novtwf^Msck I mtr of omcan bul£ l

*ni »■■«■<. Crate la < apro to Port tuto TEKTH INSTALLMENT CHAPTER XXII. THE EH IP OP HORROR. Oaaet leased a IHUa forward and orrd down the Bne of ateamer chair* The profeaeor. la a borrowed orercoat aod cap. waa recllntn* at fall leneth. ftadjlnc a book on aeaxulla which he Sad found la the library. Laura aad I«nora were both doriae traaccllljr. Mr. Harrla of Scotland Yard wa* deep la a TOlnae of detective atoHea. “Aj a pleaanre crnlae.** Queet renarked frrim'.y. “thla little excursion reeraa to be a oonplete aucceaa" Laara open:d her eye* at once Tryln* to get my goat aeaia. ehT" the retorted. "1 suppose that’s what TouY* after. Going to tell me. I aopnoae. that f. wasn’t Craig I aaw aboard thU steamer ** "We are all liable to make mistakes.* Qnest obeerred. "aad I am Inclined to believe that this 1* one of yoora." Laam'a expreeaion was a little dog c*iIf he’a too clever for you and Mr. Harris," ahe said. "I can't help that. I only know that he came on board. My eyes are the one thing in life I do believe." "If yooTl exease me saying so. Mini ’.anra." Hams ventured, leaning def-«-rentlany towards her. "there Isn't a passenger on board this ship, or a •errant, or one of the crew, whom we Haven't seen. We've been Into every 'taterooia. and we've even searched the hold. We've beet, over the ship, backwards aad forwards The captain's own steward has been our guide, and we've conducted an extra search on ow own account. Personally. I must say I have come to the tame conclusion as Mr. Quest. At the present moment there Is no such person »s the man we are looking for on boerd thla ateamer." Then he either chanced Into another one." Laura declared obstinately. "or else he lumped overboard." "Come on. Harris, you and 1 promised to report to the captain this morning. I don’t suppose he’ll be any too pleased with ns Let's get through «1th n. The two men walked down the deck 1 ogether. They found the captain •lone in his room with a chart spread out In front of him and a pair of comiwseee In hU hand. He turned round •ad griwted them “Welir "No lock, sir." Quest announced. Your steward has given ss every assistance possible and we have '*»rched the ship thorough!*. Unless he has found a hldlux place un•nown to your steward, and not apparent to us. the man la not on board " The captain frowned sUghlly. -You are not sugcestlng that this la rcwslble. I suppose’’ "Quest did not at ooce reply. He ■a» thinking of l^ura’s obstinacy. "Peraonally." hs admitted. "I should aot have believed It possible The young lady of our party, however, who Ceclares that abe aaw Craig board t «• •teamer, la cults Immovable " "Browa,* aald the captain, turning to the steward. "1 understand that you *«y that you have taken these gentlemen Into every oorner of the ship, that jou have ransacked every possible biding place, that you have given them "'cry possible opportunity of search- ; ag for themselvesT" That la quite true, clt ." the ma r -

"Yon agree with m* that If l» im iw^lble for anyone to remain hidden m this sLipT* 'Absolutely, air." Tow hear, gentlemen the captain utainued. "I really can do no more, "bat the mischief are you hanging •bout tor. BrownT" he asked, turning ' 'b« steward, who waa i landtag by -i'h a carpet-sweeper In bis hand Itoom wants cleaning out badly. Th«. captain glanced distastefully at ibe carpetaweeper. “Bo It whan 1 am at dinner, then. b» ordered, “and take that damned •-blag away.** f be steward obeyed promptly Quest ••"l Harrla followed him down the

