Bemidji Daily Pioneer Newspaper, September 2, 1922, Page 2

SYNOPSIS R 1.—During the helght of the New Orleans carnival season Jachin Fell, Wealthy though somewhat mysterious cit- izen, and Dr. Ansley, are discussing a seriés of robberies by an individual known as the Midnight Masquer, who, invariably attired as an aviator, has long defied the police. Joseph Maillard, wealthy banker, fe giving a ball that night, at Which the Masquer has threatened fo appear and Tob the guests. Fell and Ansley, on their Way to the affair, meet a girl dressed as Columbine, seemingly known to Fell, but masked, Who accompanies them to the b CHAPTER IL—Lucle Ledanols, Tecent- Iy the ward of her uncle, Joseph Mail- lard, s the Columbfne. CHAPTER 11L—In his library Joseph Maillard and a group of friends are held p and robbed by the Midnight Masquer. CHAPTER IV.—Lucle Ledanols, the last of an old family, is in straitened circum- ances. Joseph Maillard’s handling of fer funds has been unfortunate. Fell is an.old friend of her parents and deeply interested In the girl. Henry Gramont really the prince de Gramont, son of French father and an American mother. but who spurns the title of prince, is enamored of Lucie and believes himself & not unfavored suitor. CHAPTER V.—Gramont's chauffeur. Hammond, sergeant _in the American army _in nce, and there known to Gramont, lives with him. He was the original Midnight Masquer, and Gramont, for & partitular purpose, after discover- ing Hammond's activities, assumes the role. .. Where Hammond had been a rob- ber for financial gain, Gramont, of course, 1s mot. He arranges to return the “Joot”” to those whom he has rubbed. The fcwels and money. in fndividual pack- ages, are got ready for delivery next day to their original owners. That night they are stolen from Gramont's auto. CHAPTER VI.—Ben Cacherre, an in- aivigual of unsavory character, appears . to be associated with Jachin Fell He has a peculiar interview with one Mem- phis: Izzy Gumberts, notorius influential crook, in which there is significant refer- ence to a mysterious ““boss.” PTER VIL-Lucle summons Gra- mont to her home and shows him the packages from his auto. He admits he is-the Midaight Masqiler, but convinces her tiat he had no thought of robbery. He refuses, however, to explain his pur- pose. The packages are returned to thefr jcwners. 2 SAPTER VIIL—Tnsc evening_ Fell Gramont. ana Dr. Ansley, at the Krewe of Comus ball, are accosted by an in- toxicated masked individual whom they recoegnize as Bob Maillard. He invites them to a convivial party in a private e “hey refuse, and Gramont leaves the building. Jaseph ‘Malllard seeks his son, fearing public_scandal as a result of Bob's condition. With Fell and Ansley they find the room where the revels are zo'ng on. Entering they discover an in- Bifual aitired as an aviator, In the act of robbing the intoxicated youths. T a struggle that ensues Maillard is shot and killed. The “Masquer” escapes. CHAPTER IX.—Gramont, with Ham- mond, visits Terrebonne, a wild section of the country, to mspect Lucie Ledanols® land, which he believes contains oil. He finds indications of apparently almost un- bellevable quantities of the stuff. While swoping over a pool of water which clearly shows traces of oil on its sur- face, Gramont hears his name spoken. CHAPTER X.—fle cannot szee the akers, but the conversation ends singu- Iarly abruptly. Gramont does not investi- gate, Hammond finds a dead man in some woods and Is charged by Ben Ca- cherrs and two other men_with murder. Gramont can do nothing. The men_take Hammond to the town of Houma. Later Gramont finds a bloodstained knife where he had heard the voices, He then reallzes that, Cacherre. was one of the men talk- ing, and is the murderer. CHAPTER XI—Belleving himself alone, Gramomt Investigates bulldings on the adjoining farm, which he kacws belongs to Memphis Izzy Gumberts. He finis evidence of automobile stealing on a stupendous scale and le=rns from a man Who discovers him and whom he outwits, that the place i3 also the headquarters of the underground lottery game and that Jachin Fell is the mysterious “‘boss.” CHAPTER XIL—Back In the city, Gra- mont learns of