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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 4, 1917)
TITE SUNDAY OREGOXIAX, POItTXAND, FEBRUARY 4, 1917. f ' - - " - ? l-1 I ' - ' v ' - ' , iJ-"vtv C r-- m $ ' Y'f ? f j " y l,il i y ' jf " f 1 j t .1 ?' $! f2S(m $i,)).t wia f x . w f ' "V i 't w " " , " ?t,t "f - ; w j a ,s., x v vH ' tv s- 4 ' ; If i t i5'8rt );;t.tH J'((r' vtti, vj TT" Ai v: r w , - - t ' - This Is th great romance of preparedness. In which the role of Patria Channlng Is played by Mrs. Vernon Castle, supported by Milton Sills as Donald Parr. War ner Oland as Baron Hurokl, Dorothy Green as Fanny Adair, and a cast of exceptional merit. Read this story now, then see It all in motion pictures. Produced by the International Film Serv ice, Inc. under the direction of Wharton, Inc. Copyright Star Company, 1916. All foreign rights reserved. IKTKODCCTIOV. On the eve of Inheriting sole control of Ch&nntngs, Inc., America's largest arms and ammunition industry, Patria Channlnff Is mysteriously summoned from Newport to New York by Peter Ripley, trustee for her estate. Baron Hurokl. chief of the Japan ese Secret Service, busies himself to hinder her resnonse to this summons: but Patria overrides his opposition with the aid of Cap tain Donald Parr. United States Secret Serv ice, who suspects Japan of Intriguing to cm- bioll the United States with Mexico. EPISODE" TWO. ' "TREASURE," SO young waa the June morning that, though cross-town streets already glowed with sunlight well nigh as bright If not so warm as that of noonday, wide areas of shadow lingered athwart Fifth avenue's silent reaches like still broad banners of translucent violet. The thoroughfare was as lifeless as Main street in any village at church hour of a Sunday; a few policemen blinked indifference at the taxicab flying southward at such lawless speed: a scattering of early workers accepted it as yet another manifestation of the decadence peculiar to the idle rich; a onp. low rakish cat, slinking home ward from a shameful night, nar rowly escaped extinction beneath Its Juggernautish wheels. And that was all ... A few blocks south of - Fourteenth street the vehicle (driven with a reck lessness arguing the prospect of a sub stantial tip as reward for haste) took in. corner on two wheels and came to an labrupt pause before a residence of the Ivintage caste; in dwelings such as this I with Its facade of pressed brick, its pi!gh-"stoop," its white front door with knob and knocker of gleaming brass iwas wealth and social prestige wont to bide in the early 60s, and earlier. The moment it stopped, out of the If ab hopped a brisk young man and, on fins heels, an anxious young woman ivi ho ran impatiently up the steps to the white front door while her companion ftarried at the curb to settle with the chauffeur. By the time he was free to Join Jtlie young woman on the doorstep, she fivas ringing the bell with a sort of emi-hysteric persistence which was Shadowed in the countenance she turned to him. 'I can't understand why no one an swers, she faltered with a little shiver jf apprehension. "I've rung and rung . you don t really think any hing can have happened do you, Cap- kain Parr?" "I hope not. Miss Channing but I fmean to find out pretty pronto," de- lared the young man grimly. "Of ourse, we've got to allow that this Is tolerably early hour to expect a prompt answer to a doorbell. Still I-et me have a try, please. She stepped back and Parr planted a 'Irm thumb on the bell-push. From ihe Interior of the house came a re note buzzing nothing more. At a ven ture the young man released the but ton and laid hold of the door-knob. To the surprise and somewhat to the con sternation of both It yielded readily; the door swung In, disclosing a glimpse fit dusky hallway. For a moment neither moved; only the eyes of each sought the other's, rnutely eloquent with apprehensive ln hulry. Then with a quick gesture svhich might have been interpreted as kidding the girl to wait outside, the ly-oung man crossed the threshold. Quietly, the girl followed to be tTeeted by her name, spoken In accents f wonder. "Miss Pattys fo the lan's bake!" An aged negro servant clothed sim ply In pajamas stood transfixed In recognition half-way down the flight f stairs to the upper stories. His riands were uplifted In amaze, palms fut- As the girl greeted htm by name pe dropped them and shuffled hastily JiowTi to the tiles of the entrance hall. That you. Martin? Where Is Mr. Ripley?" 'Mlstuh Ripley? Ah reckon he mus' be Into his bed. Miss Patty; he gln'rly leep purtv late when he done work ate the night befo' TMd he work late last night. Mar- kin r He sho' did. Miss Patty leastways pe done say be gwlnetub when he end me off to bed 'bout 'leven o'clock." Again the eyes of Miss Channing, filled with foreboding, consulted the yes of Captain Parr. It was the lat er who pursued the Inquiry. "Mr. Ripley sent you to bed at eleven. Martin? Did you hear any unusual Kiolses In the house before you fell ksleep?" The negro scratched his head. "In he house, suh? No, suh; not into the bouse. An didn't hear nuffln." "Did you hear any uncommon noises (whatever?" "Seems like Ah did. suh yes, suh; us" . when Ah was 'bout droppin" off hear eumpln' what sound like an lUtomoblle what done have two or hree blow-outs, one right 'pon top