RfflMkUHiUSUnn
WA ....
I The BLACK BOX
4 By E. PHILLIPS OPPENHEIM
I Author of "Mr. Grex of Monte
y Taf lo, ‘ The Vunished Mess~
p eager." "The Lighted Way,"etc.
1
NOVeli“nWer^l’ViI™°Mp^urin^r1omp.nhy* *TmusTr'ate'd wUh ^ U**
photograph.! from the motion picture production
(Copyright, 1915, by OUa V. Wood)
SYNOPSIS.
Sanford Quest, master criminologist of
the world, finds that in bringing to justice
Macdougal, the murderer of Lord Ash
lelgh's daughter, he has but just begun
a life-and-death struggle with a mysteri
ous master criminal. In a hidden hut in
Professor Ashlelgh's garden he lias seen
an ape skeleton and a living creature
half monkey, half man, desl roved hy fire'
In his rooms have appeared black boxes
containing notes, signed by a pair of arm
less hands Laura and Lenora, his asslRt
» ants, suspect Craig, the professor's serv
ant, of a double murder. The black boxes
continue to appear in uncanny fashion
Craig Is trapped, but escapes to England,
where Quest. I.enora and the professor
follow him. Lord Ashleigh is murdered
by the Hands. Craig captured, escapes
to Port Said Qaest and ills partv follow
and beyond Into the desert. They are
raptured by Mongars, escape with Craig
as their captive and turn him over to In
spector French in San Francisco. He es
capes from French in a train wreck and is
chased by the party across the Mexican
line.
THIRTEENTH INSTALLMENT
TONGUES OF FLAME.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
From the shadows of the trees on
the farther side of the river, Craig
with strained eyes watched Quest's
struggle He saw him reach Lenora,
watched him struggle to the bank
with her, waited until he had lifted
her on to his horse. Then he turned
slowly around and faced the one coun
try in the world where freedom was
still possible for him. He looked Into
the wall of darkness, penetrated only
at one spot by a little blaze of light.
Slowly, with his arm through the
bridle of his horse he limped towards
it As he drew nearer and discovered
its source, he hesitated. The light
came through the uncurtained win
dows of a saloon, three long, yellow
shafts illuminating the stunted
shrubs and sandy placeB Craig kept
in the shadow between them and
drew a little nearer. From inside he
could hear the thumping of a worn
piano, the twanging of a guitar, the
rattle of glasses, the uproarious shout
ing 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 state 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 Bhall drink with him, then. We
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. “Oo
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 1 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 is 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 his 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
common and those of the company j
who noticed at all, merely laughed at
the girl’s futile struggles. Jose's arm
was already raised with the knife in
his hand, when a sudden blow brought
a yell of pain to his lips. The knife
fell clattering to the floor. He sprang
up, his eyes red with fury. A man
had entered the door from behind
and was standing w'ithin 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. He would have killed
me!"
Craig faced them all with sudden
courage.
"As I came in,” he explained. >
‘that man had his 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 ot wine, j
which she set down on the. table
'Drink this, she invited. “And
thank vou for saving me.'’
Craig emptied the glass eagerly.
"I lust happened to be the first to
see him,’ he satd ‘They aren't quite
#ild enough to allow that here, are
they?”
"Quien sabe? The girls do not llko
me' The men do not care,” she de
clared. “Jose took me fcy surprise,
though, or ( would nave killed him.
Hut who are you, and where did you
come from?”
“I have iust crossed the border, he
replied.
She nodded understandingly.
“Were they after ycfu?”
“Yes! with a warrant for my ar
rest!”
She patted his hand.
“You are safe now,” she whispered.
”liVe care thar 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 ail 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 horses slow footfall
was heard close at hand. 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 of the river.
Where's the professor?”
The professor came ambling from
the tent where heJiad been lying. He
stooped at once over Lenora's still un
conscious form.
“Dear me!” he exclaimed. “Dear
me! Come, come!”
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.”
