Dayton tribune., January 21, 1926, Image 2

BLACK QANQ
3y CYRIL McNEItE
SAPPER.
AN OWL HOOTS
SYNOPSIS.—To a gathering of
anarchists in Harking. London
suburb. Zaboleff. foreign agita­
tor. tells of the operations of a
body of men who have become a
menace to their activities.
He
Copyright by QEOKQE H. DORAN CO.
B). N U Servi.»
the door, terrified out of Ids wits by
the lock of diabolical fury In the
Three or four
hunchback's
clerks, who had lavn surreptitiously
peeping through the open door, melted
rapidly away, while from hi* chair
Mr. Latter watched the seen»“ fasci­
nated. He was reminded of a bird
and a suake, ami suddenly he gave
a little shudder ns lie realize«! that Ills
own position was in reality much the
same
that of the unfortunate
Cohen.
And then Just ns the tension was
becoming unbearable there enme the
Interruption. Outside In the passage,
clear and distinct, there sound»*! twice
Latter
the hoot of an owl.
It meant nothing; to the frightened
little Jew It uieiuit nothing; but on
the count the effect was electrical.
With a quickness Incredible in one
so deformed he wns nt the door, nnd
Into the |uissnge. hurl ng Cohen ent
of his way into a corner. Ills power­
ful fists were clenched by his aide: ।
the veins in his neck were standing
out like whipcord. But to Mr. Lat- i
ter’s surprise he made no movement,
and rising from his chair he too peere»! I
round the door along the passage,
only to stagger back after a secon»!
or two with a feeling of sick fenr
In his soul, and a sudden dryness in J
the throat. For twenty yards away,
framed In the doorway nt the head
of the stairs leading down to the office
below, he had seen a huge, motionless
figure, For a per<-eptlble time he had
stared at IL and It had seemed to
stare at him. Then the door had
shut, and on the other side a key
had turned. And the figure had been
I
draped from head to foot In black.
Renee Adoree
BEADED GOWNS CONTINUE SWAY;
OFF-THE-FACE BRIMS IN FAVOR
aßßooßooooooooocooßoßooco >
KADKD frocks continue to fiask
their glittering beauty ucross the
B
path of fashion. Through loveliness
of coloring and unique d.slgn the»»
■henthllke dreaaea weighted with
bead»«, rhinestones, pearl# an»l pail­
lettes e»intlnim to rust their enchant-
mont over resplendent »lance, dinner
and other formal evening function«
The most entrancing models are
slips of daintiness whose sole purpose
seems to be to serve a» a background
you sooner. You have gone to the
police.”
"But -but,' stammered l atter, "the
police were no good to Zaboleff last
lonu black cl aka and arc acting
without the law.
Ha 1« Inter­
night."
rupted by th« men ha la describ­
"And It Is quite possible," returned
ing (the Black Gang), who break
the other calmly, “that they will be
up the meeting, sentencing some
equally futile in your case. Candidly.
ot th« participants to condign
punishment and carrying away
Mr. Latter. 1 am completely Indifferent
others.
A memorandum foun»l
on the subject of your future. You
on Zaboleff gives an address In
have served our purpose, and all that
Hoxton, which the leader ot the
attacking party consldera of Im­
matters Is that you happen to be the
portance. Sir Bryan Johnstone,
bone over which the dogs are going
director of criminal Investiga­
to fight. Until last night the dogs
tion. hear« from Inspector Me-
hadn't met—officially ; and in the
Iver, sent to arrest Zaboleff tho
night before, ot his discomfiture.
rencontre last night, the police dog.
He had been seized and chloro­
unless I'm greatly mistaken. was
formed and hla raid frustrate,!.
MI m Adoree, the “movie” »tar. is
caught by surprise, McIver doesn’t
Hugh Drummond, man of leisure,
one of tin aereen*« mo»t beautiful
tells Johnstone of seeing the kid­
let that happen twice. In your ca^e
napers and their victims. He be­
and talented actresses. She
he’ll be ready. With luck this cursed
comes an unpaid agent of the
known In this country as a cap.ib •
black gang, who are Infinitely more
police, under McIver.
William
actress and Is famed abroad
a nuisance to me than the police have
Atkinson, ostensibly pawnbroker
and money lender, really Count
interpretative dancing.
been or ever will lie, will get bitten-
Zadowa. director of anarchy In
badly."
