' t
1
‘'Now,” concluded the Co
lossus, *T must know who you
are; I must know with whom
I am dealing. This”—indicat
ing the black mask—“may
Impress those fools who were
here Just now, but I—and
you know it —am of a dif
ferent type from them. Take
that mask off and let me see
your face.”
There was a moment’s
{dramatic silence.
‘ *'Fool!”
The taunt sounded like the
lash of a whip.
,Tho Colossus clapped a hand
to his pocket, for it was
plain that he expected him
self to be covered.
But the masked man had
no weapon. He had only his
Voice.
‘ You are a fool, Juhl. You
would turn to bite the hand
that feeds you! That shows
your common clay. You would
dare to threaten me—a man
Who, by lifting a finger, could
crush you! You have worked
with me long enough to know
bow I deal with traitors.
You know that I do not kill
them always, but have them
removed to penal settlements
Where they go almost mad
trying to think out the means
by which I sent them there.
Do you want to go to Dart
moor yourself, Juhl?”
The Colossus seemed about
to spring.
"By God! You wouldn’t
dare!”
"Dare! What a fool you
Are! If you weren’t a fool
you would know that no liv
ing man can successfully say
‘dare’ to me. Think of my
record! Thing of what I have
done during the short time
that you have known me, and
then—get on your knees, you
dog, and beg my pardon!”
The silence was so intense
that both men could hear
their watches ticking. The
Kiri, who all this while had
remained motionless and
upeechless, crouched away
#nto a corner like a beaten
!ithmg before the basilisk
Klare that came through the
slits of the black mask. Then:
"I am sorry,” said the Co
lossus. He was cowed. "Who
ever you are, I will always
obey you.” It was an impres
sive moment, and the girl
broke the tenseness that fol
lowed the words by uttering
a short scream.
"Don’t look like that,” she
cried—don’t look like that.”
‘“It is my will to remain
unknown,” said The King.
The matter was settled.
“There is Just one other
thing,” said The King. "What
about that young man who
advertised his life?”
“He also will come In use
ful later on,” replied Juhl.
He proceeded to describe In
what manner, and the other
podded.
CHAPTER XI
Margery Steers was living
In o state of agonized sus
pense. She felt that where
ver she was a sword was
hanging over her head, and
that the slender thread which
held it might snap at any
moment.
That ordeal at Rimini’s
had been almost too painful
to bear. Upon reporting for
duty the morning after her
return home, she had en
deavored to make a plausible
excuse for her absence. What
ever he thought privately.
Lord Belshaven had accepted
the explanation without ques
tion
-The illness of your friend
has evidently upset you con
siderably, Miss Steers." he
commented. “It will do you
good to have a little mild ex
citement. What do you say to
lunching at Rimini’s to-day?
I
What could she say except
to falter her thanks? Not for
a single moment did she In
tend to act treacherously to
wards this great man who
honored her so with his
friendship, but it cut her to
the heart not to be able to
give him her confidence.
Threatened as she was, feel
ing that she had no alterna
I tive, she yet hated herself
for having lied to Lord Bel
shaven. For a moment or so
she pondered again over the
advisability of telling this
distinguished servant of the
State the real reason of her
absence from duty the day
before; but then came the
horrifying image of her
father, his hands manacled,
being thrust into a prison
cell! No; she could not do it.
She could only wait and pray
that Providence might yet
snatch her out of this abyss
of terror.
To have as one’s host at a
fashionable restaurant one of
the most distinguished states
men of his day was an honor
which Margery appreciated
to the full, and the woman in
her rose to the occasion. The
old elasticity came back into
her step,, and she held her
small head proudly as she
walked into the restaurant
by the side of the peer.
The gaiety of the stimulat
ing scene, combined with the
excellent food, banished for a
time the grim spectre of
worry. Halfway through the
meal, a waiter informed her
host that he was wanted on
the telephone. With a few
charming words of apology,
Lord Belshaven rose.
It was not until he had
gone that Margery noticed
the man sitting In the corner
on the opposite side of the
room. Immediately her heart
commenced to beat a tattoo
of fear. In spite of this man’s
straightforward, open face,
the sight of him brought back
a very dreadful memory. It
brought back all that she
would have given many years
of her life to have been able
permanently to forget. It
brought back the memory of
the dreadful dwarf, and,
worse still, the face of that
huge man who boasted that
he held both her father and
herself in his power.
She tried to rally her fail
ing forces against Lord Bel
shaven’s quick return. But her
nerves, already cruelly tor
tured. went back on her. So
shaking became her hands
that she was forced to put
down her knife and fork—and
j then she saw the man rise
• from his seat and walk to
! wards her.
