Marietta Monitor. (Marietta, Okla.), Vol. 21, No. 22, Ed. 1 Friday, July 2, 1915 Page: 2 of 8
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THE MARIETTA MONITOR
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The BLACK BOX
By £ PHILLIPS OPPENHEIM
Author of “Mr Grom of Mont
Carlo" “ Tho Vanlthrd Mots’
ongor" "ThoiJghtodWqyfotc
NanIM ho tha motion picture inat ot the Mai mm mAmJ hr the
Uairmal ilia Mwatocturiaa l-oapni lllasiratad with
itoMMh trot ik aodw ptetare productloa
(Copyright uoa
SYNOPSIS
lOlOfli
tha world and! that In bringing toluatlra
Maodoutal tha murderer of Lord Ash-
Sanford Quaat master criminologist of
lelah'a daughter ha haa but Just bapun
a ilfe-and-dea(h at nipple with a raystarl-
oua matter criminal In a hidden hut In
Professor Aehlelph'a pardon ha haa aeen
an ape skeleton and a llvlnp creature
half monkey half man deatroyed by lira
In hla rooma hava appeared black boxea
oonlalnlnp notea alpned by a pair ot arm
leaa hands Laura and Lenora hla aaalat
anta auapect Cralp tha profeaaor'a aerv
ant of a doubla murder Tha black boiea
mntlnua to appear In uncanny fashion
Cralp la trapped but aacapea to England
where Quest Lenora and tha profeaaor
follow him Lord Aahletph la murdered
by tha Handa Cralp raptured eerapea
to Port Bald Qseat and hla party follow
and beyond Into tha desert They are
raptured by Monpara earapa with Cralp
aa their eaptlva and turn him over to In-
epector French In Ban Francisco He ea
rapea from French In a train wreck and la
rhaaed by tba party acroaa tha Mexican
Una
THIRTEENTH INSTALLMENT
TONGUES OF FLAME
CHAPTER XXVIII
From the shadow of the tree on
the farther aide ot the river Oral
with atraloed eye watched Queit'a
struggle He aaw him reach Lenora
watched him struggle to the bank
with her waited until he had lifted
her on to hla horae Then he turned
alowly around and faced the one coun
try In the world where freedom waa
till poaalble for him He looked Into
the wall ot darkneaa penetrated only
at one apot by a little blaze of light
Slowly with hla arm through the
bridle of hla horae he limped towards
it Aa he drew nearer and discovered
Ita source he hesitated The light
came through the uncurtained win-
dows of a saloon three long yellow
ahafta Illuminating the stunted
shrubs and sandy places Craig kept
In the shadow between them and
drew a little nearer From inside he
could bear the thumping of a worn
piano the twanging of a guitar the
rattle of glasses the uproarious shout
lng of men the shrill laughter of
women The tired men and the lame
horse stole reluctantly a little nearer
Craig listened once more wearily It
was home he longed for so much—
and rest The very thought of the
place sickened him Even when he
reached the door he hesitated and In-
stead of entering stood back amongst
the shadows If only he could find
any other sort of shelter!
Inside the scene was ordinary
enough There was a long bar against
which were lounging half a dozen
typical Mexican cowpunchers There
was a small space cleared for dancing
at the farther end of which two per-
formers were making weird but ve-
hement music Three girls were danc-
ing with cowboys not ungracefully
considering the stats of the floor and
the frequent discords In the music
One of them — the prettiest — stopped
abruptly and pushed her partner away
from her
"You have drunk too much Jose!”
she exclaimed "You cannot dance
You tread on my feet and you lean
against me I do not like It I will
dance with you another night when
you are sober Go away please”
Her cavalier swayed for a moment
on his feet Then he looked down
upon her with an evil glitter In his
eyes He was tall and thin with a
black mustache and yellow unpleas-
ant looking teeth
"So you will not dance any longer
with Jose?” he muttered "Very well
you shall drink with him then Wi
will sit together at one of those little
tables Listen you shall drink wine”
"I do not want to drink wine with
you All that I wish is to be left
alone” the girl Insisted curtly "Go
and play cards If you want to There
Is Pietro over there and Diego Per-
haps you may win some money They
say that drunkards have all the luck”
Jose leered at her
"Presently I will play cards” he
Said "Presently I will win all their
money and I will buy Jewelry for you
Marta — stones that look like diamonds
and will sparkle In your neck and In
your hair”
She turned disdainfully away
"I do not want your Jewelry Jose”
she declared
He caught her suddenly by the
wrist
“Perhaps this la what you want”
he cried as he stooped down to kiss
her
She swung her right hand round
and struck him on the face He stag-
gered back for a moment There was
a red flush which showed through the
tan of bis cheek Then he drew a lit-
tle nearer to her and before she could
escape had passed his long arm
around her body He drew her to the
chair placed by the side of the walL
His left hand played with the knife
at his belt
“Marta little sweetheart” he said
mockingly "you must pay for that
blow Don’t be afraid” he went on
as he drew the knife across his leath-
er breeches "A little scratch across
your cheek so! It is but the brand
of your master a love token from
Jose Steady now little Maverick!”