England, does buslnesa in an­
Mr. Latter was breathing heavily.
other London suburb.
A mys-
Invades, the
“But what do you want me to do.
tertoua
premise*.
count?”
"Nothing at all. except what you
were going to do normally,” answered
CHAPTER III—Continued
the other.
“Hullo! What’s upf
In blissful Ignorance of the sad
From a little electric bell at his
plight of the clerk below, two men elbow came four shrill rings, repeated
GEORGE IV
were sitting in this room, deep in con­ again and again.
versation. In a chair drqwn up close
The count rose, and with system­
EORUE IV seems to have been the
to the desk was no less a person than atic thoroughness swept every piece
last of the ancient order of kings
Charles Latter. M. P„ and It was he of paper off the desk into his pocket.
—(hr |nst of those who could do us
who was doing most of the talking. Then he shut down the top and locked
they chose without regard to morals
But It was the other man who riveted it, while the bell, a little muffled, still
few
Where,
attention: the man who presumably rang Inside.
Charles Latter was unmoral rather r or public opinion.
was Mr. Atkinson himself.
“What’s the fool doing?" he cried than Immoral: he w as a constltutlona! , generations before him. Immorality
taken
At first be seemed to be afflicted angrily, stepping over to the big safe coward with a strong liking for tin- ! and extravagance
with an almost phenomenal stoop, and let into the wall, while Latter, his derhand intrigue, and he wns utterly matters of course by the people. In
It was only when one got nearer that face white and terrified, followed at and entirely selfish. In his way ho George IV’s time they brought down
the reason was clear. The man was his side. And then abruptly the bell was ambitious; be wanted power, but. , great unpopularity on bls head.
He was the eldest son of George
a hunchback, and the effect it gave stopped
though to many respects lie was ills
HI.
wus born August 12. 17(13. at HL
pressed
Very
deliberately
the
count
was that of a huge bird of prey. Un­
tinrtiy able, he lacked that essential
like most hunchbacks, his legs were two concealeii knobs, so sunk Into the factor—the ability to work for It. He James palnce. nn»l was naturally rath-
of normal length, and as he sat mo­ wall as to be Invisible to a stranger, hated work: he wanted easy results. er gifted. Ills tutor sa!<! he would be
tionless In his chair, a hand on each and the door of the safe swung open. And to bbtaln lasting results Is not either the most polished gentleman, or
knee, staring with unwinking jyes at And only then was It obvious that easy, as Mr. Latter gradually discov­ the worst scoundrel In Europe nnd
his talkative companion, there was the safe was not a safe, but a second ered. A capability for makln; flnshy , he was both. He opposed his father
something menacing and implacable exit leading to a flight of stairs. For speeches covered with a veneer of In everything: took up a separate res­
in his appearance. His hair was gray; a moment or two he stood motionless, cleverness is an undoubted asset, but idence ut Curlton house, but gave It
his features stern and hard; while hfs listening Intently, while Latter fidget­ It Is an asset the value of which | tip because of his debts; ami was con-
mouth reminded one of a steel trap. ed at his side. One hand was on a has been gauged to a nicety by the i slantly having parliament vote linir
But it was his eyes that dominated master switch which controlled all the men who count. And so ns time went sums to square him up with his creili
everything—gray-blue and piercing, lights, the other on a knob toslde the on, and the epoch-making day when tors.
There was one good influence In his
they seemed able to probe one's inner­ second passage which, when turned, he had been returned to parliament ,
most soul. A man to whom It would would close the great steel door noise­ fade»! Into the past. Mr. Latter real life: the beautiful Mrs. FHzherbcrt.
wns n a widow at twenty thb. and older than
be unwise to Ue—a man utterly un­ lessly behind them.
ixed himself
what
He was frowning angrily, but grad­ thing of no account And the realiza­ the prince. He was passionately de­
scrupulous In himself, who would yet
punish double-dealing in those who ually the frown was replaced by a tion was as gall and wormwood to voted to her—an open marriage wns i
worked for him with merciless sever­ look of puzzled surprise. Four rings his soul. It is a realization which Impossible, of course, nn»l she was n |
from the shop below was the recog­ comes to many men, and it take« them Catholic besides, but the pope assured
ity. A dangerous man.
nized
signal for urgent danger, and different wnys. Some become resigned her that her marriage was vail»!. K«r
“So you went to the police, Mr. Lat-
almost ten years they lived together,
"And everybody's plan of action wns rut —some make new and even more
ter,” be remarked suavely,
mostly at Brighton, until bls action»!
what had our friend Sir Bryan Jobn- and dried for such an emergency. futile efforts : some see the humor
caused her to separate from him. ■
rooms
every
book
and
In
the
other
Mr.
