the
hope that we might see those
whom we had come to meet.
Clare was certainly not outside
in the reception room, nor could
vre see her anywhere in the long
vista of tables.
“There’s Ravenal”, recognized
Speed, finally spying him about
an angle of palms and mirrors.
I looked in that direction and
'there I could see the young de
tective seated alone at a table
evidently waiting for us. He
caught sight of us at the same
moment and waved to us to come
over.
As we approached the table, he
rose nervo.usly. “I suppose, you
know of the death of Granby?”
he asked, adding, “another vic
tim.”
I glanced about as Speed spoke
to him and saw that the waiter,
a rather dvk fellow with sa
turnine face, was hovering about
with what I though an undue
amount of solicitude. Speed and
I sat down. My ears were on the
conversation, in which I joined
now and then, and my eyes, or at
•east one of them, was on the
waiter, for I was quite anxioua
also not to miss either Kennedy
or Miss Claremont should they
appear in the doorway.
Mechanically I picked up the
napkin on the table before me,
and as I did so Ravenal could not
resist an exclamation, pointing
at the tablecloth.
A New Warning.
On the tableoloth, underneath
t)ie napkin, was written in lead
pencil.
“Kennedy—She will not be
here tonight.” The Black Men
ace.”
I gazed at the writing in con
sternation, as the others leaned
over and read it, too. Our sa
turnine-faced waiter was not
about. His extraordinary polite
ness had taken him off to get
something for our comfort. Who
had known and anticipated us?
Had it been this man or some
body back of him?
j At that moment Ravenal
I caught sight of him down the
;line of tables, hurrying toward
‘us. “Who wrote that thing?”
demanded Ravenal accusingly of
the waiter.
The waiter looked at it a mo
ment, but not a muscle of his face
moved as he shook his head, “I
don’t know, sir,” he said quick
ly. “I didn’t fix the table up.
Pardon, sir; I will get Monsieur
Louis, the head waiter.”
He was gone before we could
i ask him another question. One
eould hardly critizice his eager
ness for attention, but it was at
I least, I felt suspicious. Just
then there was a disturbance out
in the lobby, and we could see
several of the uniformed attend
ants and guests gathered in a
group. Our waiter had disap
peared in that direction, and, to
gether all three of us rose and
hurried out toward the lobby.
The waiter was nowhere to be
seen nor the head waiter, either.
“Poor thing! Isn’t it a
shame?” I heard a girl whisper
to her escort.
: “What is the matter?” I de
manded of a page boy who passed
from the direction of the revolv
ing street door.
“Just a girl—drinkiu* too
much, 1 guess—private dining
room upstairs,” he returned as
though it were a usual occur
ence. Then, catching sight of
another uniformed attendant, he
cut short his words, as though he
remembered that the least said
about such things the better for
the reputation of the Crystal pal
ace.
A Quick Glance.
A quick exclamation from
Speed caused us to turn in the
direction in which he was look
ing. Through the glass doors to
the street we could catch a
glimpse of a girl surrounded by
two or three attendants of the
restaurant almost carried as she
was helped into a waiting taxi
cab. Speed had caught just a
glimpse of her face.
“By George, that looks like
Clare,” he exclaimed, starting
toward the door.
At that moment the door of the
taxicab banged shut and the car,
whose engine had been running
started off with a jump uptown
through traffic.
Without stopping for our
hats and coats we hurried out to
the sidewalk. Someone must
have been ahead of us for the
only other taxicab standing there
had pulled out before we could
engage it. We looked about help
lessly. Speed turned frantically
to the starter. “Get me a cab,”
he cried. “Why don’t you have
more than one waiting here?”
Confound it, it will be too late
to follow by the time we get an
other. ’ ’
“Here’s one,” cried Ravenal,
spying another that had just
rounded the corner and was pil
ing up with a couple of passen
gers. We commandeered it,
scarcely waiting for the man to
pay his fare and were off after
the other two cars which were
several blocks ahead of us.
CHAPTER 4.
The Lounge Lizard.
As we raced on uptown the
traffic at this hour soon became
thicker, but our cab did not seem
to be able to overhaul the other
two cars, although we lost noth
ing. On uptown the two ears
sped, turning eastward until, as
I glanced sidewise out of the win
dow, I saw we were verging to
ward the big park in the Bronx.
Why we were all not arrested
for speeding I do not know, un
less it happened about the time
'that they were changing traffic
squads. However, it was not
long before the cars ahead, which
were only a few hundred feet
apart, veered sharply from the
lighted boulevard and turned
into a dark and lonely side road
down a grade. The constant urg
ing of our own driver had made
him perhaps a little more reck
less than he would have been
otherwise with his own cab, and
on the grade he let her out for
all his engine and gravity could
accomplish.