The girl struggled violently but
Jose was strong such brawls were
tr ous f wood)
common and those of the company
who noticed at all merely laughed at
the girl's futile struggles ' Jose's arm
was already raised with the knife In
his band when a sudden blow brought
a yell of pain to his lips The knife
fell clattering to the floor Ha sprang
up hla eyes red with fury A man
had entered the door from behind
and was standing within a few feet
of him a man with long pale face
dark eyes travel-stained and with the
air of a fugitive A flood of Incoherent
abuse streamed from Jose's lips He
stooped for the knife Marta threw
herself upon him The two cowboys
who had been dancing suddenly Inter-
vened The girl screamed
“It was Jose's fault!” she cried
“Jose was mad Ho would have killed
me!”
Craig faced them all with sudden
courage
As I came in” he explained
“that man had bis knife raised to stab
the girl You don't allow that sort
of thing do you here?”
The two cowboys linked their arms
through Jose's and led him off toward
the door
The stranger’s right Jose” one of
them insisted You can't carve a girl
up In company”
The girl clutched at Craig's arm
“Sit down here please” she begged
"Wait”
She disappeared for a moment and
came back with a glass full or wine
which she set down on the table
Drink this” she Invited "And
thank you for saving me”
Craig emptied the glass eagerly
“I Just happened to be the first to
see him’ be said "They aren't quite
wild enough to allow that here are
they?”
Quien sabe? The girls do not like
me! The men do not care” she de-
clared “Jose took me by surprise
though or I would have killed him
But who are you and where did you
come from?”
I have Just crossed the border” he
replied
She nodded understandlngly
“Were they after you?"
"Yes! with a warrant for ‘my
rest!"
She patted his hand
"You are safe now” she whispered
"We care that much for a United
States warrant” and she snapped her
slim fingers “You shall stay with us
for a time We will take care of you”
He sighed wearily
Back In the camp a spirit of devilry
had entered Into Long Jim and his
mates A tactless remark on the part
of one of the deputies had set alight
the smoldering fire of resentment
which the cowboys had all the time
felt against them At a word from
Long Jim they were taken by surprise
and tied to the wagon
The deputies spluttered with rage
and fear Shot rained about them and
the canvas of the wagon was riddled
Suddenly they all paused to listen
The sound of a horse's slow footfall
was heard close at band Presently
Quest appeared out of the shadows
carrying Lenora in his arms Laura
rushed forward
"Lenora!" she cried "Is she hurt?"
Quest laid her tenderly upon the
ground
"We had a spill at the bridge” he
explained quickly "I don't know
whether Craig loosened the supports
He got over all right but It went down
under Lenora who was following and
I had to get her out ot the river
Where’s the professor?"
The professor came ambling from
the tent where he had been lying He
stooped at once over Lenora's still un-
conscious form
"Dear me!” he -exclaimed “Dear
me! Come eome!”
He passed his hand over her side
and made a brief examination
"Four ribs broken” he pronounced
"It will be a week at any rate before
we are able to move her Nothing
more serious so far as I can see Mr
Quest but she'll need rest and all the
comfort we can give her”
“8ay that’s too bad!” Long Jim de-
clared "If you’ve got to stay around
for a time though you can have the
tents We boys can double up any-
where or bunk on the ground That's
right ain't It?” he added turning
around to the cowboys
There was a little grunt of acquies-
cence They carried Lenora to the
largest of the tents and made her as
comfortable as possible
CHAPTER XXIX
The girl drew a low stool over to
Craig’s side He was sitting in a
rough chair tilted back against the
adobe wall of the saloon
"As tired as ever?’ she asked lay-
ing her hand upon his for a moment
He turned his head and looked at
her
"Always tired" be answered list-
lessly She made a little grimace
"But you are so strange” she pro-
tested "Over the hills there are the
steam cars They would take you to
some of our beautiful cities where all
Is light and gayety You are safo
here whatever your troubles may have
been You say that you have money
and If you are lonely” she added
dropping her voice "you need not go
alone”
He patted her hand affectionately
but there was something a little forced
about the action
“Child” be said ‘It la so hard to
make you understand I might lose
myself for a few minutes It la true
over yonder Perhaps even” he add-
ed "you might help me to forget And
then there would be the awakening
That Is always the same Sometimes
at night I sleep and when I sleep I
rest and when my eyes are opened In
the morning the weight comes back
and sits upon my heart and the
strength seems to pass from my
limbs and tbq will from my brain”
Her eyes were soft and her voice
shook a little aa she leaned towards
him Something In his helplessness
had kindled the protective spirit In
her
"Has life been so terrible for you?1
she whispered "Have you left be-
hind— but no! you never could have
been really wicked You are not very
old are you? Why do you not stand
up and be a man? If you have done
wrong then very likely people have
done wrong things to you Why should
you brood over these memories?