the killing of Joseph Mail- lard. He seeks farther evidence against Fell. Gramont, Fell, and Lucte Ledanols form a company to bore for oil on the Le- danols place. Fell tells Gramont he “plant- ed" the evidence of oil there and un- folds a_scheme to make & fortune for the girl. Gramont refuses to be a party to the project. Fell threatens to prove him the murderer of Malllard, which he scems able to do, and Gramont reluctantly agrees to foln him. . CHAPTER XIIL—Gramont realizes he must_act quickly if he is to secure the members of the robber gang. Cacherre brings him a note from Fell, and he stuns and binds the messenger, findin his. pocket evidence he believes of value. Leaving Cacherre bound. Gramont sets out for Terrebonne, knowing that Mem- phis Tzzy Gumberts is to be there tha’ afternoon The coroner’s jury had already ad- Judged Hammond guilty of the mur- der. Returning to the car, Gramont had Ben Chacherre drive to a restaun- rant, where they got a bite to eat. Twenty minutes later they were on their way to' New Orleans—and Gra- mont learned for the first time of Jo- seph Maillard’s murder by the Mid- night Masquer, and of the arrest of Bob. Maillard for the crime. <CMHAPTER Xl The Ultimatum. Upon the following morning Gra- mont called both Jachin Fell and Lucie Ledanois over the telephone. He ac- quainted them briefly with the result of his oll investigation, and arranged a meeting for ten o'clock, at Fell's of- fice. . It was slightly before ten when Gra- mont called with the car for Lucle. Under-thé spell of her smiling eager- ness, the harshness vanished from his face; ‘it returned again a moment la- ter. for he saw that she, too, was changed. There was above them both a cloud. That of Gramont was secret and brooding. As for Lucle, she was in mourning. The murder of Joseph Maillard, the arrest and undoubted guilt of Bob Maillard, dwarfed all else in her mind, Even the news of the ofl seepage, and the fact that she was probably now on the road to wealth, appeared. , to .make little impression upon her. wThank heaven,” she said, earnestly, as they drove toward Canal street, “that so far as you are concerned, Henry, the Midnight Masquer affair was all cleared up before this tragedy took place! It was fearfully impru- dent of you—" “Yes,” answered Gramont, soberly, * reading her thought. “I can realize my own folly now. If this affair were to be laid at my door, some kind of a case might be made up against me, and it would seem plausible. But, fortunately, I was out of jt in time. Were - we merely characters in I'd be arrested and deluged with sus- pense and clues and so forth.” “Your escape was too narrow to joke over, Henry,” she reproved him, gravely. . “I'm not joking, my dear Lucie. I learned nothing about the tragedy un- til late last night. From what I can find in the papers, it seems agreed that Bob was Dot the real Masquer, but had assumed that guise for a joke. A rragic joke! Since he w. undoubt- = standardized detective story, I suppose | be relied upon a§ very convincing. | Ana yet, it's frightthi!ly hard to believe that, even by accidint, a son should have shot down his ,own father—* “pon’t!” Lucie wii iced a little. “In spite of all the evidence against him, in spite of the way ¥.e was found with that aviation uniforin, it's still awful to belleve. I cau't realize that it has actually happendd.” 1 “According to thel papers, poor Mrs. Malllard Has gone ta pleces. No won- der.” i “Yes. I was therd with her all day vesterday, and shall. go again today. They say Bob is teryribly broken up. | He sent for his ‘mother, and she re- fused to see him. I do\n’t know how it 3 is all going to end! D& you think his story might be true—that somebody else might bave acted as) the Masquer that night?” Gramont shook his head.; “It's possible,” he said, ‘Teluctantly, | “yet it hardly seems very probable. | And now, Lucie, I'm very isorry indeed to say it—but you must prepare your- self against another shockyin the near future.” “What do you mean? oll—" “No. It's too long a story to tell Fou now; here we are at’'the Maison Blanche. Just remember .my words, please. It's something that'I can’t go into now.” “Very well, Henry! Do