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About Ashland tidings. (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 21, 1915)
Thursday, January 21, 1015 ABHIiAND TIDINGS. ZUBORA A Great Mystic Story by Harold McGrath Copyright, 1914, by Harold McGrath, SYNOPSIS. Zudora la left an orphan at an early age. Her father ! killed In a gold mine, Zudora and the fortune from the mine, which grows to be worth t20.000.00U, are left In the guardianship of Prank 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 aa Hassaro 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 htm, the next of kin. Hassam All sees an obstacle to his scheme In the person ot John (Storm, a young lawyer, for whom Zu dora has taken a fancy, and he com mands the gtrl to put the man out of ber mind. Zudora Insists that if she cannot marry Storm she will marry no one. "Well, well," says Hassam All. "If you take such a stand I'll compromise. Solve my next twenty cases and you can marry him; fail In a single case and you must renounce him." Zudora, using the knowledge gained from years of association with her uncle, unravels a baffling mystery and wins her nrst case a case In which John Storm is saved from Doing 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 hts secret. Storm informs Zudora that bis life Is being attempted frequently Storm suspects Hassam All. Storm Is arrested for stealing the diamond maker's gems, but Zudora discovers the real thieves a pair of mice The negro help employed on Storm's father's farm are fleeing because a great skeleton band appears al night upon a bill near by. Storm is Dallied in nis In vestigation, but Zudora learns that ber uncle has employed Jimmy Bolton, a halt witted man, thus to annoy Storm s par ents Zudora rinds Bolton operating a big magic lantern and is attacked by Bolton. Storm opportunely appears and aavea ber from Bolton. Hassam All asks Zudora to And a gem lost oy two mysterious old men Zudora gets a photograph ot the gem and it burns la her band. An old house Is mined by Hassam All and the old men. storm and Zudora are lured there and narrowly es cape destruction when the bouse blows up CHAPTER VI. The Case of trio McWintsr Family. IN a room la an ordinary dwelling a woman eat' before a sew tug uia chine. The low bum of It tilled the room with a murmur Ilka that of many bees. The woman's busband, seated at a table near by, was readiug nod etuok lot:, aud be looked up absenti) each time the humming ceased temporarily Be scowled, shifted and re tufted bis Pipe. "Are ypo crylog again?" be growled laying down the pipe. "I'm gettlug tired of your coustaul suivel snivel He rose aiid walked over toward ber tbreuteningly. He shook a Huger uo der ber none. "That man baa got to pet out of thi house or I'll know the reason why lie bothers me every time I look at Dim. I tell you he's put to seek Miiotb ei boarding bouse I don't wuut hi hangdog fuee around any longer'' "Hangdog!" she protested "That's wbnt I siild There'll be a rumpus If be doesn't hike.' "You are wrong you are wickedly wrong." said the wife She wted her eyes on ber apron. "Just because be speaks kindly to me and nets the rhlld you act like an Insane mini I've slav ed for you. I've doue everything a wo Binn could. What do.you dor . You sit and read all day " 'That's a Iter the man roared "I'm not an ordinary workmnn. and there Very little demand for my work " "So I've noticed " dryly "I don't want any back talk. All I Bay la that man Smith has got to iret out I won't have til iu on the prem tses after bis week Is up." The tears begun to run down the wo man's cheeks again "You were a dlf fere nt sort ot man before you took to drink." "Your whining 'd send any man to drink. Rut you two are always whls pcrtng. and when I show up yon break apart and begin to talk ot the weather Maybe you think I'm a fool?" "John McWInterr she cried with passionate Indignation. "That's right: work up the Injured look But the martyr stuff doesn't go with Die, Sally I've got eyes, anil I've been nslng them He goes at the end ot bis week, and Hint's all there Is to It. He's got the child running around after him as it be and not i was the lather "That's iievtiuse he is always kino to her n ml never strikes her unjustly aa you do." "Hastit a man got a right to correel his wwu offspring. I'd like to know? "If she gets in yoiit nay you bos her earn. It she does not come in tantly when you call her you use the whip, fan you bin me Hie child foi not loving yon as you expect?' Kot herself sbe did not care: she bad no Illusions left, but where her child was concerned sbe was somettnug ol a lioness She riM ttot want i be fairy tale beliefs knocked out of the little wie's head before ber time. "Stop sniveling. The man's coming. It'd tie Just like you to play the beaten wife when be comes in. Herbapa It wouldu t be a bad Idea to give you a whack once In awhile. Then maybe you'd have something to snivel about. The man who was the Innocent cause of this conjugal arralgument came in. his laboring man's lunch basket under hta arm. His expression was that ot a man wbo bad done bis work that Jay faithfully and welcomed the com ing of evening. He nodded pleasantly. He saw the red eyes of the woman, squared bis shoulders for a moment and passed on. "Humph! 