"Say, 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
righj, 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,” he answered, list
lessly.
She made a little grimace.
“But yoif 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
in light and gav«ty You are safe
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,” he said, “it Is so hard to
make you understand. I might lose
myself for a few minutes, it is 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 s;ts upon my heart, and the
strength seems to pass from my
limbs and the will from my brain.”
Her eyes were soft and her voice
shook a little as she leaned towards
him. Something in his helplessness
had kindled the protective spirit in
her.
“Has life been so terrible for you?” j
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 of the building They walked
towards Craig. He shrank back in his
place.
"If these are your enemies." the girl
cried, fiercely, “remember that they
cannot touch you here. I’ll have the
boys out in a minute, if they dare to
try it.”
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 that
Yankee,’ he muttered.
Marta drew the red rose from the
bosom of her dress and placed it in
Craig’s buttonhole. Then she led him
w'ithout a word to a seat.
"If these men try any tricks in
mere, ’ 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," he told them.
‘Don't you look so scared. This is
just a bit of parieyvous business,
that’s all ’
The professor held out a piece ot
paper. He handed 't over tc Craig.
"Craig ' he announced, “this is a ■
dispatch which I found in Ailguez
with my letters It is addressed to
you, but under the circumstances you
will scarcely wonder that f opened it.
you had better read it. ’
Craig accepted the cable form and
read it through slowly to himself.
To John C.'aig. Care Prof Lord Ash
leigh, honkers, New York:
Vour 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 Pay!”
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
his side and out into the darkness.
He sat with his eyes fixed upon the
cablegram. Then he turned towards
Quest.
"Fate seems to be too strong for
me,” he admitted. "Heave me alone
and 1 promise you that I'll go at
once to Newf 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
“Four Ribs Broken," Pronounced the Professor. "She Cannot Be Moved
for a Week."
side of the border. You're safe as
long as you like to stay.”
Craig nodded gratefully.
“All the same," he said, I fear that 1
must go.”
The professor roughed.
“1 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 he met
and looked after. Besides, I am sick
of it all. You may as 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, j
turning away; “in a week from today, j
Craig, 1 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 vou
some, I guess ’ he remarked. “For
get 'em. cookie. They can’t touch you
here. Of course, it vou go to New
York it's your own show. •
"1 know that,” Craig replied gloom
iiy.
One of the girls passed her ann
through Long .Jim’s.
“fust one dance" she whispered
He hesitated, looking out of the
window. Then he shrugged his shoul
ders
“I'm tired of those guys.' he re
marked to Craig, with a grin “Guess
I'll stay here for a bit ”
Craig was left alone for a few min
utes. Suddenly Marta glided in and
sat by his 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 are going to board the 8:.J0
train tomorrow morning. The dark
man turned and said to the other:
It he is not on that, we'l! wait till we i
find him. Once we get him in New j
York he s our man ’
A little exclamation of anger broke 1
from Craig's lips. The girl caught at |
his arm.
“Don't go," she bopped. “Don't po. j
There are plenty of places near here
where you can hide, where we could
po together and live quite simply. I'd
work for you. Take me away from
this somewhere over the hills. Don’t
go to Newr 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. Hut
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 must 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 buried
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 shoul
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 pun into this
belt and 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
"I'll get you into the camp quietly."
Long Jon muttered. "You’ll be safer
there for the night. Then you can
make that 8:JO in the morning."
Lenora, with her hcd dragged to
the opening of the tout, greeted the
little party, on their return. eagerly.
Quest at once came and sat by her
side.
"Where's Laura, ’ he 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.
finest smiled
"French has 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,’ Hhe murmured
He held her hand for a moment.
"I think you know," he said.
"As they talked they heard the
coyotes barking in the distance. Pres
ently Laura and the inspector re
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 his feet and
crossed over to the cook wagon. Long
Jim, who was sitting on the steps,
g! need up a little surlily.
“Who’s inside there’” Quest asked
Long Jim removed his pipe from his
teeth.
