The evening world. Newspaper, May 31, 1916, Page 17

GYNOPSIS OF PRECEDING CHAPTERS. Gisguises, Prince Fiorisel of Bo- ils confant and Master of Horee, i [ i i 4 te “youth proposes that they join the Suicide Club, ‘The Prince iw determined to see the end of the President, « middie aged man of crafty ap- pprereuce, Alter. some parieying the visitors are "excepted and subscribe to a orm of vats, Then they are Jed into the smoking rovin, where they “flad cistern meu smoking, sud drinking cham Pague, All of them are discussing suiciue, The Usionel, Who has taken the uase of Mauauer- empith, engages iu couversation a glastly looking individual, This human wreck is Mr, Maichus, lauding, For two jears ue ‘AU tie inembers pass info + where aed the ace of clubs designates the meiber “ia howe lands the fate of the victim is left, Mr, turus up the fatal card, ‘The young mpu Of the cream tarts tinds himself with the ace of dubs, wich marks lum as the executioner, The flext ‘morning M'riuce Flurizel aud Col, Geraldine Yead im a uewspaper of the death of Mr, Mal- ‘thud, who, it is stated, fell from the upper pare- jot in ‘Trafalgar Square while on ais way oome fit & party, A trieud, it appeared, was looking for @ cab at the time of the “accent,” ‘he + Pringe:is borritied, but Le determines wy return to = tae Suicide Club and interest luumeelf im tue tos “uunew of the young man Who Was compelled to tov, that he wjll unt the Wresideut of the club, satin fied that the man is a moumirel, Un lis sevud Visit the Lrince is dealt the ace of spades, He fe° instructed to walk along the Strand until be meow ie member who is w kill hum, At the comer of Hox Court, owever, Vrince Florisel is younced upon by three meu aud thrust into. a carriage, He then realizes that be bay beeen ree upd by the Colguel, Geraldine requeste that his golfuger brother be permitted to fight a duel with Preideut, aud the Irince reluctautly bon- * pedts, Meanwhile. the vince breaks up the Sul- cide Club, “The History of the’Physician and the Sera. togs /xumk" forme tho: eegunds part of the tale, Silas Q. Scuddamorw ds a young Ameri fo tho Latin Quarter of i WB best rom to lus in @ hotel ie a mysterious (4 n known as Mme a tuon Bilas is handed a fetfer tn fomiuine hand- SME Weiting inviting him toa etrdenta’ ball at LL O'clock that night, He keeps the appointment, The History of the Physician and the Saratoga Trunk. (Contiaued) KNOW the lad too well to interfere," replied Col, Geraldine, “and well enough not to be alarmed, He is more cautious than you funcy, and of an indomitable “spirit, If it had been a woman 1 should not say so much, but 1 trust the'president to him and the two valets without an instant's appre- hension,.” “fam gratified to hear you say 60," “fMplied the prince; “but my mind is not at rest. These servants are well- trained spies, and already has not this miscreant succeeded three times in eluding their observation and spending several hours on end in pri- “ate, and most likely, dangerous af- faire? An amateur might have lost Shim by accident, but if Rudolph and Jerome were-thrown off the scent, tt mustehave been on purpose, and by a man who had a cogent reason and exceptional resources.” ese belteve the question is now one between my brother and myself,” re- *'Plled Geraldine, with a shade of of- dense in his tone, sw4 permit. it to be so, Col. Geral- returned Prince Florizel, “Per- hips for that 'y reason, you should «be all the more ready to accept my equnsels, But enough, That girl in ‘Yellow dances well And the talk veered into the ordi- nary topics of a Paris ball-room in Sisthe Carnival. N .A Mysterious Woman. ILAS* remembered where ‘he as, and that the hour was ly near at hand when he ought to be upon the scene of his assignation. more he reflected the less he d the prospect, and as at that nent an eddy in the crowd began 9 draw him in the direction o! the oor, he suffered it to carry him way without resistance, The eddy stranded him in a corner under the gallery, where his ear was immedi- ately struck with the voice ef Mee, Zephyrine. She was speaking in French with the young man of the blond locks who had been pointed out by the strange Britisher not half an hour before, “I have a c cter at stake," she faid, “or 1 would put no other con- dition than my heart recommends, But you have only to say so much to the porter and he will let you go by without a word.” “But why this talk of debt?" ob- Jected her companion, “Heavens!” said she, “do you think Ido\ ‘t understand my own hotel?” And she went by clinging affec- NANNONIONNHNY NRNNNOOOHNO SZ THE SUICIDE CLUB! NEW ARABIAN NIGHTS TALE QF MYSTERY AND ADVENTURE By ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON . outmanoeuvred his mystifiers. tlonately to her companton’s arm. ‘This