Why— What are you looking at? Who
are these people?”
The professor with Quest and Long
Jim suddenly appeared round the cor-
ner or the building They walked
towards Craig He shrank back In his
place
"If these are your enemies” the girl
cried fiercely "remember tbat they
cannot touch you here Ill have the
boys out In a minute If they dare to
try 1L“
Craig struggled to his feet He made
no answer His eyes were fixed upon
the professor’s The girl passed her
arm through his and dragged him Into
the saloon They passed Jose In the
doorway He scoffed at them
Say the boss will fire you Marta
If you waste all your time with tbat
Yankee” he muttered
Marta drew the red rose from the
bosom of her dress anff placed It In
Craig's buttonhole Then she led him
without a word to a seat '
If these men try any tricks in
here” she said "there'll be trouble"
Almost at that moment they all
three entered Long Jim nodded to
Craig In friendly fashion
It’s all right cookie” be told them
Don't you look so scared This Is
Just a bit ot parleyvous business
that's alL”
The professor held out a piece of
paper He banded it over to Craig
Craig” be announced "this Is a
dispatch which I found In Allguei
with my letters It Is addressed to
you but under the circumstances you
will scarcely wonder that I opened It
You had better read It"
Craig accepted the cable form and
read It through slowly to himself:
To John Craig Care Prof Lord Ash-
lelgh Yonkers New York:
Your sister died today Her daugh-
ter Mary sails on Tuesday to Join you
in New York Please meet her
COMPTON Solicitor London
Craig sat for a moment as though
stunned The girl leaned over towards
him
Are they trying to take you on a
warrant?” she whispered "Remember
"I Have Sinned and I Must Payl”
you don't need to go unless you want
to”
Craig shook his head
"This Is something quite different”
he explained "Leave me for a mo-
ment Marta I must talk to these
people"
She slipped regretfully away from
bis side and out Into the darkness
He sat with his eyes fixed upon the
cablegram Then he turned towards
Quest
"Fate seem to be too strong for
me” he admitted "Leave me alone
and I promise you tbat I'll go at
once to New York settle Mary’s fu-
ture and then make a full disclosure”
Jim touched him on the shoulder
"Remember" he told him "you
ain't no call to leave here unless you
want to Those deputies don't go this t
“Four Ribs Broken” Pronounced the Professor
for a Week”
side of the border You're safe as
long aa you like to stay”
Craig nodded gratefully
"All the same” he said I fear that
must go”
The professor coughed
“I am sure Craig” he declared
"that you have decided wisely”
Craig looked gloomily away
“There Is nothing else for me to
do" he said "The child must be met
and looked after Besides I am sick
of it all You may aa well know the
truth”
"Why not now?” Quest suggested
softly
In New York” Craig replied "and
not before”
Quest and the professor exchanged
meaning glances
"Very well” the former decided
turning away "In a week from today
Craig I shall expect you to report at
the professor's house”
They left the room together Long
Jim lingered by Craig's side
Those guys have been scaring you
some I guess’ he remarked "For
get ’em cookie They can't touch you
here Of course If you go to New
York It's your own show
I know that” Craig replied gloom
Hy-
One of the girls passed her arm
through Long Jim's
“Just one dance” she whispered
He hesitated looking out of the
window Then he shrugged his sboul
ders
I'm tired of those guys” he re-
marked to Craig with a grin "Guess
111 stay here for a bit”
Craig was left alone for a few min-
utes Suddenly Marta glided In and
sat by bis side Her eyes were flash-
ing with anger
You know what they said those
two as they passed out?” she whis-
pered hoarsely “I heard them
They ara going to board the 8:30
train tomorrow morning The dark
man turned and said to the other:
‘If he Is not on that we’ll wait till we
find him Once we get him In New
York he's our man’”
A little exclamation of anger broke
from Craig’s lips The girl caught at
his arm
Don't go” she begged "Don't go
There are plenty of places near here
where you can hide where we could
go together and live quite simply I'd
work for you Take me away from
this somewhere over the hills Don't
go to New York They are cruel those
men They are hunting you— I can
see It In their faces”
Craig shook his head sadly
"Little girl” he said "I should like
to go with you along that valley and
over the hills and forget that I had
ever lived In any other world But
I can't do It There's a child there
now on the ocean nearer to New
York every day my sister’s own child
and no one to meet her And — there
are the other things I have sinned
and I roust pay My God!”
