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About Ashland tidings. (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 4, 1915)
.1; v-; im Monday, February 4, 1015 ASHLAND TIMXGS. ZUB O-RA A Great Mystic Story by Harold McGrath Copyright, 1914, by Harold McGrath. This Btory is being shown every Sunday and Monday evening in photo-play at the Vining. One chapter will be printed each week in the future and then be followed in the photo reels. SYNOPSIS. i Zudora Is left an orphan at an early age. Her father 1b killed In a gold mine. Zudora and the fortune from the mine, which grows to be worth tM.OOO.OOO, are left In the guardianship of Frank Keene, Zudora'a mother's brother. Zudora, giv ing promise of great beauty, reaches the age of eighteen. The uncle, who has set himself up as a Hindu mystic and Is known as Hassam All, decides that Zu dora must die before she can have a chance to come Into possession of her money, so that It may be left to him, the next of kin. Hassam All sees an obstacle to his scheme In the person of John Storm, a young lawyer, for whom Zu dora has taken a fancy, and he com mands the girl to put the man out of her mind. Zudora insists that if she cannot marry Storm she will marry no one. "Well, well." says Hassam AH, "If you take such a stand I'll compromise. Solve my next twenty cases and you can marry him; fall In a single case and you must renounce him." Zudora, using the knowledge gained from years of association with her uncle, unravels a baflling mystery and wins her first case a case In which John Storm Is saved from being convicted of a murder instigated by Hassam All himself. Zudora and Hassam All visit Nabok Shan's house, where sleep overcomes ev ery one whenever Nabok attempts to mar ry a princess. Storm, seeking Zudora, is made a prisoner. Zudora foils Nabok Shan, restores the princess to her original lover and saves Storm from death. A maker of diamonds tells Hassam All his secret. Storm informs Zudora that his life Is being attempted frequently. Storm suspects Hassam Alt Storm Is arrested for stealing the diamond maker's gems, but Zudora discovers the real thieves a pair of mice. CHAPTER IV. The Secret of the Haunted Hill. PERHAPS a mouth elapsed with out any puzzling case coming under Ilassuin All's notice. Zu. dora and Storm bud their meet ings, always previously arranged by tbe carrier pigeons, ubout which Has sam All pretended to know nothing. Besides, be was busy with numerous clients who wanted to know about their business investments, their own futures and somebody else's past And be continued to build his pyra mids of phantom gold. Tbe one mistake be bad made was to acquaint Zudora with the knowledge of ber Immense fortune. Tbe trustees bad always addressed their letters to bim, and It would have been an easy mutter to have kept ber lu Ignorance. But evil asMie was himself, be bad a profound respect for Zudora'a word. She bad given it, and there was three years' grace. If In that period of time be could not rid himself of that meddling at torney be would tear down tbe black velvet curtains with bis own bauds and make a bonfire of them. Storm bad urged Zudora a dozen times to marry bim secretly, but she steadfastly refused to accede to bis wishes. Of what use to marry If they could not have a home of their own? Of what use to burden themselves with a secret which would Interfere with their pursuits and bang threaten ingly over tbeir beads? More than that, she reasoned, ber friends would always look askance at ber if. after some months. It became known that she was married and was not living openly with ber husband. No; she bad given ber word, and sbe would not break it So John surren dered gracefully. But fie waa always feeling that mysterious cloud which bung lowering over them both. Many a night while alone be tried to figure out tbe basic cause for Hassam All's attitude. Some day. when work easled up a bit be determined to go back over Hassnm All's past with all the searching Inquiry of a first class lawyer. There was something more than mere physical antagonism. He never confessed this belief to Zudora, bow ever. It did not look quite fair to her to put doubts into ber heart when be bad nothing back of these doubts but In Btinct But there was no getting around the plain fact that be feared Hassam All feared bim fur Zudora'a sake. One day Storm received a letter from bis mother, and the contents first amused, then alarmed bim. Ills par ents were well to do country folk In tbe south. Their forbears had been southerners of wealth aud position up to wurtlmes. Piece by piece the One double Inheri tance bad vanished.' and at the time of John's birth they had sunk from af fluence to the ordinary comforts of Ufa There had been enough money to send the lad to college, to flt bim for bis wn battle In life. He was a good son. writing home once a month and making holiday vis its wheueer there was opportunity. Ofteu he had sent checks home, but Invariably these had been returned. They did not need the money; they had enough for their simple wuuts. and when they died ull they bud would be bis. Ula mother had written that an alarming mystery