1 notice that you don't snivel while he's looking at you." "How can you talk to me like that?" "I'll talk to you as 1 please." "You are always in the house. You are watching every move I make as If 1 wasn't a good woman. When 1 mar ried you 1 loved you. You were an analytical chemist wbo every one said would make a mark In the world, but drink has thrown you on the reefs And sometimes 1 bate you!" , He caught her by the shoulder and swung her out of the cbuir aud raised bis arm. "Here, here, McWInterr cried a voice from the doorway. "Noue of that while I am iu the house. You ought to be ashamed or yourself!" "This U my woman. I ll strike ber If 1 want to." "Oh, will yon?" The boarder sprang forwnrd and caught the upraised arm, giving It un gentle wrench as he bore down upou It That was enough for McWlnter With a snarl like a wolf be closed in Almost Instantly his back met the floor with a resounding thump. "Don't! Lion t!" pleaded the wife. "It will only make matters worse. You can't help me. Mr. Smith. Please go!" "All right, Mrs McWlnter. but I haven't any use for a wife beater.' "You'll leave this bouse Saturday," said McWlnter, picking himself op slowly "Saturday night, and then you aud your truck for the sidewalk. I've stood all I'm going to stand. Maybe yon think I'm a fool, but 1 know wbat I know." The beaten man slunk out of the bouse, cursing under bis breath. He realised that be would never get any satisfaction out of Smith In a . '., V '. 3t 'I guess that'll fix you." game of fisticuffs; the latter was too strong for him. He'd get him where be wanted him some day. and that day wasn't going to be far off either. He did not come borne until mid night He grinued drunkeniy in the mirror aa be yunked oft bis tie and col lar He wasn't a chemist for nothing; Smith would see. McWlnter was a madman, and nobody suspected this fact The nest morning be remained In bed with a splitting headache. As Smith started out tor bis day's work be cauubt up the child and swung ber alort. She gurgled with happiness Then be kissed ber and set her down "I'm going to bring you that stick of candy toulght." "Goody, goody I Can 1 eat It mam mar "Yes, dear." To the man she said: "How lone? How long?' "Keep a stiff upper up. sfly. We'll strnlchten out this muddle In time. It looks to me like McWlnter Isn't quite right In his upper story. If we could get him away rroin his whisky there might be a chance. Rut he's an ludl an when he's boozed up. Tbey say at the lalMiratnry that they'd be glad to give bim steady work if tbey' could trust him" "Sometimes I've been wicked enough to wish that he was dead!" "None of thnt kind or talk, little wo man." "You've been so good to usr "Who wouldn't be? Rememlier. now. mum's the word Keep him In a good bumor as much as you can, and when the time comes we'll light out and let the fool shift for himself." McWlnter crawled out of bed about 10 o'clock, ugly aud taciturn When his wife spoke to him be did not an swer. She sighed and returned to ber sewing machine. But for the child sbe knew that she must have given up the struggle lung ago She did not waut any shadow to fall iiHn that pretty childhood. Her own had been unhappy enough, and she was determined that the little ne should not be disillusioned before bet time. ' Sometimes the machine stopped, and the woman guzed Into the blue arch of beaven. To wish any one dead, no matter how cruel be might be, was a aln. I'llcklty-cllckity. cllcsity-cllcfclty, sang the machine. Prom another part ot the bouse came the happy laughter of the child. McWlnter left the house after drink Ing h cupful ot strong coffee and stole along the road toward the woods, where he finally crime upon a shack. It waa rather peculiarly constructed. rhere were no. windows, and the door waa abnormally thick. The man went Inside and remained there for half an hour.. When be came out he appeared to be In good bumor. An alienist might have' been disturbed by , the expression. lg.,the man'a eyes. McWlnter raised bis fist toward town, baking It and muttering: "Spoon, about my house, will yon? Interfere in my affairs, bnb? You wait, Mr Smith. You Just ;walt- May be you won't have to leave Saturday night You'll go before." v . Then be trudged back borne, Hla wife was greatly surprised to Ond him In an amiable mood. It was so unlike mi The Two Men Set Off on Their Hunt ing Trip, him after a debauch. But she was glad enough to accept it at face value, being an honest and simple minded woman. McWlnter did odd Jobs at the chem ical laboratory In the village. He was an expert in certain departments, and occasionally the chief chemist risked the chance of sending for him. It was noticeable