the bther, a good ways up the street, like." This time Captain Parr evaded the yes of Patria Channing. "Is that the library?" he asked, with . nod indicating a door toward the tear of the hall: and receiving an a-ffir- fnatlve response motioned the servant o it with an imperative hand. "There's i light burning there still," ne said; you. can see it beneath the door. Bet- er see If perhaps Mr. Ripley hasn't 'alien asleep over his work, Martin. No go ahead; Til answer this." The doorbell had Just rung. As the iged negro scuffled off toward the Sbrary, Parr turned, opened the front :oor and admitted an urchin wearing he livery of the Western union Tele rraph Company. This last delivered an nvelope addressed to Miss Patria Chan- ling, pocketed a tip and returned to he street. Captain Parr cocked an ttentlve ear toward the library while he girl hastily scanned her telegram. le heard nothing informing, however, efore Patria startled him with a lit is cry of Indignation. "What nonsense! Captain Pair will t-:lease look at this?" He took the telegram from her" qulv ring hand and knitted annoyed brows bver it- "Newport, June 10, 1916. Miss Patria "hanning, 3 East Tenth street. N. T. ity Distracted. Why did you run -way tonight without explanation. Rod- ey follows Dy nrst morning train, lease wire prompt denial. Rumors cur- tent here you eloped with Captain Parr. -Amelia Wrenn." - A smile, half rueful, half of amu Be ne nt, replaced Parr's frown. He re timed the message. The girl lmpa lently tore it up and committed its offensive fragments to the floor. Then, eluctantly, she responded to Parr's mile. , "Oh, dear!1 do wish people wouldn't e such sillies! And, the worst of It all s. Aunt Amelia's sure to make a bad nattei? " v She was Interrupted by a cry throaty vlth terror.' Martin tottered out of the Ibrary door, his limbs trembling, his .ace aetaen beneath its bronze. Miss Patty! m 6 Lawd, niy Lawd!" Parr's fingers closed Imperatively upon the servant's wrist. "What is- It? What's happened? Stop that howling and tell us!" The sounds of lamentation ceased ab ruptly, -though the negro's mouth re mained ajar. With an effort he re gained coherenece. "It's Mistah Ripley dald In there " Common impule moved the two young, people toward the rear of the hallway, but half way to the library door Parr checked the girl. "Spare yourself. Miss Channing. Let me go first and have a. look around, please !" Inclined to deny his plea, she changed her mind and yielded. Calling Martin to follow. Parr entered the library. It was a spacious chamber, soberly If richly furnished in an out-aged mode and dominated by a massive chimney piece of marble elaborately carved. Parr, however,' only subconsciously registered an impression of its charac ter. His interest centered upon the body of a gentleman of advanced years that occupied an arm chair at one end of the table. And it needed no more than a glance to assure him that the man was dead beyond dispute; while the chill of his flesh proved that he had been dead for many hours not less than six at least. His head and arms rested upon the table. One hand still gripped an auto matic pistol. Near his head rested an overturned telephone instrument, the recelv nislodged. He had been mur dered ehot down while telephoning. But he had not died so quickly as to let his assassin escape; he had lived long enough to discharge his own weapon with deadly effect. Half a dozen feet aside the corpse of the assassin lay asprawl fallen for ward from a window recess under cover of whose heavy draperies he had skulked prior to committing his crime. An automatic of heavy caliber remained in hia grasp. On the carpet near It were two ejected shells of brass. Parr made a slight noncommittal noise in his throat. The assassin had been a man of less than average stat ure. His clothing was mean, nonde script, the contents of his pockets unln forming; so much Parr determined without delay. He was not, however, disappointed by the negative outcome of his search; in the cast of those dead features he read irrefutable confirma tion of his grimmest suspicions; the assassin was had been a Japanese. Turning on the servant sharply. Parr stilled his lamentations with a brusque command. "Stop that horrible noise, Martin! Do you wish Miss Channing to hear you? . . . Now tell me: where can we putf these bodies out of her sight?" The negro designated the drawing room which communicated with the library by sliding doors; thither they bore and there left the bodies. Then returning. Parr ordered the communi cating doors closed, and for a moment hesitated, dubiously examining a fat sealed envelope which be had found in the pocket of the dressing-gown worn by the ill-starred Mr. Ripley. It was superscribed in the firm, mi nute writing of a strong old hand: "For Miss Patria Channing Private & Con fidential." Had Parr yielded to primal Impulse he would have destroyed envelope and contents then and there. True, he lacked the slightest Inkling as to the tenor of the communication; but con sidering it In association with the strange and terrible circumstances un der which It had come into his hands, his mind was preyeji upon by darkest apprehensions. Better far, perhaps, to do away with It utterly, lest Its Import enmesh the girl to whom It was ad dressed In that web of murderous in trigue