put Silas in mind of his billet. ‘Ten minutes hence,” thought he, “and I may be walking with as beau- tiful a woman as that and even bet- ter dressed—perhaps a real lady, pos- sibly a woman of title.” And then he remembered the spell- ing and was a little downcast. “But it may have been written by her maid,” he imagined, The clock was only a few minutes from the hour, and this immediate Proximity set his heart beating at a curious and rather disagreeable speed He reflected with relief that he wa im no way bound to put tn an appear- ance, Virtue and cowardice were to- gether, and he made once more for the door, but this time of his own accord and battling against the stream of people which was now moving in a contrary direetion. Per- haps this prolonged resistance wear- led him, or perhaps he was in that frame of mind when merely to con- tinue in the same direction for a cer- tain number of minutes produces a reaction and a different purpose, Cer- tainly, at least, he wheeled about for a third time, and did not stop until he had found a place of concealment within a few yards of the appointed place. Here he went through an agony of spirit, in which he several times prayed to God for help, for Silas had been devoutly educated. He had now not the least inclination for the meet- ing; nothing kept him from flight but a silly fear lest he should be thought unmanly, but this was so powerful that it kept head against all other motiv: and although it could not decide him to advance, pre- vented him from definitely running away. At last the clock indicated ten minutes past the hour, Young Scuddamore's spirit began to rise; he peered round the corner and saw no one at the place of meeting; doubtless hig unknown correspondent had wearied and gone away. He be- came as bold as he had formerly been timid. It seemed to him that if he came at all to the appointment, however late, he was clear from the charge of cowardice. Nay, now he began to suspect a hoax, and actually complimented himself on his shrewd- ness in having suspected and out So very idle a thing is a boy's mind! Armed with these reflections, he ad- vanced boldly from his corner, but he had not taken above a couple of steps before a hand was laid upon his arm. He turned and beheld a lady cast in a very large mold and with somewhat stately features, but bearing no mark of severity in her looks. “L see that you are a very self- confident lady Killer,” said she; “for you make yourself expected, But I was determined to meet you. When a woman has once so far forgotten herself as to make the first advance, she has long ago left behind her all considerations of petty pride.” Silas was overwhelmed by the size and attractions of his correspondent and the suddenness with which she had fallen upon him, But she soon set him at his ease. She was very towardly and lenient in her behavior; she led him on to make pleasantries, and then applauded him to the echo. and in a very short time, between blandishinents and a liberal exhibi- tion of warm brandy, she had not only induced him to fancy himself in love, but to declare his passion with the greatest vehemence. “Alas!” she said; “I do not know whether I ought not to deplore thir moment, great as Is the pleasure you give me by your words. Hitherto I was alone to suffer; now, poor boy there will be two, lam not my own mistress, I dare not ask you to visit me at my own house, for I am watched by jealous eyes. Let me see,” she added; “I am older than you, although so much weaker; and while I trust jin your courage and rmination, I must employ my of the world for our mutual benefit, Where do you live?” He told her that be lodged in a furnished hotel, and named the street and number, Sho seemed to reflect for some min- own knowledge utes, with an effort of mind, “I see," she said at last, “You will be faithful and obedient, will you not?" las assured her of his fidelity. “To-morrow, then,” she continued, with an encouraging smile, you must remain at home all the eve- ning, and if any friends should visit you, dismiss them at once on any pre- text that most readily presents it- self. Your door is probably shut by 7” she asked, 3y 11," answered Silas “At uw quarter-past 11," pursued the lady, “leave the house, Merely ery for ‘he door to be opened, and be sure you fall into no talk with the porter, as that might ruin everythin Go straight to the corner where the Luxembourg Gardens join the Boule. yard; there you will find me waiting you, I trust you to follow my advice from point to point, and remember if you fail me in only one particular you will bring the sharpest trouble on 4 Woman whose only fault is to have seen and loved you,” Can You WHO TELL WHAT'S | HAD ONE NEAR NE THose Movie FANS To HAPPEN BECAUSE THey SAw THE PLAY BEForRE