The room suddenly rang with Mar-
ta’s shriek Through' the open ‘win-
dow by which they were sitting an
arm wrapped In a serape had suddenly
hovered over them Craig In starting
back had Just escaped the downward
blow of the knife which had burled
Itself In Marta's arm She fell back
screaming
"It’s Jose!” she cried "The brute!
The beast!”
Craig swung to his feet furious
Long Jim cursing fiercely drew his
gun At that moment the door of the
saloon was thrown open Jose came
reeling In his serape over his shot)!-
der a drunken grin on his face He
staggered towards them
"Jose you beast!” the girl called
out and fell back fainting
There was the sound of a revolver
shot and Jose reeled backwards and
fell with a cry across the sanded floor
Jim thrust his smoking gun Into this
belt end caught Craig by the arm
"Say we'd better get out of this
cookie!” he muttered
They hustled out Apparently Jose
was unpopular for everyone seemed
only anxious to have them clear away
'Til get you Into the camp quietly"
Long Jim muttered "You'll be safer
there for the night Then you can
make that 8:30 In the morning”
Lenora with her bed dragged to
the opening of the tent greeted the
“She Cannot Be Moved
little party on (heir return eagerly
Quest at once came and sat by her
side
“Where’s Laura” be asked "and the
Inspector?’
She smiled and pointed to the ris-
ing ground behind them In the faint
moonlight two forms were Just visi-
ble Quest smiled'
"French haa got It bad” he de-
clared "almost as badly as I have
Lenora”
She laughed at him Her face was
a little drawn with pain but her eyes
were very soft
"I wonder If you have It very bad
ly” she murmured
He held her hand for a moment
"I think you know” he said
"As they talked they beard the
coyotes barking In the distance Pres-
ently Laura and the inspector
turned
"Nice sort of a nurse I am” the
former grumbled "It's all the fault
of this man He would keep me out
there talking rubbish”
They sat round the opening before
Lenora’s tent till the moon was high In
the heavens Quest who had been on
the outside of the circle for some little
time suddenly rose to bis feet and
crossed over to the cook wagon Long
Jim who was sitting on the steps
glanced up a little surlily
"Who's Inside there?” Quest asked
Long Jim removed his pipe from bis
teeth
"Tbat don't sound none too civil a
question for a guest” he remarked
but If you want to know our new
Chinese cookie Is there”
Quest nodded
"8orry If I seemed abrupt” he
apologized "You've been very good
to us and I'm sure we are uncommon
ly obliged to you Jim The only rea-
son 1 asked the question was tbat I
saw a face In the door there and It
gave me a start For a moment 1
thought It was Craig back again”
"He’s gone to New York or going
tomorrow morning” Jim replied "I
don't think he’s so powerful fond of
your company that he'd come round
here looking for It”
Quest strolled off again and glanced
at his watch as be rejoined the little
group
"Well” be said "I think well turn
In Seven o'clock tomorrow morning
Inspector Jim’s sending one of the
boys with us and we shall catch the
Eastern Limited at the Junction"
"This open-air life makes me sleepy1
be confessed
"To bed all of us” Quest concluded
turning sway
CHAPTER XXX
Quest awoke the next morning
stretched out his hand and glanced at
the watch by the side of the bed It
was barely six o'clock He turned over
and dozed again' looked again at half-
past six and finally at a few minutes
to seven rose and made a hasty
toilet Then In the act of placing his
watch In his waistcoat pocket he gave
sudden start By its side half cov-
ered by the handkerchief which he had
thrown upon the little table stood a
small black box! For a moment he
was motionless Then he stretched out
his hand removed the ILd and drew
out the usual neatly folded piece of
paper:
Even time fights you It loses that
you may lose— The Hands
Quest for a
Then be hurried into the next tent
where the professor was sleeping
peacefully
Say professor what's the time by
your watch?” Quest asked shaking
him gently
herself in the saddle with an' effort
Yet all the time that one sentence was
ringing In her head— "Tongues ot
llame!” She kept looking around anx-
iously Suddenly the road dropped
from a little decline She was con-