The sudden jamming on of
the brakes almost threw us for
ward through the front windows,
and before we knew it we could
see that he had pulled up only
a matter of inches behind both
other cars which had stopped. In
the darkness I could just make
out a fellow who jumped from
the first cab through the door on
the inside of the road and
crashed into the shrubbery, fol
lowed by the driver himself, who
leaped over the spare tires on the
side of the car.
They Both Start.
Ravenal and Speed started af
ter the two, crashing through the
bushes also. For an instant I
paused as I saw both doors of the
first cab open and a man inside
bending over a girl. 1 poked my
head in through the door.
“Kennedy,” I exclaimed. 7
He did not reply, but seemed
busy over the girl who was hud
dled in the upholstered corner of
the cab. It was, as Speed had
suspected, Clare herself, and she
was weakly murmuring as though
just recovering from something.
“Is there anything I can do?”
I asked.
“Put down the top—more air
—that’s all,” replied Craig.
The driver and I had just fin
ished bending back the folding
top of the cab when, through the
bushes, we could hear Speed and
Ravenal crashing back, and I
knew that those whom they pur
sued must have escaped.
“Jack”, murmured Clare as
she caught sight of Speed’s face
in the other door.
Speed bent forward and took
one of Clare’s hands.
The deafening explosions of a
motorcycle interrupted us as a
park policeman at last pulled up.
“What’s the matter here?” he
demanded.
Quickly Kennedy told him in
| tabloid sentences.
ITo Be Continued Next Week.) "
Pressure Exerted on State De
partment to Have U. S.
Take Initiative in
Chaotic Situation.
BY H. H. STANSBURY,
Universal Service Correspondent.
Washington, May 21.—Strong
pressure was brought to bear upon
the state department and White
House Monday, urging the United
States to take the initiative against
the existing chaos in China.
The situation is scheduled to be
the chief subject of discussion at
Tuesday’s cabinet meeting.
Inquiries made Monday of individ
ual members of the cabinet indicate
complete unanimity of opinion fav
oring an immediate ultimatum to the
Chinese government, to be followed
by military action in case of failure
to comply.
Two Problems Involved.
The first problem to be solved is
that of securing the safety and free
dom of Americans and other foreign
ers held by the bandits. The second
is the urgent necessity of keeping
open the large trade avenues which
are practically closed.
It is frankly admitted that the
state department has yielded to a
policy of procrastination, hoping
from day to day that the representa
tions of the diplomats at Peking
would secure the release of the
captives. Developments of the last
few days indicate that mere diplo
matic representations cannot yield
satisfactory results as the Chinese
government itself is impotent and
commands no respect from the out
laws.
Had the captives been released
when the demands were first made
it is more than likely the incident of
the train holdup would have been
ignored, at least until fall. It had al
ready been decided to call a confer
ence in November of the interested
powers to discuss the future of
China with reference to treaty agree
ments reached at the time of the
arms conference.
Quick Action Necessary.
Now the situation is such as to de
mand immediate action, it is be
lieved.
The release of the captives will be
a signal for joint action of some kind,
if in fact such action is not found to
be necessary In order to secure the
freedom of the prisoners. The move
ment of a considerable body of for
eign troops into the bandit infested
region is known to be under contem
plation, and it is thought probable
that the Chinese railway systems will
be policed by the great powers for
several years, or until a stable gov
ernment shall have been established
In China.
One of the greatest problems in
the contemplated action revolves
about Japan. To what extent can
Japan be permitted to participate
without aggravating the situation, is
the question.
Japan is so hated by many Chinese
for her aggressions in Shantung and
Manchuria that it is feared the pres
ence of any considerable number of
Japanese troops might invoke a gen
era! uprising that would be difficult
to handle.
Urge Direct Negotiations.
The American legation at Peking
reported to the state department
Monday the utter failure of all ne
gotiations between the Chinese gov
ernment and bandit leaders for the
liberation of the foreigners. Further
efforts to secure their freedom in
that way are believed to be useless.
"The only hope of early release of
the prisoners,” the cablegram to the
state department said, “is by direct
foreign negotiations.”
DELMONICO’S, FAMOUS
FOR CENTURY, CLOSED
Restaurant Widely Known for
Cuisine Dies of Vol
stead Blues.
Universal Service.
New York, May 21.—Delmonico’s,
for nearly a century the center of
New York’s exclusive restaurant life
and known for its wonderful cuisine '
and its aristocratic “atmosphere”
from one end of civilization to the
other, closed its doors Monday night.
No demonstration wrote the “finis”
to its long life. The regular dinner
crowd, sprinkled through with old
time and white haired patrons, came
and ate and went away in peace and
quiet.
Delmonico’s died of prohibition
blues.