thought, when he waa showing us round the ahlp." Quest agreed. "Hem," Harris murmured. aofUy, "as the gentleman who wrote the volume of detective stories I am reading puts It, to keep ear eye on Brown." . . . The captain, who was down to dinner unusually early, rose to welcome Quest's little party, and himself arranged the seats. They settled down Into the placet arranged for them. An elderly lady, dreesed la somewhat oppressive black, srlth a big cameo brooch at her throat and a black satin bag In her hand, was being shown by the steward to a seat by Quest's aide. She acknowledged the captain’s greeting acidly "Good evening, captain." ahe said. "I understood from the second steward that the seat on your right hand would be reserved for me. 1 am Mrs. Poe ton Rowe." The captain received the anrouneement calmly. "Very pteaaed to have you at the table, madam." he replied. ’ As tn ’he •eating, I leave that entirely to the steward. I neve • Interfere myself." Laura pinched his arm. and Lenora glanced sway to bide a smile. Mrs. Postjn Rowe studied the menu disapprovingly. v ’Hors d'oeavres." she declared. "I never touch. No one knows how long they've been opened. Bouillon—1 will hats sime bouillon, steward." "In one moment, madam." The professor came r tabling along towaids the table. "I fear that I am a few moments late." ht remarked, as he took the chair naxt to Mrs. Poston Rowe. 1 of far yon my apologies, captain. I congratulate you upon your library. I have discovered a most Interesting book upon the habits of seagulls. It kept me engrossed until the very last moment, and I am hungry." "Well, you’ll have to stay hungry a long time at this table then," Mrs. Poston Rowe snapped. "Seems to me that the service is going to be abominable." The steward, who had Just arrived, presented a cup of bouillon to Quest The other* had all been served. Quest stirred it thoughtfully. "And as to the custom." Mrs. Poston Rowe contlnusd. "of serving gentlemen before ladies. It Is. I suppose, peculiar to this steamer." Quest hastily laid down his spoon, raised the cup of bouillon and presented It srlth a Uttle bow to his neighbor. "Pray allow me. madam." he begged "The steward waa to blame." Mrs. Poston Rowe did not hesitate for a moment She broke ap some teust In the bouillon and commenced to alp It The spoon snddenly went clattering from her fingers She caught at the of tbs table, there was a strange

-A Message From th# Hand*! Look I" look In her face With scarcely a murmur she fell bach In her seat Quest leaned hurriedly forward. There was a slight commotion. The doctor caspe hurry leg up from the olher side of the saloon. He bent over her and his fsce grew grave ••What la It?" the captain demanded. The doctor glanced at him mean-

whispered "Waa It a fain I"' Lenora naked. -We shall know dlroctly." the captain replied "Belter keep your place* ! think. Steward, serve the dinner a* U *T^* man held out his hand to withdraw the cup of bouillon, but Quest drew It towards him -Let It wait for a moment, ne o glanced at the nodded bach In a few momenta the oocH, down Ml whispered to th# captain

Qucat israsd aroand.

■aid. "I happen to have my chemical chest with special testing tabes. If youH allow me. I’d Ilka to examine thla cup of bouillon. You might come round, too. If you wflb” The captain nodded. "I’d better stay here for a time," he decided. "IH follow you presently." The service of dinner waa resumed. Laura, however, sent plate after plate away. The captain wet ioualy. -I -an’t help It," ahe explained. "I don’t know whether you’ve had any talk with Mr. Quest, but we’ve been lately. 1 •his death on my nerves." The captain was startled. Ton don't for a moment connect Mrs. Poston Rowe's death with the criminal you are In search of?" he exclaimed. Lenra sat qslte still tor a "The bouillon was offered first to Mr. Qnest,’’ she murmu'ed. The captain called his stesrard. "Where did you get the bouillon from you served—that last cup, especially r bs aaked "Prom the pantry lust as usual.

"Any chance of anyone r'ttlng at It?" "Quite Impossible, sir. 1 In Quest's staleroon the professor. Quest and Lenora were all gathered around two tittle tubes, which the criminologist was examining with an electric torch. "No reaction at alb" the Alter mottertd. "This isn't an ordinary poison, anyway." The professor, who had been standing on ons side, suddenly gave vent to

"Walt!” be whispered. "Watt! I have an idea.” He hurried off to his stateroom. The doctor was poring over a volume of tabulated poisons Qnest was still watching his tube*. Lenora sat upon tbs conch. Suddenly the professor reappeared. He sraa carrying a small notebook In his hand, his manner betrayed rome excitement. Be dosed the door carefully bellin ' him. "1 want you alb" he begged, “to listen very carefully to me. You win discover the appllceUon of whet I -m going to read when I am finlahsd. Now. If you please." "This." he began. “Is the diary of a tour made by Craig and myself In northern Egypt rome fourteen year* ago. ' .ere !s the first entry of Import: MONDAY—Tweety-nia* tnDce so-thraat of Port Bald. We have stayed foe two days at a llttW Moo ear vtllace. I have today —

who Invaded try some seven hundred yean before Christ, but have preserved In a marvelous war their Individuality as a nr*. They have th* narrow eye* and th* thick non* Oriental: atao much of

bn very by Cnls. my aarvanL Early thla moral ns. a man-eating lion found his way Into th* ancampmenf. Th* Morgan hr hand Ilk* arrant coward* They fled and left. l**0ng the chiefs little