OUGHT T BE SHOT, EVENINGr ANO HE SPoiLep THE WHOLE SHow For He Beat It? GOING Last mt epeerttre - rote t 2. fork.) a oeeemaieementl Al By Maurice Ketten en you hadn't. If you YOU'D BE LIKE You'll have to read future ts there left for me except the THINK | ETc Etc LET'S Go IN THERE , | DON'T SAw THAT PHOTO PLAY BEFORE | REMEMBER Now \ SAW THOSE PICTURES BEFORE, THE nig IS NOT NILLED HEIs ONLY BLUFFING ~ HEIS Goin To GETUP AND STEAL THe an WHO 1S A Boy W DISG No a ed EVER GiRe UISé LET'S Buy THE WHOLE House | DON'T WANT ANYBopy NEAR NE TO SPOIL THE SHOW CAN_YOu BEAT IT | “I cannot see the use of all these instructions,” suid Silas, “I believe you are already beginning to treat me a, a master,” she cried, tapping him with her fan upon the arm, “Patience, patience! that should come in time, A woman loves to be obeyed at first, although afterward sho finds her pleasure In obeying. Do as I ask you, for Heaven's sake, or I will answer for nothing, Indeed, now I think of it.” she added, with the manner cf one who has just seen further into a difficulty, “I find a better plan of keeping importunate visitors away. Tell the porter to ad- mit no one for you except @ person who may coiwe that night to claim a debt; und speak with some feeling, as though you feared the interview, so that he may take your words in earnest.” “I think you may trust me to pro- tect myself against intruders,” he said, not without a little pique. “That is if I should prefer the thing arranged,” she answered coldly. “I know you men; you think nothing of @ woman's reputation,” Silas blushed and somewhat hung his head; for the scheme he had in view involved a little vainglorying before his acquaintances, “Above all, added, “do not speak to the porter as you come out.” “And why?" said he, “Of all your instructions that seems to me the least important." “You at first doubted the wisdom of some of the others, which you now she see to be very necessary,” she re- plied, “Believe me, this also has its uses; in time you will see them, and what am I to think of your affection if you refuse me such trifles at our first interview?” Silas confounded himself in ex- plunations and apotogi in the mid- dle of th she looked up at the clock and clapped her hands together with a suppressed scream, "Heavens!" she cried, “is it so late? I have not an instant to lose. Alas, we poor women, what slaves we are! What have L not risked for you al- ready?" After repeating her directions, which she artfully combined with caresses and the most abandoned she bade farewell and disap- peared among the crowd, Silas Made a Dupe. HE whole of the next day i Silas was filled with a sense of great importance; J he was now sure she was “& countess, and when eve- ning came he minutely obeyed her orders and was at the corner of the Luxembourg Gardens by the hour appointed, No one was there, He waited nearly half an hour, looking in the faces of every one who passed or loltered near the spot; he even visited the neighboring corners of > the Boulevard and made a complete cireult of the garden railings; but there wi no beautiful countess to throw herself into his arms. At last, and most reluctantly, he began to retrace his steps toward his hotel, On the way he remembered the words he had heard pass between Zephyrine and the blond young man, and they gave him an indefinite uneasi- ness “It appears," he reflected, “that every one has to tell les to our por- ter.” He rang the bell, the door opened before him, and the porter in his bed- clothes came to offer him a light. “Has he gone?” inquired the por- ter. “He? Whom do you me asked 8 somewhat sharply, for he was irritated by his disappointment, “I did not notice him go out,” con- tinued the porter, “but I trust you paid him. We do not care, in this house, to have lodgers wso cannot meet their llabilities.” “What the devil do you mean?” demanded Silas, rudely, “I cannot understand a word of this farrago.” 4s “The short blond young man who came for his debt," returned the other, “He it is, L: mean, Who else should it be, when T had your orders to admit no one ¢ al “Why, good Goud, of course he neve came,” retorted Silas, ‘T believe what I believe,” returned the porter, putting his tongue into k with a most roguish air, an insolent scoundrel,” Jas, and feeling that had made a ridic pus exhibition of as perity, and at the same time be wil ed by a doze larms, he turned and began to run upstairs, “Do you not want a light then?" cried the porter. But Silas only hurried the faster, and did not pause until he had reached the seventh landing and stood in front of his own door, There he waited @ moment to recover bh breath, assailed by the worst fore bodings and almost dreading to enter When at last he did so he was relieved to find it dark, and, to