which had been the death of Its writer. Parr mastered the temptation only with effort, reminding himBelf that he had no right to withhold the letter, whatever he might fear. He returned to the hallway. At sight of his gravely troubled countenance Patria rose quickly from a chair and came to him with an imploring gesture. Prepare yourself, he said; "your guardian has been assassinated by a Japanese. He left you this; perhaps it explains. . . ." He could hot but admire her self-command. Profoundly distressed. shocked to the depths of her gentle and sympathetic being, she merely, swayed a little, momentarily, with closed eyes. then recovered and offered a steady hand for the envelope. "The light is better In the library." Parr suggested. ... A moment later Patria sat beneath the reading lamp on the library table the several sheets of closely inscribed note-paper that made up the last let ter of Peter Ripley unfolded to the light. As she read she passed the pages, one Dy one, to captain parr. Private and Confidential. My Dear Ward Tomorrow, your 21st birthday, will find you the last of "The Fighting Channings." On that day you will legally become your own mistress. and I will be relieved of Ihe guardian ship of yourself and your fortun one of the greatest fortunes In the United States If not In all the world. Under ordinary circumstances, I pre sume, I, as your guardian, should on surrendering my trust preach tediously upon the cares and responsibilities, the duties toward less fortuirate humanity, which you are about to assume as a steward of great riches. I shall not; It were a work of supererogation; you yourself relieve me of the necessity of such a sermon by being what you arc, your sweet, sane, unspoiled self. With the extremest gratification I have seen you attain maturity, a wOman of com mon sense. Intelligence and fortitude, without loss of womanliness. I may, then, write to you tonight as I should have writtenor spoken to your brother, had you ever had one. I write, rather than wait to com municate what I have to say, because I live in the shadow of death. I may not live to see you, personally to ac count to you for my stewardship I may not live to see tomorrow dawn. My life is strangely menaqsid even as your life may be when you have taken over sole control of your inheritance, your lands and estates, Channings, Inc., that greatest of arms and ammuni tion Industries outside Germany and the Channing Secret Defense Fund. Toil do not know what that last means. It is to enlighten you lest I perish with my secret undivulged that I am writing tonight. I have to inform you concerning that sacred truBt, that bequest of your patriotic forefathers. . . . One hundred years ago, almost to a day, the first John Channing died. He was a Virginian, a friend of Washing ton's, a soldier, a patriot, a gentleman Of fortune, character, intelligence, and of almost prophetic foresight. He had served through the War of Independ ence, When the War of 1812 broke out he resigned his ease and took the field as a Colonel of Militia. He served as such throughout that farcical war, in which the United States triumphed not because it deserved victory though right was on its side as through Eng land's preoccupation with graver issues on the Continent. In his military capacity John Chan ning the First was an intimate ob server of the lack of organization, mil itary spirit, training, ability to fight, that characterized the American forces. Often and again he saw them break and run before the advance of British troops numerically Inferior but prop erly equipped and trained. He wit nessed their futile attempt to with stand the British advance upon Wash ington. He' saw from a far hilltop the burning of that city. a calamity that had never been possible had his countrymen been trained to fight in de fense of their land. What he had experienced made a profound Impression upon him. He never ceased to plan to protect his country against Its greatest weakness and its greatest enemy itself. In the fatuous blindness of a people who then today believed a sacred and Just cause the equivalent of resistless weap on of defense, who thought they had no need to train themselves for war so long as they warred only for the right, the first John Channing foresaw an Intrinsic, inbred weakness of the people, prolific of perils which he co ceived it to be his duty to combat. Some time prior to his death, there fore, he consulted with the first Peter Ripley, my forebear and the founder of that line of legal advisers to t,he Channing family which must perish wnen i perieh. Between them. the two schemed out a scheme for a fund of National defense In time of danger through what we have lately learned to terra "unpreparedness." One-half of the, even then, very considerable Channing fortune was set aside to be the nucleus of the Channing Secret De fese Fund, to be drawn upon or ex pended wholly only In gravest National emergency. The secret and the custody of the fund was handed down from father to son as long as the Channings and the Ripleys had male children. That time Is now passed 1 My boy died before at taining maturity; you are your fath er's only child. When I am gone, you alone will be the steward of your country's salvation. If I go soon, you will assume your stewardship at a pe riod of peril through "unpreparedness" unprecedented In your country's his tory. I have every confidence that you will discharge It wisely. The fund today has grown, through careful Investment and unremitting vigilance, to the appreciable total sum of approximately $100,000,000. The word Is your name. Three-fourths of , will hold the Pacific slope In fief for- lt is comprehended in gilt-edgejl se- ever and a day. curltles. Immediately negotiable; the balance of $25,000,000 is in gold thus accumulated for immediate resource in emergency. Wisely employed, this' treasure may prove the salvation of your country In this, as it seems, its hour of direst need. Europe is aflame with war; when peace is declared. Europe's fore ordained way to recoup will be by means of preying upon some great and wealthy but defenseless country, such as the United States of America. On the other hand, to Vhe west of us, we have a great nation without room to grow Japan. Its natural course of growth, following the line of least re sistance, must be in and through our Western states. To the south of us lies Mexico, a hotbed of revolution, in trigue and racial hatred. The craven policy of our present Administration has encouraged the "de facto govern ment of Mexico" whatever that may happen to be to regard us and treat us with thinly-veiled contempt. Now Japan has made herself diplomatically Mexico's closest friend; she has estab lished colonies In Mexico, with Mexi co's consent she secretly maintains naval bases on Mexico's Pacific .coast; she lends Mexico officers to train her armies; she has gone even further she has secretly transported great bodies of troops to Mexico and maintains them there in Immediate preparedness for war to be the allies of Mexico in event of war with the United States. . And secretly Japan conspires' to embroil this country with her ally. She has everything to gain by such a war, nothing to lose. Let our Insignificant regulary Army be preoccupied with war on the Mexican border, no matter whether re-enforced . by , our half trained and less than half-equipped militia, and our Pacific Coast will be defenseless against the hordes which Japan holds ready to launch against us. Once these have gained a foothold whole U stored In the secret vault be- I there, with the natural barrier of the neath this room In which the pass- ' Rocky Mountains to shield them, Japan Evidence in support of .Japan's de signs against our peace Is not lack ing. The presence of her armies in Mexico, the fact that Japanese officers have- been detailed to drill Mexican troops, is known to the Administration at Washington If not to the people; that Japan maintains naval bases, with Mexican consent, at Magdalena Bay and elsewhere, is a matter of common knowledge. In my personal experience it is true that, following my refusal as a loyal and patrlotltc citizen to make contracts in the name of Channings, Inc., for delivery of arms and ammuni tion in Mexico, Japan has left no stone unturned to induce me to revoke my refusal, and even now threatens my life because I abide by it. For myself, my dear ward. I do not fear; when a man has passed a certain age, death has few terrors for him: but for you I do fear, when you shall have set your hand to the task which mine must yield. I know your breed well enough to know you will not falter In the discharge of this sacred trust. I know Japan well enough to know she will stop at nothing to dis courage you. I charge you above all .things to be ware the man who. calls himself Baron Huroki who poses as a cosmopolite of Japanese birth who Is In reality secret chief of the Japanese secret service In this country. More than this I hope to tell yon In detail If I live to see you -. again. Otherwise I shall die content In the knowledge that I have, at least, done my best to , warn you against the chiefest dangers you must apprehend as executrix of the Channing Secret de fense fund. Your affectionate guardian, PETER RIPLEY. GOI,D! When Parr had finished reading the last page of Peter Ripley's letter he looked down to encounter Patrla's di rect uncompromising gaze. To her un uttered Inquiry he nodded slightly. "He was sane," said Parr. "He feared ENGLAND CONVINCED THAT PEACE WILL BE MADE THIS YEAR, SAYS RED CROSS NURSE Edith Lanyon Declares That It Will Not Be One of Germany Making in Belief of British Much Enjoyed by Wounded in Hospitals. Christmas Is BY EDITH E. LANYON. (fOMEWHERE IN ENGLAND." Jan. , 3. (Special.) Everybody I come across seems to be cheer fully convinced tnat in 1917 peace will be declared. Not the kind made In Germany, but the real kind. Kitchener said the war would last three years and 1917 Is the third year. Christmas seemed to be most enjoyed by the wounded heroes in hospital and much less so by those whose nearest and dearest have been killed in de fense of their country, or are out far from home, fighting for their country still. Christmas letters and parcels were a good deal delayed this year and the letters that did not arrive caused a great deal of anxiety. A few days before Christmas we all helped with the mince meat, that la to say, everybody in the house took I've had my nose like that three times, nurse." I said, indignantly: "Well. I wasn't fighting." "Eh, but I were," he replied with great satisfaction. My ungrateful airman officer asked me how much