Exactly what he said she
did not know, neither was
■ she aware of the reply she
made. All she was conscious
of was the powerful desire
that this man should go be
fore Lord Belshaven re
turned. His presence filled
her with mingled dread and
fear. He was an associate of
the Colossus—he must be
that, else why had he been
in that house of suspicion?
—and to attempt to explain
his speaking to her was to
risk having to tell everything
to her host.
She was vaguely conscious
of a scene having occured—
people at the surrounding
tables had turned to stare—
and then Lord Belshaven
was bending over her, solici
tude in his grave face.
•‘My dear Miss Steers, I am
awfully sorry that man should
have so alarmed you. Do you
know him by any chance?”
She found herself saying.
“No: he Is a stranger to me.”
Lord Belshaven frowned.
“The fellow said that he
mistook you for some one
Spinsters’ Reception
Too Warm for Burglars
Ocala. Va. —(UP)— When "Doc"
Wright, 25, and Columbus Quuen
Vrry, 22, tried to tweak into the
kerne occupied by three elderly
•Hipsters here, they received a
•Mich warmer reception than they
kad anticipated.
Mia Annie Goad. 03. a cripple.
•Hushed Wright on the head with
an axe as he tried to enter a
wtodow. The other sisters. 73 and
•b respectively, put up such val
hut resistance ttiat the men were
frightened olf and later arrested,
but not until they had used rocks
and other missiles with such effect
tbit the spinster’s dwelling was
almost completely In ruins.
-»» ■——■ ■■
Housewives Ask Police
To Shut Off Rain Storm
_
Greeley. Col. — tUP)— When it
rained here recently, and flood
waters started to flow into the
basements of homes, Indignant
Greeley housewives kept the tele
phone at the uo Uce station busy,
else. It seemed a thin enough
excuse, but he certainly ap
peared very apologetic. Please
do not allow it to spoil your
lunch.”
Not only her lunch but the
rest of the day. however, was
spoiled for Margery. The sha
dow had come back.
Mixed with her fear during
the days that followed was a
curious feeling of reproach.
Had she misjudged that man
whose good-looking face was
so straightforward. Certain
ly the evidence was against j
him, on the other hand, now I
that she could reflect more j
calmly, it was impossible to ;
forget that not once but
twice he, a perfect stranger,
had gone out of his wray to
offer her help. Why should I
he have done this?
On the second day after
the incident at Rimini’s, a
thought so fantastic as to
seem unreal came to her.
Could this man be the one
to whom she had appealed
for help over the telephone?
In spite of the million and
one chances against the pos
sibilityv the strange idea still
persisted in her mind. Why,
she could not tell.
And yet he was allied to
that super-blackmailer . . .
The more she thought about
the situation, the more per
plexing it became.
Three more days passed.
During this time she was al
lowed to pursue her work un
molested, and so resilient is
the mind of youth that but
for one incident the haunt
ing terror would have receded
further and further from her.
She was snatching a hasty
meal in a Parliament Street
tea-shop, when a man who
had been a constant visitor
to her home before her
mother’s death entered. He
smiled, and sat down at her
table, but seemed confused
when starting a conversation.
He appeared to be worried
about something or other,
and at last he blurted out in
the manner of an awkward
schoolboy:
“I have ust seen your
father, Margery; he looks
dreadfully ill. Excuse me, but
do you know what is worry
ing him?”
She hesitated for some
moments. Then, a reply being
inevitable, she said:
“I saw father about a week
ago. He told me then that
some—some investments had
turned out badly. I did what
I could to help him—I should
always be willing to do that
—but father—”
She could not say any
more, and, excusing herself
on the plea of having to re
turn to her work, hurriedly
left the place.
That afternoon she was
forced to work late, and it
was not until seven o’clock
that she reached her rooms.
Her landlady met her in
the hall.
“There is a young lady
waiting to see you, Miss
Steers.”
With her mind still occu
pied with the work she had
left behind, the words con
veyed little to Margery until
she opened the door of her
sitting-room. Then realiza
tion came back in a flood.
The “young lady” waiting to
greet her was the exotic girl
who had lured her by a
trick to the house of the Co
lossus.
“What are you doing here?”
The words came to her lips
instinctively.
A light flashed in the girl’s
brilliant eyes.
“I have come to take you
to my—uncle again. A car
will call in five minutes. You
are not going to be foolish,
I hope?”
Although Margery felt as
• though her heart was being
squeezed by a giant hand.
, she forced herself to remain
calm.
“What is going to happen?”
she asked; “what does your
—uncle intend to do with me?