Craig, who to by no means an adept In of flreanaa. chased the animal aa making off with th*

of th* tribe returned from a bunting expedition. Our position hm to now abeotutely emir* We an treated Ilk* gods, and. appreciating my weakness for all metiers of science, th# chief has today explained to me many of the secrel mysteries of th# tribe A moncat other thl.KS. he has shown me a wonderful necrvl pot-eon.-known only to this tritv. which they C D Vredemsoo. It bring* almost Inst sal »th. and to exceedingly dllBrull to trace Th# addition of sugar can**# a curious condensation and malm it almost to a white paste Th* only antidote I* n substance which they use here f-vely. and which to exactly equivalent to our camphor. The professor closed his book. Quest promptly rang the bell "Some sugar." he ordered, turning to the steward They watted In absolute silence Tbe suggestion which th# professor's disclosure had brought to them was stupefying, even Quist’s flngero. as a moment or two later he rubbed two knobs of sugar together so that the eontentn should fall Into the tubes of bouillon, shook The result was magical The bouillon turned to a strange shade of gray and began slowly to thicken. "It Is Mongar poison'" the professor cried, with breaking voice. They all looked at one another. "Craig must be here amongst us.” Quest muttered. “And the be nlllon." Laura cried, clasping Quest * arm. "the bouillon waa meant for you!" . . . There seemed to be. somehow among all of them, a curious Indisposition to dlacuss this matter. Suddenly L*-sora. who waa elttlng on th* lounge underneath the porthole, put out her hand and picked up a card which was lying by his side, fihe glanced at It. at first, curiously. Then the shrieked. “A message!" she cried "A message from The Hands! Look!" They crowded around her. In that same famttla' handwriting was scrawled across the face of the card these few won's: T* Sanford Quest: Yew have escaped thla tluxe by a

writs arv keen, not because of your

"There is no toager any doubt." Lenora aald calmly. "Craig la on board. He moat bar# been on dock a few minutes ago. It was his hand which placed this card on the port- .... Listen! What’s that?" tore was a scream from the dock. They all racognlxed Laura's voice. Harris wag out of the stateroom first, but they wore all on deck srithln ten seconds La nr* was standing with one hand clasping the rail her hand fiercely outstretched towards the lower part of the promenade dock. Through the darkness they heard the sound of angry votoos "What Is It, Tanrsv Lenora crlsd. She swung round upon them. "Craig!" th* cried. "Craig! I saw his face aa I sat In my chair there, talking to the captain. I aaw a man's white faeo—nothing else. He most have been leaning over th* rail. Ho heard me call out and he disappeared.” Th* captain cam* slowly oat of the shadows, Hoping a little, and followed by hit stesrard. • ho waa murmuring profuse apologies. "Did you find him?" Laura demanded. eagerly. "1 did not," tbe ceptaln replied, a Uttle tersely. "I ran Into Brown here and we both had a shake-up." "But he wsa there—a second ago!" tura cried out. “I beg your pardon, mlta." Brown ventured, "hot the decks dosed at the end. as you can see. with sellcloth, and I waa leaning over lha rail myself when yon shrieked. There wasn't anyone els* near me. end no one can poealbly have pasted round the deck, as you can see tor your “Of." "Very well, then." ahe aald. “you people had better get a at rail-waist-ready for me If I didn't see Craig there. I'm going off my head." Quest had disappeared some seconds ago. Hs came thoughtfully back, a little later. “Captain." he asked, "what shall you say If I tell you that I have proof that Craig Is on board?" Tbe captain glanced at Laura and restrained hlmrelf. ’1 should probably say a great many things which I should regret after wards," he replied, grimly. "Sit down and well tell you what has happened In my room," Quest continued. He told the story, calmly and withoat remark. The captain held his sad. "The ship shall be searched" th* capUin declared, “once more. Well look Into every crack and every cupsard." Lenora turned away with a Uttle shiver. It war one of her rare momenta of weakness. "Too won t find him! You won't find him!" ahe murmured. "And 1 am afraid!" Lenora grasped the rails of the s'eamer and glanced downwards at the great barge full of Arab tailors and merchandise. In the near background were the docks of Port Said. It was their first glimpse of eastern atmosphere and color. "I cant tell you how happy I am." she declared to Queet, "to think that voyage Is over. Every night 1 have gone to bed terrified." He smiled grimly. “Coming on shore, any- of you?" Harris Inquired. 'We may when the boat moves up." Quest replied. 'The professor went on the first barge. Here he la. coming back." A little boa’, had shot out from the docks, manned by a couple of Arabs. They could toe tbe professor seated In the stem. He waa poring over a small document which he held in his hand Hs waved to them excitedly "He’a got news’" Quest muttered. He came straight to Quest and Leoora and gripped tbs former by th*