champagne I'd had for dinner. One woman said, "Eh, and I thought you looked bonny and all yes terday!" One suggested that if I trav eled In uniform every one would think I had been wounded on the battlefield; rather a good idea. Even the matron greeted me with the facetious remark that they always had. lots of cases like mine from Marsh Gate (the tough neighborhood of the town) the day after Christmas. Wounds Soon Beat. I can only say that I hope my hon orable wounds will excite more sym pathy In Portland than they did here. Honorable scars there will be none, I am glad to say. as the expert attention I got from the staff at the infirmary and from myself at home has caused tell what we wished or the wish will never come true. The sergeant's moth- er was one -of those who stirred and turn at stirring It with n hier wnnrictn spoon. Each of us solemnly stirred it I my wounds to heal beautifully and "at three times and wished. We must not: first intention," as the correct medical phrase has it. In spite of my nose, I have been very busy at the hosDital. It Is verv full wished. We all knew what she wished, rand one accident after another keeps coming in. Even the X-ray couch was called into service as a bed for an un expected and urgent case after we were absolutely full up and brimming over. Plans are made and money is ready for a new and bigger hospital, but in war time no one has, time to build it. The wounded soldiers at the military hospital here, where I started my nurs ing experiences, had a very gay time. But the most striking event of their Christmas day was that one of their number who had become dumb through shell shock, months before, suddenly found his voice in the midst of the fes tivities. He was simply delighted and so were all his pals. They said he kept them awake all night talking. Fancy having to get out all the pent up conversation of months. I went up to see them -yesterday and everybody started telling me of this wonderful cure. Excitement is supposed to have worked the miracle just as it caused one blinded Canadian officer to see again when his ship was torpedoed and he was flung into the sea. That, though, was shock as well as excite ment, I was awakened on Christmas morn ing by a military band playing "Chris tians, Awake!" under my window. The band did not know that it was my par ticular window; it was played for all Christians within earshot. However.-1 awoke; and to "salute the happy morn" I went to the window and looked out. Speeding past the window went three anti-aircraft guns, evidently- intend ing to do their little best to spread peace and good will towards all men. Our anti-aircraft guns have been mak ing rather good bags lately and are in fine feather. Our airmen seemed to go a little nearer heaven than, usual, i too. on Christmas day, - They looped because she said: "If my wish comes true, shan't I have a busy Christmas! She has three sons fighting. One of them has recently been attached to the "Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders." which he describes as "some regiment." He writes to his mother now and tells her .he is catching a Scotch accent and signs his name with the prefix "Mac" He is about to attain the supreme dis tinction of wearing a kilt. Patients Send Cards. I had some gorgeous and wonderful cards at Christmas time from my grate ful patients. I am unable to decide whether a huge celluloid card covered with embossed forget-me-nots with clasped hands mingled amongst them, or another with a huge purple vel vet pansy on it took the palm. One was from the navy and the other from the army. I shall certainly- always keep them both unless they spontane ously combust. They are both mainly celluloid and that Is a little way cell uloid has, I believe. I personally celebrated my Christ mas by falling 4own and almost break ing my nose. I attended the Infirmary as an out-patient instead of a nurse the next day. On carefully examining it, the doctor decided the bone was not broken, but the cuts had to be dressed with gauze and the gauze had to be held in place by large strips of strap ping plaster. My appearance since has been decidedly more striking than beautiful. My patients "seem to have been quite fascinated by my looks. It gave even the most feeble a chance to cheer up and say something funny. The stock remark was, "Well, you look as if you'd enloved your Christmas, nurse." A big collier, who is suffering agonies with a septic arm, eaid sympathetically, "Oh, the loop, shot up In the air and slid down It again and described as Intri cate figures in the air as an expert skater does on the Ice. Traveling is going to be a sad ex perience for those who go by . train now Fares have increased 60 per cent and trains decreased In number, per haps not 50 per cent, but they are much fewer, and further between. It is saa for a nurse away on a holiday to find that the fare back to the hospital will be half as much again as it was to come away. ' Many railway men are be ing replaced by women. A railway woman was brought into the Infirmary last night with a Colles fracture. She was cleaning an engine and had slipped on the grease on the footboard and fallen with her arm doubled under her. She' was in a good deal of pain, but seemed very brave about It. I was cleaning the black grease off her arm before the fracture