Rich a few years ago in the lavish
ness of its choicest wines, its im
ported cordials, its fancy mixed
drinks, the restaurant that was the
rendezvous of the four hundred of
New York and the entertainment
place for all distinguished visitors,
had to bow before the 18th amend
ment.
SUPREME COURT JURIST
OUT FOR SENATOR TOGA
St. Paul, May 21 (A. P.)— Judge
Oscar Hallam today resigned from
tile state supreme court to become a
candidate for the republican nomina
tion for United States senator in the
special primary election June 18.
CORPORATIONS BENEFIT
BY INCOME TAX RULING
Washington, May 21 (U. P.)—The
treasury department Monday revoked
its decision of two weeks ago ex
empting from income tax distribution
by corporations of earnings accumu
lated before March 1, 1913.
The decision had opened the way
to refund of millions of dollars to
corporations that had paid tax on
such distributions. Today’s reversal
will keep this money in the treasury.
No explanation accompanied the re
versal cf the ruling.
WALTERS IS READY
TO DUCK THE LINE
Oeclares Tanlac Ended Indiges
tion and Put Him in Pink
of Condition.
“I would stake my last throw on
Tanlac, for It can’t be beat,” says
Floyd E. ’ Walters, 1008 E. 13th St.,
Kansas City, Mo.
“My appetite was such a slacker
I could hardly eat enough to keep
going, and all the disagreeableness of
indigestion, bloating, heartburn and
palpitation fell to my lot. I would
tremble from nervousness, sleep was
almost a stranger to me, and my head
and back ached so bad I could hardly
stand it. I was as pale as a sheet,
and that ‘all in’ feeling was nearly
throttling me.
“But today I am In the pink of
condition, feeling as hale and hearty
as when I used to play football back
in Leavenworth, Kansas, and the Tan
lac treatment is what turned the trick
for me. Yes, sir, I feel as fine as a
, fiddle, and am greatly indebted to
Tanlac.”
Tanlac is for sale by all good drug
gists. Accept no substitute. Over 37
million bottles sold.—Advertisement.
rne Startling Fashions of Yore.
He went up with his mother to
“help” her clean the attic. He was
just five years old. In the course of
the digging-out process some fashion
magazines of 1895 were unearthed.
Upon spying them, he immediately be
gan to turn over the pages.
“Oh, mamma,” he cried, when he
saw the wasp waists and flowing
trains of a generation ago, “the ladies
haven’t any legs.”—Kansas City Star.
Aspirin ’
Say “Bayer” and Insistl
Unless you see the name “Bayer” on
package or on tablets you are not get
ting the genuine Bayer product pre
scribed by physicians over twenty-two
years and proved safe by millions for
Colds Headache
Toothache Lumbago
Earache Rheumatism
Neuralgia Pain, Pain
Accept “Bayer Tablets of Aspirin”
only. Each unbroken package contains
proper directions. Handy boxes of
twelve tablets cost few cents. Drug
gists also sell bottles of 24 and 100.
Aspirin is the trade mark of Bayer
Manufacture of Monoaceticacidester of
Salicylicacid.—Advertisement.
Pleasant for the “Old Man.”
Elderly Husband—Yes, yes. It’s a
beautiful dress. But wiiy black?
Young Wife—Well, dear, you remem
ber the doctor saying that if you hat) a
shock it might prove fatal?
Elderly Husband—Well?
Young Wife—Nothing, dear—only
this gown cost eight guineas.—Loudon
Tit-Bits.
j -
Literature.
“What has become of the dialect
story ?”
“Nowadays they tell it in slang.”—
Louisville Courier-Journal.
BACK ACHED
TERRIBLY
Mrs. Robinson Tells How Sbe
Found Relief by Taking Lydia E.
Pinkham’s Vegetable Compound
Amarillo, Texas.—** My back was my
greatest trouble. It would ache so that
i.....ait would almost kill
me and 1 would have
cramps. I suffered in
this way about three
Jears: then a lady
riend suggested v
that I try Lydia &
Pinkham’s Vegeta
ble Compound. 1 have
had better health
since, keep house and
g am able to do my
I'%'jt: nreAimmlwuriL* A rewmintsiwi
J the Vegetable Com
pound to my friends as it nas certainly
given me great relief.Mrs.C. B. ROB
INSON,608 N. Lincoln St., Amarillo,Tex.
The Vegetable Compound is a splendid
medicine for women. It relieves the
troubles which cause such .symptoms aa
backache, painful times, irregularity,
tiredand worn-out feelings and nervous
ness. This is shown again and again by
such letters as Mrs. Robi ion writes
as well as by one woman telling another.
These women know what it did for
them. It is surely worth your trial.
Housewives make a great mistake in
, allowing themselves to become so ill
that it is well-nigh impossible for them
to attend to their necessary household
duties.