ail rance, untenanted. He dr s breath, Here he was, home Vin in safety, and this should be his last folly as certainly as tt had been his first. The matches » on a Uttle table by the bed, and he besan to grope his way in ta rection, As he moved, his appre hensions grew upon him once more and he was pleased, when his foot neountered an obstacle, to find it nothing more alarming than @ ir. At last he touched curtains, From the Position of the window, which was faintly visible, he knew he 1 be at the foot of the bed, and had only to fect way al reach the table in question, He lowered his hand, but what It touched was not simply a counter pane—it was a counterpane with something underneath {t like the out- line of @ human leg. Silas withdrew his arm and stood a moment petrified, “What—wh he thought, “can this betoken? He listened intently, but there was no sound of breathing Once more, with a great effort, he reached out the end of his finger to the spot he had already touched; but this time he leaped back half a yard, and stood shivering and fixed with terror, There was something in his bed. What it was he knew not, but there was some- thing there, It was some seconds before he could move. Then, guided by an instinct, he fell straight upon the matches, and, keeping his back toward the bed, lighted a candle, As soon as the flame had kindled he turned slowly round and looked for what he feared to see, Sure enough, there was the worst of his imaginations realized, The coverlet was drawn carefully up over the pillow, but tt moulded the outline of a human body lying mo- tionless, and when he dashed for- we and flung aside the sheets he beheld the blond young man whom he had seen in the Bullier ball the night before, his eyes open and with out speculation, his face swollen and blackened and a thin stream of blood trickling from his nostrils, Silas uttered a long, tremulous wail, dropped the candle and fell on his knees beside the hed, Silas was awakened from the stupor into which his terrible discovery had plunged him by a prolonged but discreet tap- ping at the door. It took him some seconds to remember his position, and when he hastened to prevent any one from entering it was already too late, Dr, Noel, in a tall nightcap, carrying a lamp which lighted up his long white countenance, sidling in his gait, and peering and cocking Ms head like some sort of bird, pushed the owly open, an vanced to the middle of the room, “L thought [L heard a cry,” began the doc “and fearing you might be unwell 1 did not hesitate to offer this intrusion," Silas, with a flushed face and @ beating heart, kept between and the bed, but he found to answer, ou © in the dark,” pursued the doctor, “and yet you have not even begun to prepare for rest. You will not easily persuade me against my nd your face declares lost eloquently that you require either a friend or a physician--which is it to be? Let me feel your pulse, for that is often @ just reporter of the heart.” He advanced to Silas, who still re t before him) backward, and Svugst to take him by the wrist, but the strain on the young American's nerves had become too great for en- durance, He avoided the doctor with a febrile movement, and, throwing himself upon the floor, burst into a flood of weeping. Dr. Noel Offers Help. S$ soon as Dr. Noel perceived the dead man in the bed his face darkened, and hurrying back to the door which he had left ajar he ‘hastily closed and double looked it, “Up!" he cried, addressing Silas in strident tones, “this is no time for weeping. What have you done? How came this body in your room? Speak freely to one who may be helpful. Do you imagine I would ruin you? Do you think this piece of dead flesh ‘on your pillow can alter in any degree the sympathy with which you have inspired me? Credulous youth, the horror with which blind and unjust law regards an action never attaches to the doer in the @: of those who love him, and if I saw the friend of my heart return to me out of seas of blood he would be in no way changed in my affection, Raise yourself,” he said, “good and ill are @ chimera; there is naught in Iife except destiny, and however you may be circum- stanced there is one at your side who will help you to the las! Thus encouraged Silas gathered himself together and in a broken voice, and helped out by the doctor's interrogations, contrived at last to put him in poss jon of the facts. But the conversation between the prince and Geraldine he altogether omitted, as he had understood little of its purport, and had no idea that it was in any way related to his own misadventure, “Alas!” cried Dr. Noel, “Iam much abused, or you have fallen innocently into the most dangerous hands in Europe. Poor boy, what a pit has been dug for your simplicity! into vhat deadly peril have your unwary feet been conducted! ‘This man,” he said, “this Englishman, whom you twice saw, and whom I suspect to be the soul of contrivance, ean you describe him? Was he young or old? tall or short?" But Silas, who, for all his curtosity, had not @ seeing eye in his head, was able to supply nothing but meagre generalities, which it was impossible to recogni “L would have it a piece of educa- tion in all schools!" eried the doctor, angrily, “Where is the use of eye- sight and articulate speech if a man cannot observe and recollect the fea- tures of his enemy? 