bail confronted them, one that promised to decliunte the negro servitors on tho various farms and estates. And Just now, when all the crops were rle, It meiitit ruin for a greut many whose solo Income waa derived from their crops. The negroes were not dvlncr: thov were fleeing. This mvsterv was no idle fancy, no idle rumor. It was a living fact visible to the eye. She and her husband had seen the thins themselves, and they were normal minded people. Something must be done soon or there would not be a servant left In the county. The bill back of the Storm nlace was haunted. Night after night, against the side of the bill, there appeared the heroic skeleton of a human hand with a black spot in the center of th nulin. as if it had been made by nn enor mous bullet No one con Id get close to it In variably it vanished at the approach or any living being. This ghastly - Uteris 9 ; . r Hassam All and Jimmy Bolton. thing waxed and waned, something after tbe manner of the coat of a man's pipe. Of course It was plain trickery, but one could not Impress tbe excitable negro mind with this fact, and, more than this, there were many wblte peo ple who were quite assured that this skeleton hand presaged tbe coming of tbe end of the world. Something must be done at once. Would her dear son come Immediately and see If be could put thin mystery where It belonged? He wired back that be would. Of course there was no doubt in his mind that some one was playing a practical Joke of a grewsome sort but be also realized that It might turn into a serious affair if it was permitted to continue. He laughed at one, moment and swore nt the nest Why tbe perpetra tors of the Joke bad selected the bill buck of the Storm place set bim think ing deeply. ne decided to go borne and lay the ghost as the saying goes. He packed up, sent a letter to Zudora and left town. When Zudora received the letter she was greatly perturbed. It seemed to ber that what appeared as a bit of coarse foolery might have as Its base something serious regarding tbe wel fare of ber love and bis people. Rather diffidently she sought Ilassuin All's ad vice. Her uncle shrugged. "Some country bumpkin Is playing a Joke on the more simple minded. Go and solve it If you wish, only you'll have your trouble for your pains." "But bow do you account for tbe band?" "Trickery, pure and simple; phos phorescence mayhap. The negro mind at least tbe southern negro Is full of kinks, like bis hair. He will take it us a sign that the world is coming to nn end." "Some necrroes hnve already desert ed. It looks to me something more than an Idle Jest" Ilnssam All gave ber a quick, shrewd glance. He wondered what was going on lu tbe girl's mind. Had she any suspicions? it was Inherent for ber to speak tbe truth. "nave you Intimated to Storm of the gold?" be asked. "No." rather scornfully. "I have given my word. You ought to know that 1 never break It" "But often regret giving It?" "Perhaps." "Well, my advice Is. stay home. There Is no reason why you should take any risks on account of Storm's people." "You said It was probably a bump kin's Joke." "Yes. but tbe negroes cannot be trusted In a case where their Imaglnn tlon may get the better of their com mon sense.. Better wait until you bear from this fool of a lover of yours." "1 am better able to Judge Jobn Storm than you," coldly. "He Is not a fool." "Hoity-toity! Hasn't It ever occurred to you that storm Is young, alone and built like most young men?" "What do you mean by that?" "Has be tojd you everything about bis life before be met you ?" "Will yoa kindly explain T "Let him explain," said nassam All and, having planted this barb of doubt, turned on bis beel and retired to his den, rather well sutlstied with himself. But Zudora'a love was llko a shield. The barb bounded off harmlessly. John Storm was a clean man In thought and In life. She had not passed through this pecuiiur schooling of hers without being uble to reud between the lines. She was absolutely certain that love could not blind her to any defects In John. All Hassam All accomplished by bis innuendo was to enlarge that smoldering suspicion which was ever in her heart A good many of us are nearsighted mentally. It Is easier to Judge things In tbe distance than close nt hand.. While the general world knew that Hassam All was a miser, Zudora was quite ignorant of the fact Had she definitely known of bis Inordinate love of gold, ber subsequent miseries might have been avoided to some extent Storm went south Immediately. The home was simple and comfortable. There were two or three bits of un tlque furniture which had been saved from the wreck. It was night when he arrived. The country railway station hud. with Its usual nondescript crowd of Idlers, witnessed his arrival, and the news traveled quickly. He regret ted that be had not come secretly und gone about his investigations unob served. But the damage was done and proved conclusively that he was not cut out for a detective. lie was greeted fondly by bis par ents, aud they repeated with elabora tions what bad been recounted to him in the letter. It was downright serious, no laughing matter. The help