that the derelict worked faithfully on these days, with the hope of continuous employment. When afternoon came a telephone call arrived with It, and McWlnter hurried off to the laboratory, rather pleased, too, to find himself tempo rarily placed over the man be hated so heartily. The same amiability be bad shown to his wife be uow exhibited In a lesser degree toward Smith, who waa rather astonished at the sudden turn of af fairs. "I'm sorry I lost my temper. Smith," said McWlnter. rather solemnly. "But my nerves hare gone to smash, aud I'm imagining all sorts of things." "Don't let that worry you." replied Smith, only too glad to bury the hatch et "We all lose our tempers once In awhile. But you ought to be a little more careful of that wife of yours." "I know lt"-bumbly. all the while black murder In his heart "We'll lei bygones be bygones and go out some day for a hunt like we used to. There's nothing better than a good rabbit stew, aud Sally knows bow to cook It" "I'd like nothing better." said the other man. believing In bis heart that this new friendly attitude would aid In making one poor woman a little happier. "I said something about you going on Saturday night You lust forget It" "All right" said Smith. At ft o'clock McWlnier left the lab oratory and wended bis way to the mysterious shack In the woods. For an hour be experimented with a pe culiar sort of contrivance and from time to time gave vent to a diabolical buckle. The man may have been a monomaniac, but that waa never to be proved. ' The thick door seemed to please bis fancy Immensely. An enormous spring f fo 1 Hi(l' His Enemy Sinking Helplessly to the Floor. , was adroitly bidden by the hinges, sncb as would close the door violently aud make It difficult to open without physical exertion. The concussion was bound to shake everything in the aback. Near the ceil ing was a small pmtform about six inches square, lie propped open the door, took an empty bottle from bis pocket and placed it upon tbU plat form. When he liberated the door the slam ot It toppled the bottle from Ita perch and It broke Into n thousund pieces on the stone slab below. "I guess that'll tlx you. 1 guess that'll show you whose house you re boarding in, yon snake!" Mc Inter loosened Ihe spring so as to open the door and passed out. The following 'morning the clerk In the inlMiratory whose business It was to account for all the deadlier concoc tions to making hla dally inventory found a bottle missing, and this bottle contained one or the deadliest fumes b existence. He was greatly per turbed. He asked Smith, but Smith denied that he. bad. touched the bottle,. That seemed to be the end of the affair. On Sunday Mrs. McWlnter'a face was brighter tbah it bad been In weeks. Her husband seemed to be an entirely different- man. He bad sortened so far as to tell a comic story, and you may be sure that Smith and Mrs. McWlnter laughed heartily over it The two men shouldered their guns, whistled for the dog and set off on their bunting trip. And only one of them returned alive. Smith came buck alone and was rather surprised t,o find neither Mc Wlnter nor the dog. They bad sep arated in the woods near the shack, of which Smith apparently knew uoth Ing. McWlnter was missing all the next day. Tuesday morning they found him in the shack straugely dead. A very peculiar case confronted the local authorities. There was oue thing quite plain to them, however, and that waa McWlnter had been murdered in a most cunning and diabolical manner Naturally the coroner's inquest drew the net ahotit Smith's feet. Ue had gone out hunting with McWlnter aud was the last man to see him alive Then came the clerk, who swore that the bottle found In the shack was Identical with that stolen from the lab oratory where both men worked. Smith, despite nil protests, was held for the grand Jury on the charge ot murder in the first degree. Other facts began to circulate. Some one had heard McWlnter accuse his wife of being too friendly with Smith, and out of this calumny raised lta ugly bead. ere and there men began to mutter about Judge Lynch, and Mrs. McWln ter was shunned by all those wbo bad posed as her friends. A few days before the trial began Hassam All was poring over bis crys tal. .Near by sat Zudora, reading and reflecting. The two had been talking about Mes mer and Cagllostro, and Zudora was gathering ber arguments from the book gbe beld. The bell was heard to ring. A few moments later a visitor was ushered In by the Hindu servant To Hassam All's cold eye this client did not suggest any future profit but Mrs. McWlnter'a tale caught the sympathy of Zudora. "I will take this case, uncle," sbe volunteered. "It interests me. It Is purely circumstantial evtdence.and that '1 u , "What a Thick Doorl" is usually the most puzzling to solve. If I succeed It will add another step toward ray twenty cases.' "Suit yourself." carelessly. "But re member, if it turns out to be an ordi nary case it will uot count" "I accept that risk." Zudora. In accordance with her agree ment wltb her lover, John Storm, wrote him explaining about the case and asked bim to meet her at the Mc Wlnter house the following afternoon. When the two arrived in the village they fouud the suburbs lu turmoil. Tbere bad been, they found, a punl tlve expedition against the Jail that beld Smith, but It bad been frustrated "This Is going to be Interesting. John," said Zudora. "I've an Idea I'd like to plead for the poor devil. never realized how many kinks there were In life until you en tered this detective business." 