1, who know all the gangs of Hurope, might have identified him, and gained new wea- pons for your defense, Cultivate this art in future, my poor boy; you moy find it of momentounss service,” ‘The future!" repeated Silas. "Whut returned the doctor, own troubles look blacker than they are. I am old, and yet I never des- gallows?” “Youth is but a cowardly seasdn,” “and @ man’ pair,” “Can T tell such a story to the po- lice?" demanded Silas. “Assuredly not,” replied the doctor, “from what I see already of the ma- chination Ja which you have been in- volved, your case is desperate upon that alde, and for the narrow eye of the authorities you are infallibly the guilty person. And remember that we only know a portion of the plot, and the same infamous contrivers have doubtless arranged many other circumstances which would be elicited by a police Inquiry, and help to fix the guilt more certainly upon your innocence. “Tam then lost indeed!” cried Silas, “T have not said so,” answered Dr. objected Silas, pointing to the body. “Here ts this object in my bed; not to be explained, Rot to be disposed of, not to be re- garded without horror.” Horror?” replied the doctor. 0. When this sort of clock has run down, it 1s no more to me than an Ingenious plece of mechanism, to be investigated withthe bistoury. When blood is once cold and stagnant it is no longer human blood; when flesh is once dead it ia no longer the flesh which we de- sire mm our lovers, and respect in our friends. The grace, the attraction, the terror, have ail goné from it with the animating spirit. Accustom youte self to look upon it with composure, for if my scheme js practicable you will have to live some days in con- stant proximity to that which now so greatly horrifies you.” e “Your scheane?” cried Silas, “What is that? Tell me speedily, doctor, tor I have scarcely courage enough to ontinus to exist.” x Without replying, Dr, Noel turned toward the bed and proceeded to ex- amine the corpse. e “Quite dead.” he murmured. “Yes, [had supposed, the pockets empty, Yes, and the name cut off the ahirt. Their work has been done thoroughly Fortunately he is of small Silas followed these words with an extreme anxicty, At last the doctor, his autopsy completed, took a chair and addressed the young American with a smile. “since 1 came into your room," sald he, “although my ears and my tongue have been so busy, I have not suffered my eyes tg remain idle, I noted a little while ago that you have there in the corner one of those mon- strous constructions which your fel- low countrymen carry with them into all quarters of the globe—Iin a word, a Saratoga trunk, Until this moment 1 have never been able to conceive the utility of these erections; but then I began to have a glimmer. Whether it was for convenience in the slave trade, or tu obviate the results ot too ready an employment of the bowie knife. I cannot bring myself to decide, But one thing I plainly —the object of such a box ts to con- tain a human body. “surely,” erled Sil not a time for jesting.’ “Although I may express myself with gome degree of pleasantry,” re- plied the doctor, “the purport of my words is entirely serious, And the first thing we have to do, my young friend, {s to empty your coffer of all that it contains.” Silas obeying the authority of Dr, vel, put himself at his disposition, The Saratoga trunk was soon gutted of its contents, which made a con- srable Hitter on the floor, and then jlas taking the heels and the doc: supporting the shoulders—the man was car- ‘surely this ts tor body of the murde ried from the bed, and after some difficulty, doubled up and inserted whole into the empty box, With an effort on the part of both, the Ha was forced down upon this unusual bareage, and the trunk was locked and corded by the doctor's own hand, while Stlas disposed of what had been taken out between the closet and a chest of drawers “Now,” said the doctor, ‘the first step has been taken on the way to your deliverance. To-morrow, or rather to-day, it must be your task to allay the suspicions of your por- paying him all that you owe, while you may trust me to make the ter, arrangements necessary to a safe conclusion, Meantime, follow