were de claring that the mystic band was the warning of the world's end. Not a few of the iioorer class of white folk were accepting the hoax as a Serious affair. Some of the negroes were even going so far as to kneel down to the hand (from a safe distance) and - Intone prayers. "Humph!" muttered Storm. "1 want a good look at this thing. And some one is going to get a rattling good kicking before I go back to town. Why the dickens should tbey pick out our hill for their tomfoolery?" "Father says it's because some one has a grudge ugalnst the family," Bald bis mother. "Piffle!" "An imaginary grievance," she added. "Who could possibly have a grudge against you two. who have done every thing to make life decently worth while to the help?' "You never can tell." said old Mr. Storm, digging into bis pocket for bis Pipa "What time does It generally appear?" "Oh, any time between sundown and midnight" "All right I'll take a shotgun and go hunting for Mr. Ghost this very night" Storm declared wrathfully. But be wasted bis time. Also tbe night following nothing came of his vigil. The third uigbt be was called to tbe door In time to see the band flicker for a moment and then vanish He, rushed toward the bill, but found nothing. He began to grow very angry, ne admitted, the little time he saw It that It was grewsome enough. It was eight or ten feet In height, with a shadow in tbe palm like an embed ded bullet Subconsciously be seemed to recognize something vaguely famil iar about tbe shape of tbe hand. He did not go into the village, but prowled around In the vicinity where the" hand appeared most frequently. There was no evidence of phosphor escence, no footprints except those made by the negroes some two or three hundred yards below the bill Jobn was puzzled and Irritated at the same time. This Joke was being per petrated by some one who bad brains. Meanwhile the crops lay ungatbered and were beginning to rot In tbe fields. Something must be done In a hurry, else be would be compelled to send to the city for emigrants,- who would doubtless take to tbelr heels after tbe same manner as the negroes. So be telegraphed for Zudora. And Zudora came. The Storm family had beard about ber, you may be assured. But until ... su, P. T- t. T-. A t 2T. The Skeleton Hand Appeared on tho Side of tho Hill. she appeared In the flesh they bad en tertnlned some doubts about this niece of a man whose business tbey held In supreme contempt They fell In love with ber at once, rather shamefacedly when up to that moment they bad been quite positive that she bud laid u siren's trap for their boy. Old man Storm pondered a good deal It did not seem possible that this Bleu dcr, handsome, dark eyed girl was a detective. It did not match up with i the tales he had rend In books. She was Just like any other girl, nothlnn mysterious whatever. "It's realy serious, Zudora." said John. "I've tried my bund at detective work, bqt I haven't gained an inch. I admit that I am totally at sea. I've seen the thing once at a great distance, and I don't wonder that the natives are biking for other parts." Have you any old time enemies V sbe asked. I come bock once or twice a year for a day or two. I seldom go into the village. I've been in New York tor nearly fourteen years and have quite forgotten how the neighbors look. Uow the deuce could 1 have any enemies?" "I mean your father. He may have discharged some one who alms at hav ing revenge." she suggested. "There hasn't been any one discharg ed from this place since 1 was a kid. and you can take it from me that the chap who is playing this game has a brain better educated than the run of help hereabouts." 1 am going to make some investiga tions, and you must let me go my own way. No tagging after nie when I want to go Into the village. Some one In the village will know what Is going on. No one would come from the out side to play a game like this." "All right If any one can get to the bottom of this muddle It will be your lovely self. Good luck, sweetheart!" Three or four days passed. Zudora went ubout her work systematically. One day she came upon a bit of news that startled her profoundly. It was of such a character that she dared not Impart this news to John. lie must be kept In total Ignorance. The brain that had instigated this really criminal Joke was In New York. It was the tool of this cunning bruin she must bring to light aud confusion. Her uncle! How the man hated John, to piny so despl cable a Jest upon his poopler The old suspicions returned, stronger than ever. She was growing a bit afraid of this nncle of hers; she was beginning to un derstand that flesh and blood did not always count But why? Why should be wish to harm John Storm? It was an unanswerable question. She real ized that from now on she must be on her guard. Her uncle must never learn that she entertained the least sus picion. That night they all received a shock. The hand suddenly appeared on the side of the house, and even as they rushed out to look at It it slowly faded. Zudora threw a quick, circling glance. order without capita L At any rate he was determined to put tbe matter bold 1 lo Ilassuin AIL