was set. She told me that she liked the work and was pleased when I told her that she had probably saved the good right arm of a soldier by substituting for him and by being Injured instead of him. Lad la But Fifteen. Later on I was noldlng up a boy's fractured leg by the the heel whilst his splint was being applied It Is a position which eases the pain a good deal and he was delighted at the com fort of It and suddenly saW : "Nurse, I'll give you six bob (six shillings) a week to hold my leg up like that." I felt awfully flattered at such amunlficent offer. The boy worked at a coal mine and pieces of coal keep coming out of this compound fracture. He told me he was "just on" 15 years old. He Is a brave boy, too. I shall feel sorry to say goodbye to all. these patients who adopt me so kindly as "nurse." I am In love .with the big red cross on the bib of my apron since I find that the babies are so attracted by It. Poor little things, their wee fingers clutch at it and try to take hold of it as soon as I pick them up. The lovely bright color of it seems to charm away the pain. In about two days my holiday will be over and I shall be going back' to my sailors at the naval hospital. 1066 American Ships Built. NEW YORK. Jan. 27. According to the bulletin of the New York Chamber of Commerce, American shipbuilding for the first 11 months of the calendar year 1916 records a construction of 1066 vessels with a gross tonnage of 488,446 tons. - More than one-half of this, or 646. vessels with a gross tonnage of 295,850, was constructed on Atlantic and Gulf ports. On the Pacific Coast 263 vessels were built of 79,006 tons; on the Great Lakes, 114 vessels with a ton nage of 107,716. while the western riv ers contributed 143 vessels of 5974 tons These do not Include 36 wooden vessels built for foreigners and 13 steel ves sels, making altogether 49 vessels of 33,637 gross tons. Japan and a Japanese assassinated him. That much confirmation of what he wrote we possess, beyond refutation. There remains only to be determined the actual existence of this 'defense fund' ... a hundred millions. . . two hundred and fifty thousand in gold! It staggers my imagination. . . . In a 'secret vault beneath this room to which the password is your name! What do you make of that?" Patria shook her bead. "It's all too strange. ... I never had -any suspicion of anything of the sort. . . . I'm afraid I don't quite grasp It yet!" "Perhaps Martin can help us out." Parr called in the servitor; Patrfla In terrogated him; he responded with blank avowals of unmitigated Igno rance. And it was plain that he told the truth; he had not been private to Ripley's confidence. Patria gave up as. hopeless the task of eliciting illumina tion from Martin, and turned again to Parr with an attitude of trust in him which he would have found exhilarat ing had he felt less helpless. He wagged a head at her in hope less negative, and turned away. His gaze idly reviewed the room. Its so briety offered him no aid in elucidating the riddle; he found It difficult to as sociate the idea of a secret vault har boring an almost Incalculable treasure with the fact of a room as staid and unromantlc as this. It was Patria who stumbled upon the solution haphazard or. as woman would claim. Intuitively. "The password my name Patrlal That sounds as though there must be a safe door somewhere with a letter combination ... or else . . ." "Or else?" Parr prompted as she hesitated. "Look there!" Her outflung hand Indicated the mas sive marble chimney-piece. Parr knit ted his brows, staring. The thing was interesting if only as a relic of the curious artistic taste of a bygone day; none but a Mid-Victorian intelligence could have tolerated the thought of such a monstrous monument to homeli ness. And yet the carving was ex quisitely done. He crossed to it. witn Patria by his side, for a closer inspec tion. In whatever brain the design had originated. It was a patriot's; the Amer ican eagle screamed in sculptured stone, the flag flaunted blatantly its moveless folds, the arms of Virginia flanked the arms of the United States, immediately above the fireplace the Channing arms were emblazoned upon a shield, beneath this a scroll bore the motto of the housa PRO PATRIA NOBIS." "To which the passward is my name!" Patria put forth fingers which touched lightly the Initial of the word "Patria" on the scroll. She withdrew her hand with an exclamation; the let ter she had touched had fallen In flush withthe surface of the scroll. Parr nodded excitedly. "Try the next let ter!" To her pressure the letter A became as the letter P; the remaining letters of the word followed sUit as readily. And when the last had been depressed they heard a curious grating noise beneath the mantel and, looking down, saw the apparently solid stone backing of the fireplace proper swing massively in ward and disclose the mouth of a nar row passageway. "Let me go first!" Parr's tone was imperative. Wonder ing a little at the lnstirictive docility with which she obeyed him. .Patria stood aside. He ducked beneath , the mantel, disappeared. ... The passageway proved short, upon that level. Parr advanced three paces in utter darkness. Then it turned aside at a right angle. Following Its course blindly, he stepped upon nothing and stumbled down three steps of a stair