Although I have said nothing
to anyone about the other
night, Lord Belshaven will
certainly be alarmed if I dis
appear a second time.”
“You will not ‘disappear’
unless you attempt to be
foolish. My uncle has certain
instructions to give you; that
is why I have to take you to
him. Here is the car.” From
outside came the sound of a
soft and melodious motor
horn.
Margery rose wearily.
“I must see my landlady,”
she said, "and explain that—”
"There is no reason why
you should not return to
night, providing, of course
that you promise to obey my
uncle.”
Margery kept silent. She
felt that whatever she .said
would be merely so much
waste of breath. An evil
chance had thrust her into
the power of these people,
and there was an end of it.
She submitted to being
blindfolded, and the car was
driven at a rapid pace. After
what seemed a long time, but
probably, she felt, was only
a few minutes, the car
stopped, she was taken by
the arm, and led up a flight
of stairs, and then found her
self facing the man she
feared.
The Colossus wasted no
time.
“The moment has come,
Miss Steers, for you to do me
the service required,” he
said. “Tomorrow night Lord
Belshaven is giving a recep
tion at his house, No. 66,
Carlton House Terrace. He
will have in his safe a copy
of the new treaty with France.
You are to obtain this, and
take it to your rooms, where
my niece will be waiting to
receive it. The time-limit Is
mid-night. Unless my niece
has the document in her
hands by that time, I shall
reluctantly be forced to place
certain information concern
ing your father with Scotland
Yard. That is all. Having re
ceived your instructions, you
will now be driven back to
your rooms.”
It was so futile to attempt
to argue that she did not
make the effort. She had a
blessed respite of about
thirty hours; something
might—must —occur within
that time to help her. Now
all she wished was to get out
of that evil presence and to
be alone.
Again she was blindfolded
and led to the waiting car.
Her companion, the girl
Xavla, was silent throughout
the return journey, and she
parted from her in Peter
Street without a word.
Margery did not sleep at
all that night. The fact that
the blackmailer had changed
his plans, and wanted her to
obtain an important political
document from her employer
instead of private papers,
brought no relief. One crime
was as dastardly, if not more
so. as the other.
The dawn found her still
turning restlessly. Before
many more hours were passed
she had to turn criminal In
order to save her father from
a felon’s fate.
(TO BE CONTINUED)
Basement Converted Intc
Automobile Factory
Chariton, la. —(UP)— The base
ment in the Henry Swanson resi
dence here has been converted
into an automobile factory.
Mr. Swanson and a neighbor.
Lloyd Spiker. are tpanufacturing
miniature cars, which have a
chain drive, rubber tires holding
15 pounds of air, and a speed ca
pacity of slightly more than 10
miles an hour. They will travel 75
miles on a gallon of gasoline.
Parts of broken down Fords and
washing machine motors are the
most vital items in manufacturing
the little automobiles, Swanson
said. He paints the tiny racing car
bodies in bright colors.
Children are able to operate the
motors easily, as Swanson has
equipped each one thus far with
a simple clutch pedal that can
readily be operated by a child.
LIBRARIAN BECOMES DEAN.
Chapel Hill, N. C.—UP)—Dr. Louis
Round Wilson, librarian of the Uni
versity of North Carolina since 1901,
recently left for the University of
Chicago where he accepted a po
sotion as dean of the Graduate Li
brary school.
I demanding the officers do some*
! thing about it.
In fact, one reliable officer re
ported that a caller requested that
the officers "just had to come up
and shut this water off.”
When officers were tired of ex
plaining that the storm was en
tirely out of the scope of law en
forcement. they turned the callers
over to the street superintendent.
William Welsh, who did his best
to pacify the householders.
LOAN FUNDS AIDS STUDENTS.
Corvallis, Ore.—(UP)—One out of
, very’ five students at Oregon State ,
college was aided during the past
school year from the student loan
fund. Average aid to 692 students
was $72.84. Activity of the fund was
greatest for 21 years. During that
period, 7,228 students have received
$429,966 in loans.
— ..♦ » - -
TWICE IN ONE DAY.
Ncwburyport, Mass.—(UP)—Twice
during a single day John Carey be
came a grandfather. His daugh
ter, Mrs. William Hey wood, gave
birth to an eight-pound son. Mrs.
Joseph Fowler, another daughter,
gave birth to a nine-pound daugh
ter. |
Period of Depression
Worried Walt Whitman
Back in 1857 Walt Whitman was
worrying about the depression, and
;lie “wild thyme among the banks,”
and unemployment. He wrote an ed
itorial about It for the Brooklyn
Daily Times, which the Golden Book
Magazine quotes:
“For the land has been shaken as
by nn earthquake, and the founda
tions of Industry are dried, the arm
of the worker is palsied, the cun
ning hand is motionless, and the
hum aud stir of a busy commerce
are changed to the dejected silence
of a day of national fasting and hu
miliation.