Aiued was not going to admit him at first Orders were orders. But when Storm declared that be would come back with a policeman A rued conclud ed to accept the lesser of two evils. Storm found himself In the familiar drawing room. Zudora seemed every- t where In the arrangement of tbe flow ers, the pictures, the music rack. "Well, sir," said a cold voice from behind, "this Is an honor forced upon s-Xi -r ter' The Old Man Accused Her, but John Intervened. but there was no spot of light In the distance to confirm her suspicions that a "magic lantern" was being focused agninst tbe side of the bouse. The re sult of this visitation was the final ex odus of the help, with the exception of the housemaid and tbe boy who did chores about tbe bouse. The matter had been fully explained to these two. None the less they were budly fright ened. When the spectral hand appeared the next night old man Storm seized bis shotgun and started out with blood in bis eye. Tbe result of his rage and ex citement was a badly lacerated arm fur the housemaid. Tbe old man accused ber. but Jobn Intervened. The poor girl bad only been curious to see how near she could get to the specter. She was fortunate to have escaped with ber life. Later John began to show preoccu pation, and when questioned by Zu dora be admitted that there bad been an episode of his younger days that he bad all but forgotten. The dark spot In tbe palm of the hand had finally brought back the scene vividly. "1 used to come borne during college days to bunt u little. There's quail and partridge galore In November. I used to take young Jimmy liolton along to carry the game. He was only a kid. Well, to make a long story short 1 was careless In handling the gun. and some of the charge went Into Bolton's hand. The best thing we can do, then. Is to locate him. lie wasn't always quite right in the upper story. But how the dickens he should come to think up sut-h u hoax and spring It after all these years gets me." , Zudora said nothing. There was nothing for her to say. "So we'll take a look Into Jimmy's af fairs," concluded John. II ut Jimmy had not been seen by any one for several weeks. Tbe specter suddenly ceased operations. A week passed, and both Storm and Zudora concluded to return to town, but to return secretly the first time the hand made Its appearance again. Oddly enough Storm also had vague Mispleions regit riling the brain behind Itolton, but perhaps foolishly, he re frained from confiding to Zudora. He had become reasonably sure that Has snm All was somewhere in the buck ground. Jimmy liolton was Incapable of perpetrating a hoax of this peculiar M 1 jf if, A fit 1 'x i y . ' k ' S i. i f i A i "i ' xjj the slightest hesitancy she sought the) shack, knocked Intrepidly and was sud denly dragged in and securely bound. In tbe dim light she could see that Bol ton was not untouched with Insanity. Storm bad promised not to follow, but she never went out at night with out bis being somewhere near. He too bad seen the flashing eye. A brief tableau f Zudora struggling In tbe doorway was enough. He was nearly ns mad as poor Jimmy Bolton. Ho used the fellow roughly and left hlra exhausted and thoroughly cowed In a corner and then liberated Zndoru. In the attic of the shack was a giant sterenpticon, capable of throwing a concentrated rty n thousand yards or more. The plate projected was really an X ray exposure of Bolton's bund. John threatened and cajoled und ever offered money lo Bolton If he would confess who had set hlin up to this trick. But Jimmy rerused to dlvuiga bis secret lie feared the threats of! Hassam All far more than the threat of his victim. A week later the crops were belnij harvested, and Zudora mid John re turned to the city, each secretly won dering what tho next ordeal would bold for them. ITO BE CONTINUED.) He Suddenly Drew Back His Hand, but Storm Was Too Quick For Him. me. 1 have forbidden you the hospital ity of this bouse." "I am well aware of that." returned Storm, quite as coldly as Hassam AIL "1 have not come for hospitality. What I demand to know Is, what the devil do you mean by setting a half wltted boy up to such n beastly game ns that spectral hand?" Storm shook his fist under nassam All's nose. All the fury ugalnst this young man bubbled up In nassam All's heart aud incautiously was permitted to over flow the brim, ne wanted John Storm dead, dead at his feet He suddenly drew back bis band, but Storm was too quick for him. Amed, seeing his master in danger, seized a vase and stole up behind Storm. But from her boudoir above Zudora had beard the loud voices. She held In her hand only a book. She flung It with more accuracy than Is generally credited to the feminine arm. It hit Amed squarely on the shoulder; and the vase clattered to tho floor. John flung Hassam All from bim and faced Zudora. "I am sorry, dear, to have a rumpus like this, but I lost my temper." "And erbaps I lost mine," said Has sam All, recognizing the need of a bit of diplomacy. "1 had forbidden him tbe bouse. Zudora. He pushed Ills way In with threots of police." "You were wrong. John." said Zu dora. with no small diplomacy herself. "There is