case so confined between walls that, mere was just room enough for one to pass, no more. At the foot of some 12 steps he found 'another level, advanced gingerly a pace Into tie densest im aginable murk, and stumbled over something soft -nd yielding that ob structed the rioor. In stumbling he threw odt a hand which encountered an electric light bracket. Steadying himself by this he felt for and turned the switch; the brilliance of a single bulb dazzling'y exorcised darkness. He stood In a small, airless, window less chamber, furnished simply with a square mahogany table and four chairs on a rug. Otherwise it was featureless but for a huge safe door built Into the wall close by the foot of the staircase This door stood ajar. A black void was beyond it. At Parr's feet lay the ob stacle which had so nearly proved his downfall; the body of a little Japanese clad in the uniform of a Western Union messenger in his dead hand an auto matic pistol. Turning, Parr called to Martin to come down to htm. The negro's answers to his questions enabled him rapidly to reconstruct 'the prelude to a brutal crime. - It seemed that, shortly before Patrla's guardian had dismissed him for the night. Martin had answered the door bell to admit a Western Union boy with a telegram ror Peter Ripley. Signing for the message, Martin had told the boy to wait for a possible answer and had taken the envelope to his employer In the library. But when Mr. Ripley had opened it, he had found nothing within the envelope, and when he and Martin had gone back to the hall to interrogate the messenger, this last had vanished. By this ruse (Parr reckoned) obtain ing admittance to the house when Martin's back was turned, the pseudo messenger had secreted himself and waited till, finishing his letter to Patria, ' Ripley had found reason to descend to t.he treasure vault. Then, following, the messenger had tried to shoot Ripley down, but had met death himself in the attempt. Meantime a confederate had entered the house gaining admittance through the front door, left unlocked, as Parr and Patria had found it. by the first Japanese. And when Ripley, emerging from the secret passage no doub.t even then fatally wounded had called Patria In Newport by long distance the second Japanese had shot to kill and had succeeded if at cost of his own life. ... Asking Patria to turn aside while he with Martin's aid carried up the dead Japanese and placed him with the others In the drawing-room. Parr left Martin on guard and conducted the girl below to the treasure vault. If any traces of Incredulity had thus far colored his thoughts, they were promptly dissipated. The vault was not large perhaps twice the size of Its antechamber and was so well filled with boxes, bales and bundles that it afforded, scant space In which to move about. Aside from the entrance, three walls were hidden by solid plies of small but solidly con structed wooden packing-cases. The fourth, the farthest from the entrance, boasted racks of pigeonholes In which were filed and docketed packet upon packet of papers and in addition a rich ly framed oil portrait of a gentleman In Continental uniform, boasting a brass plate with this legend: JOHN CHANNING. Esq. (B 1757 D. 1816.) Patriot, Statesman, Soldier Founder of the Channing Secret De fense Fund. Ignoring all else in the vault, the girl Patria lingered for many minutes before this portrait of the ancestor whose clear foresight and love of coun try had created that trust whose burden had now fallen upon her slender, pretty shoulders. And Parr respected her mood, forbearing in any way to disturb her before she chose to turn back to him. She showed him through a face as rapt and exalted with patriotism in' nocent of thought of self as ever Jeanne d'Axe wore after listening tot the voices of angels in the fields of Brittany. Rapt beyond utterance, she signified her wish to confirm her deceased guardian's report as to the treasure. Parr selected one from the nearest Btack of wooden boxes and essayed to transfer It to the table. But It proved heavier than he had anticipated and slipped through fingers unprepared for its weight- There was a crash; the box lay shattered at their feet. Its contents spilled stack upon stack of goldem double-eagles scattered upon the floor. There was a pause. ... Patria sank into a chair and rested forearms upon the table. In her hands she held Peter Ripley's letter. After a little, shuffling the sheets, she brought that one uppermost which showed the words "Wisely employed, this treasure may prove the salvation of your country in this. . . its hour of direst need." She looked up with adorable sincer ity. Her accents were perceptibly tremulous but unmistakably voiced the emotion that surcharged her being. "God make me wise." she said and faltered "God make me wise to ad minister this sacred trdstl" Without wholly appreciating what hn did. transported beyond himself. Parr closed his fingers over hers. "Amen to that!" said he. On the echo of his words a, dull grating noise sounded above thelt heads. HOLOCAUST. In the twinkling of an eyelash bo-thi appreciated what bad happened: th door to the secret passage had swung shut, for whatever reason Martin per sumably had seen fit to close it. Without hesitation Parr swung about, out of the vault, up the constricted stairway. At the ton