I.utter
of
IL
and
some
don't.
stone to say on the matter?"
Then be consented to nuirry the Ger- !
slightest
degree
torrim-
paper
tn
the
And
a
didn't : he became spiteful.
“At first count, he didn't say mach.
man princess Charlotte, whom 1 ' (
In fact he really said very little all touting were buried pell-mell Into se- spiteful coward Is a nasty thing.
treated so brutally that she. too, was I
the
floor
which
had
eret
recesses
that
time
that
he
It
was
Just
about
through. But once he looked at the
forced to separate from him. Twenty- [
constructed
under
specially
been
It
was
at
dinner
met
Cnnnt
Zadown.
note bis whole manner changed. I
their
place
appeared
every
table.
In
at a friend’s house, and after the five years after this lie became kin-.-,
could see that instantly. There was
and died after a ten-year reign. Hi* I
something about the note which in­ books carefully and very skilfully ladles tftid left he found himself sit­ treatment of the queen added to hi ■ |
purporting
record
the
bnsL
to
faked.
ting
next
to
the
hunchback
with
the
terested film. . . .
Politically bls reign ,
of Mr. William At- strange, piercing eyes.
He wasn’t unpopularity.
“Let me see it.” said the count, ness transactions
was
not
so
very
important.
klnson.
conscious of having safil very much:
holding out his hand.
In the big room at the end the pro he would have been amazed had he
“I left it with Sir Bryan,” answered cedure wns even simpler. The count
that within ten minutes this
the other. “He asked me to let him merely passed through the sufe door been told
foreigner had road his un-
charming
keep IL And he promised that I and vanished through his private bolt-
plensnrrt little mind like a book, nnd
should be ail righL"
hole, leaving everything in darlmess. bad reached n certain an<! definite de- j
The count's Ups curled.
And ahould Inconvenient visitors ask cision. In facL looking back on the
“It would take more than Sir Bryan Inconvenient questions—well. It wns
Johnstone’s promise, Mr. Latter, to in­ Mr. Atkinson’s private office, and a past few months. Mr. Latter wns at n
BY JOSEPH KAYE
toss to account ns to how things hnd (
sure your safety. Do you know whom very nice office too. though at the mo­
reache»! thofr present pass. Had he
that note was from?"
ment he was sway.
been told when he stood for parlla- 1
“I thoughL count," raid the other a
Thus the proc» »tor»'—simple and ment. flaunting all the old hackneyed । At 21—Senator Willis Was a Fair.i
Httle tremulously—“I th»mght It might sound: but on this occasion something formuNie. that within two years he ।
Laborer.
be from this mysterious Black Gang seemed to hare gone wrong. Instead would be secretly engaged In red-hot
that one has beard rumors atxraL”
of tha Industrious silence of clerics Communist work, he would have « a T THE axe of twenty-one n»y
XX ambitions were beyond what I
“It was," replied the count tersely.
working overtime on affairs of finan­ laughed the iden to scorn. Anarchy,
stammered
latter. cial Import, a perfect babel of voices too: a nasty word, hut the only one was doing but for a ready meuns of
“Heavens !'
“Then it’s true; they exist."
became audible in the passage. And that fitte,! the bomb outrage In Man­ livelihood I combined the duties ot
“In the last month," answered the then there came an agitate»! knocking chester, which he had himself organ- I furm laborer and Hchoolteueber. Ln
hunchback, staring fixedly at bls on the door.
tzed. Sometimes In the night, be used | my spare time I studied.