'The unexpected Is always happen ing. On the face of It. this man Smith looks guilty. The very fact that the woman Is eager to save bim has a sua plclous angle. But. for all this, we may Hud bim Innocent as a child." Meantime Hassam All had not been Idle He was going to lose no chance to further bis schemes. To be sure, be bad signified his utter lack ot Interest In the case, but that hud been to hood wink his niece. So quietly and unobserved he made a secret Investigation of the shack. It did not tuke bis remarkably keen eyes long to discover what bad taken place. Clever, abominably clever! Here was a criminal who had fantas tic Ideas If this Inreruai contrivance had served one man's purpose It might readily serve another's. So he contrived to separate Zudora and Storm and bring the latter to the shack. He wrote frankly, signing bis owu name and declaring that It would uot be safe for Zinlora to go deeply Into this case, as there was more to It than could be seen on the surface. So Storm concluded fo meet llassam All at the shack and find out what b had to say. He promised himself that he would be cautious and watch every move of bis enemy. Kverytblng was ready for him. hut again Hassam All was overanxious He set one of the bottles he had found In a cabinet on the little platform near the celling. Welcome. Mr. Storm, welcome! ne laughed and bis laughter might well bare been an echo to that made by tha man who bad built this wlndowlea shack. By and by be beard hurrying foot steps. Slyly be looked out and observ ed the unsuspecting attorney. Good! But something slipped. The spring moved too soon or Hassam All bad not pulled It back far enough. The door slammed violently. Tbere came a tinkle of breaking glass, and Hassam All struggled des perately to pull the door open. He waa already too weak. Storm beard the door. He concluded his Journey at a run. It took all his strength to force the door, which Im mediately closed again when be was Inside. He saw dimly his enemy sink ing helplessly to the floor, and almost instantly It seemed that the walls of the shack hud begun to revolve. Fumes! He stumbled desperately to ward the door, but could not reach It Doubtless the only thing that snved llas.su in All. or Storm for that matter. W w i - f ...i1; i 4'- J, 4 rl 1 ft Sv ?"-ltio. f'iTlhttiiT j ' X VI The Eager Girl Pointed to the Little Platform. was the second opening of the door, which let In a gust of pure ulr and car ried out a certain volume of the poi son. Fortunately for both or them Zudo ra aud Mrs. McWlnter were both start Ing out for the shack at the very mo ment the door closed upou Uussum All. Mrs. McWlnter dreaded to see the fatal shack again, but Zudora Insisted. She must see the shack and everything In It If sbe was to aid Smith. In the slightest degree. After Mrs. McWlnter had fully ex plained the conditions Zudora was quite confident that the man Smith was Innocent, no matter how deeply circumstantial evidence bad Involved him. She also felt Instinctively thnt the widow was holding something back. "There It Is," utuiouuced Mrs. Mc Wlnter. wltb in shudder. "Why. there are no windows In It!" "I know It My busband built It For what purpose I cannot say, unless It was to experiment In " Mrs. McWlnter begun to cry. "There, there." said Zodora. "From wbat you have told me I don't think that busbaud ot yours was worth tears." "But I have not told you all." "Well, what more Is there to tell?" "The man accused of my husband's death was never my lover, lie was my brother!" "Good heavens! Why didn't you tell that to the "orouer?" "I dared nut 1 dared not tell even my husband that" "Why?" "My brother Is' an escaped convict Again It was circumstantial evidence He suffered In another man's place For two years he him lived quietly here, and the police have lost all track of him He was sentenced for five years mid escaped during the first year of his term. If I bad taken my bus band into my confidence be would have enjoyed nothing greater than exposing George." "You can trust me with your secret. He would be totally lost If the people knew this. Well, there's the shuck What a thick door!" Reaching It she tried to open It It refused to budge. She called to Mrs McWlnter. and the two of them suc ceeded In pressing It hack. "Hold It!" cried Zudora. reaching for a log near at bnnd. Wltb this she was able to bold the door. Then she saw Storm