he found only the smooth, surface of the closed door. His fingers groped vainly over It and round Ita edges: If any means there were of opening it from the Inside. It was too cunningly concealed for his ingenuity. But If closed, the door was not al together tight. Lights from the library gleamed round three of Its edges. Parr could not contrive to get an eye to a crack, but he could not avoid bearing. What he heard was, however, difficult to Interpret. Several voices vere audi ble n'rom beyond the barrier, all shat tering rapidly, and though Parr had a fair working knowledge of the Jap anese tongue, he lacked as yet the ability to translate the vernacular quickly spoken. But the language was Japanese be yond shadow of doubt.. . . After a time he Crept noiselessly down the stairs. Patria. on tip-toe with anxiety, was awaiting in the ante-chamber. Parr cautioned her with a finger sealing his lips, then urged him to precede him into the treasure vault, and closed its doors. "There are Japanese several of them in the house. Martin must have seen them coming and locked us In to prevent their discovering us." Her hands fluttered toward him with a pitifully solicitous effect. "But Martin? What will they do to him?" "I don't know.. . . Let's not think about that. Let's hope for the best. It's all we can do. I can't budge that door up there, and even if I could, I've got no weapon of any sort. ..." Patria subsided hopelessly into a chair and buried her face in her hands. Five minutes passed. Throughout the two could overhear faint sounds of hurried footsteps overhead for all th world like the scampering of rats In wainscoting. 'Then were heavier, duller noises, to boot as though the intrud ers were moving furniture about. Then all sounds ceased. ... Of a sudden, simultaneously, Patria and Parr turned startled faces toward the vault door. Round Its edges thin veils of amok were seeping into the chamber.. "They've fired the house!" That strained, frightened whisper was Patria's. Mechanically Parr nod ded. He was thinking hard and to no purpose; only one way out offered It self to his knowledge through the vault door and up the stairs to that closed door which had defied his ef forts to open it- ' Already the atmosphere of the vault was oppressive so Impregnate with smoke it was difficult to breathe, so warm that perspiration beaded browa and hands. . . . Another five minutes: He heard a little choking cough, and turned to Patria. She was on her knees, sway ing, eyes blank, hands plucking feebly at the throat of her waist. As he turned, the light died out from her face and she slipped slackly forward upon the table. Half maddened, Parr put a shoulder with Tils weight behind it against the vault door. It swung out to admit a stifling cloud of bitter smoke together with a blast of heated air that might have come from a furnace's maw. Tugging the door shut again, he turned and began rapidly to circle the walls, hoping against hope to discover somewhere another r.xit. In" his haste he tripped over the broken box of coin and fell against the framed portrait of the first John Chan ning. Its aged cord parted and the portrait fell with a crash, exposing the inner face of a stout door of steel. Plucking frantically at its bars and bolts. Parr succeeded In dislodging them. The door swung out. A gust of damp, cold air Invaded the. vault. Be yond the opening little was visible a slimy brick flooring between arched walls of brick fading into blackness nothing more. Swinging back. Parr gathered the insensible g Irl up in his arms and stumbled out Into the underground pas sage. Once beyond the threshold be put his back against the door and swung it Into place. Then he blundered blindly on. Twenty paces through Inky murk. VTa stubbed hia toes against a step and, gently putting down his bur den, found and struck a match. The brief-lived flame discovered a short, flight of stone steps ascending to a flat roof. At the top was no sign of any doorway or fastening. Yet some way of escape must be there. He ran up the steps, crouched on the top most, placed his shoulders against that flat room of stone and heaved might ily and heaved and heaved. . . Grudgingly, half inch by half Inch, the stone yielded, then more rapidly; in the end one tremendous final effort overturned it and Parr sprawled out of the opening into fresh air and morn ing sunlight He picked himself up to realize a walled garden in the rear of a residence whose very windows spouted smoke and flame. Then he hurried back to Patria, took her up once again in his arms and bore her to the upper world She recovered swiftly. Two minutes more and they sood In a quite mews on the far side of the walled garden. And there, for a little they hesitated Patria turning instinctively to Parr for counsel. Parr struggling to regain his poise. At length, consulting his watch, he announced: "The first thing to do. of course, Is to see about safeguarding that treas ure. It's safe enough for the time be ing, and I know where to find the right men to stand guard over it after the firemen and police have gone. Later, we'll see about transferring It but there's plenty of time for that; no bank opens its vaults before 10 o'clock. She nodded assent, and tucked a con fident arm within his as they turned toward the nearer corner. .( To Be Continued.!