nothing to prevent my see lug you when and where I will, but this Is my uncle's bouse. He has n per feet right to deny you admittance if be so wishes." John swallowed hard, ne was not expecting a rebuke from such a quar ter. He apologized again and left the house. At bis apartments a telegram awaited hint The specter had return ed, und the farmers were patrolling the THE MOST FAMOUS SONG. V- yt'",. Zudora Was Suddenly Dragged In and Securely Bound. county with shotguns. A carrier pi geon acquainted Zudora with the fact Tlie next morning the two left for the south. Zudora nor John referred to the row with Hassam AIL "U-t me work alone. The sight of you may scare away this boy," she said. "All right" he agreed, but with the mental reservation that he would fol low ber and remain within call. Zudora found Jimmy Itolton and Jim my Bolton found her, much to ber dls comfort and alarm. She hud gone far opposite to where the specter hand usually appeared, nnd she discovered Id ii window of a shack on the op posite hill the Cyclopean eye she had hitherto buuted for in valu. Without An Air Familiar to Almost Every Coun try In the World. A London paper recently asked the question, "Which is the world's most famous song?" and then proceeded to make nn unexpected answer namely, that it Is not "Auld Long Syne," "An nie Laurie," "Home, Sweet Home," "God Save the King." "America." "The Watch on the Rhino," "The Mar seillaise" or "The I-ast Rose of Sum mer." all of which would seem to bo probable candidates for the honor. What is It, then? The answer Is "MaU brook," whose refrains, "We won't g' home till morning" and "r'or he's a Jolly good fellow," are equally familiar In Europe nnd In America. The air of the song nas heen sung in Europe since the tluie ot the crusades, when It was carried to the east nnd so became familiar to Turks and Arabs. The modernization of the song date from some time after the battle of Mai plaquet when It was first sung by it French muse nt Versailles, whence 1 spread to Paris and throughout France end, as bns been said, gave the great Duke of Marlborough more celebrity than nil his victories. The words were printed on fans and screens and wer sung In palaces aud on the streets. Tlie still further modernization for the exigencies of roistering melody was the last touch which Insured tho song universal popularity Incorpo rated In opera boulTe by Hlzet. sung bjr Marie Antoinette In the Tulleries, In troduced by Ueauuiarchals In "The Marriage of Figaro" nnd by Beethoven In his symphony and hummed by tho greut Napoleon whenever he entered i buttle, the air of "Mulitrook" nas liter, ally sung itself Into the heart of the world. And Du Mnurier understood Its Infi nite possibilities when lie had Trilby transform It Into a great lyric tragedy. A Lucky Imitation. Marshal Gourko. the famous Russian general, was a terrible autocrat Uu one occasion an linperstniutor of cele brated men was performing at a thea ter In Odessa. One eveulng he receiv ed a mysterious message, which read. "Study General Gourko." In ltusslii It Is better nut to inquire Into mutter that one does not ifuderstnnd. and so the artist spent uu hour lu privately Impersonating the autocratic Russluo. Just as the evening performance was) about to commeuce an order of arrest signed by Gourko was presented to the Impersonator, and without explanation he was led through tbe streets to tbe marshal's pa luce and Into an upart meut where the terrible man wus seat ed. "Tbey tell uie that you imper sonate celebrated men," he roared. "Impersonate me!" Giving a hasty look at Gourko, the performer turned to tbe mirror to "make op." It was an anxious time, for if the marshal should take exception to the representation be bad unlimited power to Inflict pnu Ishment Tho Impersonator dragged himself together and turned to tho marshal a copy of his own face and. overbearing manner. Gourko burst Into a roar of laughter, and the dan gerous moment was over, When Paderewskl Was Poor, Paderewskl's first really Important engagement as a pluntst was lu Parts. He was engaged to play In the draw ing room of u lady famous for ber ino slcules. and bis fee, which seemed to hlui enormous, was $'.'0, He managed to persuade the humane agent to pay him in advance, and when Pnderew ski had redeemed his dress suit from pawn and paid for shoes, gloves, tlo and other essentials be hud no money left for cab hire, so he was forced to walk to tho scene of bis engagement The music loving audience Inspired bim. He played with feeling, passion and mastery of his Instrument as nev er befora His success wns instant and unmistakable. The poor player bud suddenly become the lion or the hour, aud fume aud fortuue were as sured bim. At last, after disengaging himself from his admirers, De turned to leave, when bis hostess, remember Ing with regret tho sum linens of tho fee for bo marvelous a performance, offered him ber carriage for bis return home. But Paderewskl's pride came to the rescue. In bis courteous yet re served way be made a formal bow, and. saying. "No, thank you. mndame: my own Is waiting," he stepped out for bis long walk homeward.-Pear, sun's Weekly.