you think that it’s possible your chauffeur, Ham- mond, could have learned about the drinking party, and could have—" Gramont started. “Hammond? No. I'll answer for him beyond any ques- tion, Lucie. By the way, does Fell know anything about Hammond hav- ! ing been the first Masquer?” “Not from me,” said the girl, watch- ing him. “Very well. Hammond got into a bit of trouble at Houma, and I had to leave him there. It was none of his fault, and he'll get out of it all right. Well, come along up to our oil meet- | ing! Forget your troubles, and don’t | let my croakings sbout a new shock | cause you any worry just yet. i | He was thinking of Jachin Fell, and i | | | | { About the the girl's closeness to Fell. Had he not known that Fell was responsible | for Hammond's being in jail, he might ; | have felt differently. As it was, he | | was now -forewarned and forearmed, | although he could not see what ani- | mus Fell could possibly have against | | Hammond. i It was lucky, he reflected grimly, that he had pever hreathed to g soul "THE BEWIDJI DAILY PIONEER o s oy except Lucie the fac had been the first’ Masquer! | ! Hrid Fell moud by the heels might have- been easily fulfiled—and Hammond would with Maillard’s murder. They found Jachin Fell dictating to | a stenographer. He greeted ' them iwnrmly, ushering them at once into | his private office. Gramont found it difficult @n . con- | vince himself that his experiences of | the previous afterncon had been real. | It was almost impossible to believe | that this shy, apolegetic liitlé man in gray was in reality the “man higher i up!” Yet he knew it to be the case— | knew it beyand any escape. i “By the way,” and Fell tuined to | Gramont, “if yowll dictate a brief | statement concerning that oil seepage, | T'd be obliged! Merely give thy facts. I may have need of such a statement ! from you.” 5 | Gramont nodded and Jjoined the | stenographer in the outier office, where ; he dictated a brief statement. It did ! not occur to him that there might be danger in this; at the moment, he was rather off his guard. He was thinking so much about his future assault on Fell that he quite ignorel the possl- i bility of being placed “on the de- | fensive. { Within five minutes he had returned | to Lucie’ and Jachin Fell, who were | discussing the condition of Mrs. Mail- | lard. Gramont signed the statement E and handed it to Fell, who 'laid it with | other papers at his elbow. “I_suppose we may procead to busi- ness?’ began Fell. “I have drawn up articles of partnership; we can apply for incorporation later if we so desire. Lucle, both Henry Gramont and I are putting twenty-five thowsand dollars into this company, while you are put- ting in your land, which I am valuing at an equal amount. 'The stock, there- fore, will be ‘divided equally among us. That is understood?” “Yes. It's very good of you, Uncle Jachin,” sald the girl, quietly. “I'll leave everything to your judgment.” The little gray man smiled. “Judgment i8 a poor horse to ride. Here's everything in black and white. I suggest that you both glance over | the articles, sign up, ard we will then hold our first meeting.” Gramont and Lucie read over the partnership agreement, and found it perfectly correct. H “Very well, then, the meeting lxlt known this fact, his desire to lay Ham- | probably have found himself cliarged SA‘I‘URDAj EVENING, SEPTEMBER 2;°1922 41 Nominate Jachin Fell for Presi. . dent,” Said Gramont Quickly. called to order!™ Jachin Fell smiled as he rapped on the desk before him. “Election of officers—no, wait! The first thing oo hand is to give our com- pany a name. Suggestions?” “I was thinking of that last night,” said Lucle, smiling a little. *“Why not call it the ‘American Prince Oil com- pany’?” And her eyes darted to Gra- mont merrily. “Excellenst!” exclaimed Jachin Fell. “My vote falls with yours, my dear— Tl fill in the blanks with that name. Now to the election of officers.” “I nominate Jachin Fell-for presi- dent,” said Gramont, quickly. “Seconded!” exclaimed the girl, ‘ gayly, a little color in her pale cheeks. “Any other nominations? If not, so approved and ordered,” rattled Fell, laughingly. “For the office