"Teaching eventually leail me Into
“Who is It?” cried the count sharp­ to wake and lie sweating us he thought
frightened companion, “nearly twenty
a professorship of law at ths Univer­
of our most useful men have disap­ ly. It may be mentioned that even of that episode.
peared. They have simply vanished the most toftnenttnl members of his
And gradually it find become worse [ sity of Northern Ohio, from which col­
Into thin air. I know, no matter how, staff knew better than to come Into and worse. Little by little the chnrtn- ! lege I got my B. A. when I wns twen­
that it is not the police: the police are the mom without previously obtaining ing Count Zadowa, realizing that Mr. I ty-two.— Frank E. Willis.”
TODAY—Senator Willis is one of
as mystified as we are. But the po­ permission,
Latter possessed Just those gifts which
lice, Mr. Latter, whatever views they
“It’s me, str—Cohen," came an agi­ he could utilize to advantage, hnd the most noted |x>lltlcinns In tho coun­
may take officially are fn all probabll- tated voice from outside.
ceased to be charming. There wore try. Aside from his legislative work
ity unofficially very glad of our
For a moment the count pauwl t many advantage» In having a mem­ he has established a high reputation
frleniis’ disappearance. At any rate then with a turn of the knob he closed ber of parliament as chief liaison as an orator nnd Is in continual de­
mand for public »ooaklng.
until last nighL”
the safe door silently. With an Im­ officer.
In 1915 Mr. Willis was elected g»»v
Thore hnd been that first small slip
“What do yon mean?” asked the perious ham! he waved latter to a
chair, and resume»! bis former posi­ when he signori n receipt Mor money ernor »>f Ohio ;m»l Iio was sent to tlx
other.
paid hhn fo address a revolutionary
“Last night the police were balked tion at the desk.
by McClure Newspspsr Syndic«»« )
meeting fn South Wales during the
“Come In," be snapped.
o' their prey, ami McIver doesn’t like
It was a strange ami unwholesome coal strike. And- the receipt specified
being balked, You know Zaboleff was
object that obeyed the order, and the the service rendered. An unpleasant ß ß ßßß ßßßßßßßß'JOO ßß ßßß ÏKHX
sent over?”
document In view of the fact that bls
“Yes, of course. That Is one of the count sat back to his chair.
A LINE O’ CHEER
“What the devil have yon been do principal supporters In his constitu­
reasons I came around tonight, Have
ency were coal-owners. An»! after
Ing?”
you seen him?”
By John Kendrick Bangs.
A pair of rich blue-black eyes. and that the descent hnd boon rapid.
“I have net,” answered the co’int
CißßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßOßßß
grimly. “The police found out he waa a nose from which traces of blood
still trickled bad not Improve»! the
coming."
ON A STORMY DAY
Why should the hoot of an
Mr. I-atter*s face blanched: the general appearance of the assistant
cwl
and
a
figure
In
black
create
thought of Zaboleff in custody didn’t downstairs. In one han»l he carried
HE wind» are fierce, and
such fear? More myctery.
»harp the air.
appeal to him. It may be mentioned a pair of hobnail boots, tn the other a
And yet I shall not h»e»l
that his feelings were purely selfish— piece of paper, and he brpndlshe»!
them,
them alternately while a flood of In­
Zaboleff knew too much.
For In my battles with dull c«r»
(TO BE CONTINUE».)
But the Count was speaking again. coherent frenzy burst from bls tips.
I somehow think I need Ih’-m.
TIs good to have the weather
For a minute or two the count lis­
A faint sneer was on his face; he had
Times Had Changed
kind,
read the other’s mind like an open tened. until his first look of surprise
And free from tempests stormy,
The saleHiimn who had been turned
gave way to one of black anger.
book.
Yet In .the rougher day» I find
“Am I to understand, you wretched away several times remarked to Ilie
“And so,” be continued, “did the
A tonic better for me.
Black Gang. They removed Zaboleff little worm." he snarled, "that you office tmy with fine sarcasm:
Th«r«'n a freshness In the arctic
“Well. I suppose the boss Is In con-
and our friend Waldock from under gave the urgency danger signal, not
the very noses of the police, aud. like one® but half a dozen times, merely ference again this morning?’’
And nil this wintry rigor.
The office boy flipped a paper wad
That more than comfortable
the twenty others, they have disap­ because a man hit you over the nose?”
Contributes to my vigor.
“But he knocked me silly, sir," at the stenographer before he replied;
peared.”