"That don't sound none too civil a
question for a guest," he remarked,
I "but if you want to know our new
Chinese cookie is there."
Quest nodded.
"Sorry if 1 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 I asked the question was that 1
saw a face in the door there and it
gave me a start. For a moment I
j thought it was Craig back again.’’
"He's gone to New York, or going
j tomorrow morning," Jim replied. "1
| don’t think he's so powerful fond of
your company that he'd come round
acre looking for it.”
Quest strolled off again and glanced
at his watch as he rejoined the little
i group.
“Well," he said, "I think we’ll turn
in. Seven o’clock tomorrow morning,
inspector. Jim's seuding one of the
boys with us and we shall catch the
Eastern Limited at the junction.”
"This open-air life makes me sleepy,"
he confessed.
“To bed, all of us,” Quest concluded,
turning awty.
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
a 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 lid 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 moment was puzzled.
I Then he hurried into the next tent,
' where the professor was sleeping
i peacefully.
“Say, professor, what’s the time by
your watch?” Quest asked, shaking
him gently.
The professor sat up and drew his
chronometer from under his pillow.
“Seven o’clock,” he replied; “five
minutes past, maybe.”
Quest nodded.
“That seems all right,” he declared.
"I’ll explain later, professor."
He hurried out into French’s tent
and found the inspector Just drawing
on his shoes.
“French, what’s the time?" he de
manded.
“Three minutes past sevpn, 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, the boys s«.y.”
They walked outside to the camp
where the cowboys were finishing
their breakfast.
“Say, boss,” one of them called out,
“you're not making that 8:30 train to
New York?"
“Wjiy not?” Quest asked, quickly.
“It's only three-quarters of an hourV
ride, is it?"
“Maybe not,” the other replied, “but
as it’s eight now, your chances ain’t
looking lively. Kind of overslep',
haven't you?”
Both men glanced once more a:
their watches Then Quest thruBt hlr
back with a little oath.
"Our watches have been set back!”
he exclaimed. "The Hands again!”
For a moment they looked at one
another, dumfounded. Then Quest
moved towards the corral.
"Say, is there any quicker way to
the depot?” he inquired of the cow
boys.
They heard his 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.
I reckon I can cut off a mile or two foi
you.”
“Fifty dollars for you, then,” Quest
replied, as they hurried towards the
horses, 'and an extra ten if we make
the 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
sat up in bed with a little exclamation
On the table by her side was a small
black box. She took off the lid 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 had 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 was 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, I will give you a hundred doL
tars. Give them this,’' she added,
holding out the scrap of paper.
The Chinaman shook his head. He
glanced at the slip of paper indiffer
ently and went on with his work.
"No can ride, missee " he said.
Lenora looked around helple.s*Kyv
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," Ije said "Missee no>
can ride. Better go back bed.”
Lenora pushed him on one sdde.
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
“In a Week From Today | Shall Ex
pect You to Report at the Profea
eor’a House.’’
herself In the saddle with effort..
Yet all the time that one sQ>atience was
ringing in her head—‘'Tongues of
flame!” She kept looking around anx
iously. Suddenly the road dropped!
from a little decline. She was con
scious of a wave of heat. In tike dis
tance she could see the smoke roUtngr
across the open. She touche# her*
horse with the quirt. The spot which
she must pass to keep on the track te*
the depot was scarcely a hundredl
yards ahead, but already the Are'
seemed to be running like quicksilver
across the ground, licking up the dry
greasewood with indeed a Harming;
tongue. She glanced once behindl.
warned by the heat. The lire was*
closing in upon her. A puff of smoke*
suddenly enveloped her. She coughed!.
Her head began to swim and a At off
giddiness assailed her. She rocked!
in her saddle and the pony came to a*
sudden standstill, faced by the mass off
rolling smoke and flame.
"Sanford!” I.enora cried. "Save*
me!"
The pony reared She slipped fronts
the saddle and fell across the track.
(TO BE CONTINUED.)