scious of a wave of heat In the dls-
moment was puzzled tance she could see the smoke rolling
a - -- across the open 8be -touched her
horse with the quirt The spot which
she must pass to keep on the track to
the depot was scarcely a hundred
yards ahead but already the fire
seemed to be running like quicksilver
The professor sat op and drew hla across the ground licking up the dry
v -t-- gresewood with indeed a flaming
tongue She glanced once behind
warned by the heat The fire was
closing In upon her A puff of smoke
utMenly enveloped her She coughed
Her head began to swim and a fit of
giddiness assailed her She rocked
and found the inspector Just drawing in her saddle and the pony came to a
“ “ sudden standstill faced by the mass ol
on his shoes
"French what's the time?” he de-
manded Three minutes past seven or
thereabouts” French replied yawn-
ing "I'm coming right along We’ve
got lots of time Three-quarters of
an hour ought to do It tho boys a--"
They walked outside to the camp
where thp cowboys wore fliilshlug
their breakfast
"Bay boss” one of them called out
"you're not making that 8:30 train to
New York?”
"Why not?” Quest asked quickly
“It’e only three-quarters of an hour’s
ride Is It?”
"Maybe not” the other replied "but
as It's eight now your chances ain’t
looking lively Kind of overslept
haven’t yon?”
Both men glanced once more at
their watches Then Quest thrust his
back with a little oath
"Our watches have been set bsekl”
he exclaimed “Tbs Hands again!”
For a moment they looked at ons
another dumfounded Then Quest
moved towards the corral
“fay la there any quicker way h
the depot?” he Inquired of the cow-
boys They heard bis question Indiffer-
ently "Fifty dollars” Quest continued "to
anyone who can take me by a quicker
route”
One of them rose slowly to his feet
"Waal” he observed "fifty dollars
would come In kind of handy Yes
1 reckon I can cut off a mile or two for
you"
"Fifty dollars for you then” Quest
replied as they hurried towards tho
horses "and an extra ten if we make
tbs train
They galloped off Into the distance
The cowboys finished their breakfast
and went off to their work Laura
stole out from her tent and started off
In rather a shamefaced manner for a
walk Presently Lenora opened her
eyes She too stretched out her
hand for her watch Suddenly she
eat up In bed with a little exclamation
On the tablq by her side was a small
black box She took off the Ud with
trembling fingers drew out a scrap
of paper and read
Fools! Tongues of flame will cross
Quest’s path He will never reach the
depot alive
Lenora glanced at Laura's empty
bed Then she staggered to the open-
ing of the tent
“Laura!” she cried
There was no one there The cow-
boys bad all gone to their work Laura
had passed out of sight across the
ridge In the distance Lenora stag-
gered to the cook wagon where the
Chinese cook waa sitting cleaning
plates
"Listen!” she cried “They are In
danger the three men who have gone
off to the depot! If you'll ride after
them 1 will give you a hundred dol-
lars Give them this” she added
holding out the scrap of paper
The Chinaman shook bis bead He
glanced at the slip of pkper Indiffer-
ently and went on with his work
"No can ride mlssee" he said
Lenora looked around helplessly
The camp was empty She staggered
across towards her own horse
"Come and help me” she ordered
The Chinaman came unwillingly
They found her saddle but he only
gazed at It In a stolid sort of fashion
No can fix” be said "Mlssee no
can ride Better go back bed”
Lenora pushed him on one side
With a great effort she managed to
reach her place In the saddle Then
she turned and with her face to the
depot galloped away The pain was
excruciating She could only keep
”ln a Week From Today I Shall Ex-
pect You to Report at the Profse-
sor’s House”
rolling smoke and flame
"Sanford!" Lenora cried "Save
me!”
The pony reared She slipped from
the saddle and fell across the track
(TO BE CONTINUED)
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Choate, Henry Willis. Marietta Monitor. (Marietta, Okla.), Vol. 21, No. 22, Ed. 1 Friday, July 2, 1915, newspaper, July 2, 1915; (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc1753153/m1/2/?q=j+w+gardner: accessed June 22, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.