80 rage, ye blizzards, as ye mny,
“No, sir; not In conference, He a
“My G—d I” There was no doubt quavered the other. “And when I came
What chill it plea»«» ye fling
now about Mr. Latter’s state of mind. to. anil saw the boots lying beside me sworn off golf ”
me!
and the till opened, I kind of lost my
“And now they’ve threatened me."
Mind
and
Soul
X
day
“And now they’ve threatened you,” head. I didn’t know what had hap­
Tempestuous shall bring me.
It Is the mind that makes the man, X
agreed the count. “And you, I am pened, sir—anil I thought I’d better
X
bv Menar- N.
and our vigor is In our Immortal soul.
glad to say, have done exactly what I ring the bell—In case of trouble.”
P0ßßpßßß«>ßaßußoßßoovi- -
He retreated a «tep or two toward —Ovid.
should have told you to do, bad I seen
I and line» of beauty through foldings,
piatta. Indentations and undulations
whl»h murk tbv uiodlsb upturning ot
th»»lr brini«.
Many »»f thè Ju»t off thè boat Tarla
hata nre incline»! to be medium or
bug« und they linve brini» of taffete
or »llk mnnlpulnted nfter thè munner
of those In thè group herewlth. thn
Crown» baiBg lu muuy Inutames of
' straw.
Thls Is to be » seagOO ot graceful
..r; -
&4mong the
G
or setting which shall accent the scin­
tillating beauty and Intricacies of the
beaded design worked thereon.
Like atars on a summer night sky
do rhinestones express their spar­
kling way on many a satin or georgette
slip. Sometime» the Idea Is elaborated
with peari and crystal laden pointed
tabs as In the picture herewith. Tills
exquisite frock la typical of the xea-
eon's beaded mode*. It may be pale
pink, mauve or rose, for all the pastel
fashionable.
tinta, also white.
Bead fringe embellished this evening
frock, for bead fringe la an outstand­
ing Item of fashion Interest this sea
eon.
Thera la an extensive UM of tiny
silver or gold heads on the modern-
deslgned evening frock. A very hand-
some conception covers an almond
groen georgette background heavily
with design developed In the dlnilnu-
adjustable brims.
Even ths newer
■haded felt gigolo *hnp<w. with tall,
curiously cron»«! crowns which ars
so popular, have brims which may ba
pulled down or rolled up at n becom­
ing angle.
Captions such n« ruffian, sombrero
and pirate a« applied to advance fi»«h-
lonable millinery suggest Hint brims
are taking on a aomawbat reckless
yet fascinating freedom of llnee.
Which facL however, but bespeaks
the excee»llng grace nnd plcturesque-
ness of hats for the Immediate fu­
ture.
A leading material employed In tha
making of mldsenaon hnt« 1« bright-
colure»! silk faille. Soft greens and
rose tones find favor for town wear
tremendous
millinery. There I«
vogue for boi» de roue and allied
shades. Most chnnnlng with the fur
coat la either a velours or fnllle hat
WHEN I WAS
TWENTY-ONE
T
tive gold bends TJier»» Is n festoon­
ing of gold fringe In tiers nbout the
skirt. This straight-lined frock Is
worn over a costume slip of gold
cloth.
Pale pink and white bended gowns
which bespeak simplicity In their
general aspect, but which are really
wonderfully constructed, are the pre­
ferred models These are artistically
all over patterned with rhinestones
and motheiof -pearl paillettes.
Perhaps no frock more eloquently
elegance of evening
bMpeaka ।
Oode than <loes the bended kind,
Returned to fashion's favor nre
off-tl" I c Brims. It will be seen
d'
here pictured Hint
fn.
bi-spenk becotnlngneas
tiu
Group of Stylish Hal«.
In dull rose with u single large flower
of match color reposing low on the
brim to the right side.
An increasing vogue for velvet rib­
bon Is register»“»! In arriving models.
The blending of colors In velvet rib­
bons Is one of the Ideas emphasized
In a trimming way.
A great deni of Importance Is as­
cribed to the subject of belting rlb-
bon. The narrow la used for trlm-
mlng, tlie wide for making hats.
JULIA RoTTOMLKY.
<©. 192«. Western Nr
I’hlnn *