me to my room, where I shall give you @ safe and powerful opiate, for, what r you do, you must have rest.” Phe next day was the longest in Silas's memory; it seemed as if tt would never be done, He denied him- self his friends, and sat in a corner with his eyes fixed upon the Saratoga n disinal contempla His former indiseretions were now ‘eturned upon him in kinds tion, If you thought you'd killed a robbery, but found yourself accused of it — } “THE IRON RIDER”; By FRANK L. PACKARD NEXT WEEK'S COMPLETE NOVEL IN THE EVENING WORLD to learn how a beautiful Russian girl helped him to establish his innocence Li man, but found hadn't committed a f k THE HERO OF this stirring story for the observatory had once more opened, and he was conscious of an almost continual study from Mme. Zephyrine's apartment. So distress- ing did this become that he was at last obliged to block up the epy- hole from his own side, and when be was thus secured from observation he spent @ considerable portion of his time in contrite tears and prayer. Late in the evening Dr. Noel en~ tered the room carrying in his hand @ pair of sealed envelopes without address, one somewhat bulky, and the other #0 slim as to seem without en- closure, A Plan of Escape. 66 TLAS,” he said, seating himself at the table, “s time has now come for me to ex- plain my plan for your salvation, To-morrow morning, at an early hour, Prince Florisel of Bohemia returns to London, after having diverted himself for a few days with the Parisian Carnival. It was my fortune, a good while ago, to do Col. Geraldine, his Master of the Horse, one of those services so common in my profession, which are never forgotten upon either side. I have no need to explain to you the nature of the obligation under which he was laid; suffice it to say that I know him ready to serve me in any practicable manne! Now, it was necessary for you to gain London with your trunk unopened. To this the custom house seemed to oppose a fatal diMculty; but I bethought mo that the baggage of so considerable & person as the prince is, as a matter of courtesy, passed without examina- tion by the officers of customs. I ap- plied to Col. Geraldine, and suc- ceeded in obtaining a favorable an- swer, To-morrow, if you go before 6 to the hotel where the prince lodges, your baggage will be passed over as @ part of his, and you yourself will make the journey as a member of his suite.” “Tt seems to me, as you speak, that 1 have already seen both the prince and Col. Geraldine; I even overheard some of thelr conversation the other evening at the Bullier ball.” “It is probable enough, for the prince loves to mix with all socteties,” replied the doctor, “Once arrived in London," he pursued, “your task is nearly ended. In this more bulky envelope I have given you a letter which I dare not address; but in the other you will find the destination of the house to which you must carry it along with your box, which will there be taken from you and not trouble you any more.” “Alas!” said Silas, “I have every wish to believe you, but how ts tt powsible? You open up to me a bright prospect, but I ask you, is my mind capable of recetving #0 unlikely @ solution? Be more generous and Jet me further understand your mean- Any The doctor seemed painfully tm- pressed, “Boy,” he answered, “you do not know how hard a thing you ask of me, But be it so, I am now inured to humillation, and it would be strange if 1 refused you this, after having granted you so much. Know, then, that, although I now mako so quiet an appearance—frugal, solitary, addicted to study—when I was younger, my ng cry among the most astute and dangerous spirits of London, and while I was out. wardly an object for respect and con. sideration, my true power resided in the most secret, terrible and criminal relations, It is to one of the pergons who then obeyed me that I now ad- dress myself to deliver you from your burden, They were men of many different nations and dexterities, all bound together by a formidable oath, and working to the same purposes; the trade of the association was in murder, and I who speak to you, in- nocent as I appear, was the chieftain oft oubtable crew.” “What?” cried Silas, “A murderer? And one with whom murder was @ trade? Can I take your hand? Ought I so much as accept your services? Dark and eriminal old man, would you make an accomplice of my youth and my distress?" The doctor laughed bitterly, “You are diffcult to please, Mr, Scuddamore," said he; “but I now offer you your choice of company between the murdered man and the murderer, If your conscience ts teo nice to accept my ald, say so, and I will immdiately leave you, forward you can deal with your trunk and its belongings as best suits your upright conscience (Ty Be Coutinued) Thence- , —