“Already, it is computed, more
than 15,<W0 laboring people, who
live, and help still more numerous
thousands to live, by their toil, are
thrown out of employment in the
metropolis alone.”
Los Angeles Boy
Needed Help
L,eroy loung,
Georgia St., Los An
geles, is a “regular
f e 11 o w,” active in
sports, and at the
lop in his classes at
school. To look at
him now, you’d think
jnc nau « uat> a
sickness but his mother says: "When
Leroy was just a little fellow, we
found his stomach and bowels were
weak. He kept suffering from con
stipation. Nothing he ate agreed
with him. He was fretful, feverish
and puny.
"When we started giving him Cali
fornia Fig Syrup his condition im
proved quickly. His constipation and
biliousness stopped ana he 1ms had
no more trouble of that kind. I have
since used California Fig Syrup with
him for colds and upset spells. He
likes it because it tastes so good and
I like it because it helps him so
wonderfully!”
California Fig Syrup has been the
trusted standby of mothers for over
50 years. Leading physicians recom
mend it. It is purely vegetable and
works with Nature to regulate, tone
and strengthen the stomach and
bowels of children so they get full
nourishment from their food and
waste is eliminated in a normal way.
Four million bottles used a year
shows how mothers depend on it. Al
ways look for the word “California”
on the carton to be sure of getting
the genuine.
"Calibration"
By the calibration of an instru
ment is meant the checking or cor
recting of the scale readings of the
instrument.
Lost 20 Lbs. of Fat
In Just 4 Weeks
Mrs. Mae West of St. Louis, Mo.,
writes: "I'm only 28 yrs. old and
weighed 170 lbs. until taking one box
of your Kruschen Salts just 4 weeks
ago. I now weigh loO lbs. 1 also
have more energy and furthermore
I've never had a hungry moment."
Fat folks should take one half tea
spoonful of Kruschen Salts in a
glass of hot water in the morning
before breakfast—it’s the SAFE,
harmless way to reduce as tens of
thousands of men and women know.
For your health’s sake ask for and
get Kruschen at any drug store—the
cost for a bottle that lasts 4 weeks
Is but a trifle and if after the first
bottle yon are not joyfully satisfied
with results—money back.
Strawberry Baths in Paris
Beauty-culture experts iu Paris
are advising their clients to take
baths in strawberry Juice for beau
ty. Many who cannot afford such
expensive treatments are rubbing
their faces with large ripe strawber
ries. One berry a day is sufficient
for this method.
Try Lydia E. Pinkham's Vegetabls Compound |
She Shouldn't be tired
No energy... circles under her eyes. If she
would only try Lydia E. Pinkham’s
Vegetable Compound'in tablet-form,
she could be strong and happy again.
News to Him
Bim—My wife has been nursing a
grouch for several days.
Bam—I didn’t know you were ill.
Cntlcura Soap and Cutlcura
Ointment are world favorites be
cause so effective in restoring tha
natural purity and beauty of the skin,
scalp, hair and hands when marred
by unsightly conditions.
Soep 25c. Ointment 25 and
50o. Proprietor,:
Potter Drag ft Chemical
Corp., Malden, Mae*.
1 Sioux City Ptg. Co., No. 39~1932.~
-
R ead how
PREMIUM FLAKES
help cut meal costs
I---H* FREE RECIPE BOOKLET—in this package.
Don't put it ojj; put it to work today in jour kitchen.
PREMIUM
SCRAMBLED EGGS
Allow 3 crumbled Premi
um Flake Crackers and 2
tablespoons milk to each
egg. Mix and scramble in
hot butter. A thrifty recipe
that makes 4 eggs serve six
people! (Remember Pre
mium Flak* Crackers are
already slightly salted.)
Men, women, children
—everybody likes milk
and-Premium-Flakes—so why
not surprise your family with
this good, old-fashioned, eco
nomical treat?
That’s one way to save, but
Premiums can show you dozens
of others. Just take one peek
into the booklet, "7 Money
Saving Meals”—main dishes to
make your meat go further.,.,
desserts to make your money
last longer. ... all in this free
booklet, packed inside the big
money-saving box.
Get a big box of Premiums
and your free booklet today.
They’ll save you money and
help you serve for many a day
to come!
NATIONAL BISCUIT COMPANY
I
I