of treas- urer—" “Miss Lucle Ledanois!” said Gra- mont.. “Move nominations be closed.” “Seconded and carried by a two- thirds vote of stockholders,” chirped Fell in his toneless voice. “So ap- proved and ordered. For secretary—" “Our third stockholder,” put in Lu- cie. “He’ll_have to be an officer, ®f course !” - «Continned in Next jssze: ship at 10.30. Mesage, “The Church and the Present ST. PHILIP'S Low Mass at 7 o’clock. High Mass at 10 oclock. Baptisms at 20! Vespers and Benediction at 8. —Rev."J. Fraling. ‘FIRST LUTHERAN English services at 10:30 a. m. Wilton at 2:30 p. m.. Fair committee will meet Tuesday | evening in chureh parlors at 8 p. m. Confirmation class to be organized Saturday Septemuer 9th at 1 o’clock iin the church. J. C. Jerdee, pastor. ST. BARTHOLOMEW’S Services on Sunday morning at 11 o’clock. Sunday school will open after the putlic schools begin., William Elliott, rector. ST. PAUL’S EVANGELICAL The services for: Sunday September 3, will be conducted in the English language. Text: Mark 7:31, “Jesus Cures Spiritual Deafness as Well as Physical Deafness;’ Sunday school at 10 a. m. Morning worship at 11 a. m. Y. P\L. at 7 p. m Doors oven to all. H W Radloff, pastor. METHODIST EPISCOPAL Pastor preaches at morning wor- Subject: A Labor Day Industrial Situation.” Sunday school at 12 noon. Epwerth League at 1 p. m. - Evening. worship and sermon by pastor at 8 o’clock. Miss Carrie Brown will sing a solo at the morning service, Bemidji ) P Fools This poster is in theatre lobbies everywhere- Go in wherever you see it. o ceone ‘S5thAnnu At all these theatres, ELKO Theatre BEMIDJI ey P DEMILLE Paradise 4 S ———— 5 ——— i - . joins in the national demonstration of the better motion pictures the Better Once more the whole nation reviews and celebrates the of Paramount Pictures. For the fifth time, annually, thousands of America’s finest theatres devote an entire week’s program exclusively to Paramount Pictures! Once more the efforts of Famous Players-Lasky Corporation, with its foremost stars, its greatest directors, pany, and its record of almost unbroken success, stimulus of a nation-wide endorsement! The signs are up at your theatre! The latest and greatest and most thrilling Patamount Pictures are there ! Pics willibe-shown GRAND Theatre its Milton Sills Elsie Ferguson"‘SACREfl Douglas VMcLean all this week—Paramounir. Broadway Theatre CLEARBROOK, MINN. ADOLPH ZUKOR, President NEW YORK CITY I Theatres brilliant aiid unique stock com- receive the gratifying (3% Vi BEHOLD MY WIFE” & PROFANE LOVE” “HOME STRETCH” # |IIIIIIIIIlI|lIIQIIIlIIIl‘iiIIIIIIIIII"IIIII"HIIlIlII ua Celebrating Better Pictures at all year’s great progress Anthem by the shoir in the even- ing. g G.. H. Zentz, pastor. ‘Church Services Sunday school followed by Bene-!; . 1o el ;diction of the Blessed Sacrament at | 10 ak;10:80 ¢clack, i | 11:30. ek TRINITY EV. LUTHERAN (Beltrami at Thirteenth) German services on Sunday morn- Sermori. on Luke 9, 1-18: “Erkennet Die Zeit Der Heimsuchung.” English- services on Sunday even- ing at 8 o’clock. Sermoh on “The Sins of the Tongue.”’ Frchu: English services afternoon at 2:45 o’clock. Sundey school at 1:45 o'clock. HAl cordial invitation extended to all. dn Sunday E., W. Frenk, pastor. NYMORE LUTHERAN FREE Sunday school, September. 3 at 10 o’clock. Communion services at 11. Services in the evening at 8 o‘clock. Prayer meeting Wednesday at B. M. Merseth’s home., Rev. Mortenson. CHRISTIAN - SCIENCE Services will be held in the Battles building, room 24, over the J. C. Penney Co. store at 11 o’clock. Sun- day school at 9.45. s BETHEL LUTHERAN Sunday school will be held at 9:45. Swedish services at 11 a. m. English services at 8 p. m. Regular mid-week prayer service ‘Wednesday evening at 8. . All are welcome. 5 T. B. Nordale, pastor. BAPTIST 10:00—Sunday school. 11:00—Morning worship; subject, “Luke warmness.” 7.00—Young People’s meeting. 8:00—Evening service, subject “The Harmony of the Scriptures and their Inspiration.” . 8:00—Thursday evening prayer meeting. Geo. W, Kehoe, pastor.. | s ’ BEMIDJI AGNES AYERS | | ROERLAND | is banner is on theatres everywhere- Go in wherever you seeif.’ * =] b ESRPRREETNE e