ami n.issam All lying senseless on the floor She anlfJ ed and for n momei-t felt dizzy. The fresh air. however, came in strongly, and ufter a tew moments the two men dazedly opened their eyes. Zudora helped them both outside, shaking them roughly! It took a quit ter of an hour to bring them around to anything like normality. Whatever Storm thought of the affair he kept to himself. Zudora. believing It wise to close the door again, was about to cast aside the log when her eye was attracted by a tuft of course hair caught lu a splinter "Did your bubnnd have a dog?" m asked the frightened woman at her side. "Yes. But be ran away the day m husband died, and no one has seen him since.' Zudora again studied the log thought fully. The earth about was soft, and presently she discovered the footprints of n dog. The tiirt of hair and the tracks set her thinking deeply. "Was your man quite right?" sbe asked, touching her forehead. "How do yon mean?" "1 mean did be aci queerly at times ?' "Why, now- you come to speak of tO yea. 1 thought be waa Juet erratic.' , "Here's a bit of good luck." said Zo dora suddenly. - She pointed down the road a bit where a wagoa was visibly approaching. "He'll be able to give ua a lift back to the vtlhige. 1 want to see -the authorities at once. I've an Idea bow your busband came to die.'' "How?" "All in good time." Zudora balled the farmer. He would gladly give them a lift "These two men," said Zudora, indicating John and Hassam All, "have met wlth'un accident Help me get them Into the wagon." "in a Jiffy, miss!" The exhausted men were bandied into the wagon, and the farmer touch ed his team with bis whip. At the outskirts of the town they came upon a mob. It was very disor derly. In the midst of this mob was a pale man securely bound. "My brother! They are going to lynch him!" cried the widow wildly. It looked that way to Zudora too. There was one thing for her to do. into this mob she resolutely pushed her way. The excited men stepped aside grumbllngly. "Men. even If this poor man waa guilty you are acting like a pack of wolves. He Is Innocent. 1 can tell you how John McWlnter canio to his death. He died In a trap be had set for this very mnn yon would hung. Ills own dog was the cause of Uia death!" "Uia dogr "Come, come: this Is no time for fairy stories. String him up, boys, be fore the police nose In!" ' Smith was backed against a tree. "I warn you that you will be com mitting murder. Give me one hour, and If I cannot reasonably prove that Smith Is guiltless, why, 1 engage to stand aside and watch you hang him." This declaration made the mure sober men pause. - "And I'll help you pull the rope!" shouted the sheriff, quick to recognlzo the value of u respite. "Choose six among you to follow me," said Zudora, "or as many ua you wish." "We'll aU go; Smith toor That settled It The mob began to surge along the road at a dog trot If this girl could prove what she said. why. Smith could go; If not there'd be enough trees near the shuck to serve their purpose. When the eager girl exhibited th bottles and explained what was lu tbem. pointed to the little platform, aud then to the door wltb Its spring; a calm began to settle upon the blood thirsty men. "To hold the door open against th pressure of the spring It was necessary to prop this log against It McWlnter aud Smith had gone out diluting. Sud denly Smith missed McWlnter, whu was. In fact arranging the details of the trap. McWlnter'a dog evidently got In his way, anil he kicked It The dog In ifs endeavor to escape a sec ond kick humped against the log. shut ting McWlnter lu the shuck and caus ing the poisonous fumes to be liberat ed. Aly uncle has ulready proved this fact to his satisfaction." Hassam All nodded gravely. There was nothing else for him to do Storiu stared at bim Ironically fur a moment. "But there Is something else to add." went on Zudora, now satisfied that sho hnd won the Interest of the mob. "McWlnter bad laid this trap for Smith himseir. He wan an Insane man. and none of yoo ever snspicloned "Ha is innocent." ' this fact He Imagined all hla trou bles. Smith bad absolutely nothing to do with them. Now bang hi in If you can!" The mob quietly took Itself off, vast ly shamed and chastened, and Smith soothed bis sobbing sister, his eye full of gratitude. "You're a wonderful little person. Zu dora," whispered Storm. "Am I? Take me bark to town, I am tired. And there's more to do. I've got to free Smith again from prison." But the death of the real culprit did that and Smith walked the earth again free citizen. TO BE CONTinCEO. A Ruse That Failed. Comedian - While Kavenyelp was traveling In Italy he thought It would he a great press agent stunt to get him self captured by bandits and beld tor ransom. Soiihrette How did the scheme work? t 'oiued Ian -Bobbers captured him all right, hut when they tonnd he waa an actor they made bim work for bla board. -Judge. J Bad conduct soils the finest ornament more than filtb.-Plautua,