There I* not on* amongst you with th* wit of a Monger child. Good-by I Tbe Hands' 'Where did you get It?" Quest de-

"That'* the point—th* whole point!" the professor exclaimed excitedly. ’He's done ns! He’s landed! That paper wa» pushed Into my ham a tall Arab, who mumbled something

t, ThIg Excursion Sasnts to Be I

ac* harried off across the docks. On

Ths captain came and pot his 1 out of the door. "Mr. QoeaL" he aald. "can you spare you like.” They moved op towards him. The captain closed th* door of his cabin. He pointed to a carpet a weeper which lay against the wall. "Look at that,” he Invited. They lifted the top. Inside wore aeveral sandwiches and a small can of tea. "What on earth la this?" Quest demanded. Tbe captain, without a word, led them Into his inner room. A huge lounge stood in one corner. He lifted the valance. Underneath were some

“Toa eee," he pointed out. "there's room there for a man to have hidden, especially if he could crawl out on deck at night. I couldn’t make out why the dickens Brown waa always sweeping out my room, and I took up thla thing a little time ago and looked at It This la what I found." ’’Where’s Brown?" Quest ask'd, quickly. "I rang down for the chief steward." tbe captain continued, "and ordered Brown to be sent up at once. Tbe chief steward came himself instead. It seams Brown went off without his wmgoa, but with a huge parcel of bedding. on the Ant barge this morning. before anyone waa about." Quest groaned aa be turned away “Captain," he declared, T am ashamed. He he* been here all the time and we’re let him slip through our fingers. Girls." he went on briskly. turning towards Laura, who had Just com# op, Tndla’a off. Well catch thla barge. If there’s time. Our luggage can be pvt on shore when the boot docks." Tbe captain walked gloomily with them to the gangway. "Professor, - ’ Quest asked "bow long would It take ns to get to this Mongar village yoo spoke about r “Two or three days. If we can get camels," the other replied. "I see you agree with me. then, as to Craig’s probable destination?"

"What sort of fallows are they, anyway r be aaked "Win It be safe for US to push oo alone?" "With me.” th* professor assured him. “you will be safe anywhere. 1 speak a little of their language. 1 have lived with them. They are far more civilised than some of the Interior tribes." They disembarked and wer* driven to the hotel, still dlecusiing their project. Tbe professor bad disappeared for some time, but rejoined them later. "It U all arranged." he announced. T found e dragoman whom I knew. W* shall have four of the beat camels and a small escort ready to start tomorrow morning. Furthermore. I have new*. An Englishman, whoso duscriptloo precisely tallies with Craig’s, started off only an hear ago the same direction. This time, at any rate, Crxlg cannot escape us.” They made their way hack to th# hotel, dined in a cool, bare room, and sauntered out again Into the street*. The professor led the way to a Uttle building, outside which a man was volubly Inviting all to enter. "You shall see one of the sights of Port Said." he promised. "This la a real Egyptian dancing girl." A giri. who seemed to be dreesed in I'tUe more than a winding veU. glided o the stage, swaying and moving slowly to the rhythm of the monotonous music. She danced a measure which none of them except the professor had ever seen before, coming now and then m> close that they could almost feel her hot breath, and Lenora felt somewhat vaguely disturbed by the glitter of her eye*. Suddenly Laura leaned forward "Look at th* professor." she whispered. They all turned their heads. A queer change seemed to here come Into the professor’s face. HU teeth were gleaming between bis parted Ups. his head waa thrust forward a Uttle. hU eyes were filled with a strange, bard light. He was a transformed being, unrecognizable, perturbing Even while they watched, the- girl floated close to where he eat and leaned to wardr him with a queer, mocking smile. HU hand suddenly descended upon her foot. She laughed stiU u There was a Uttle exclair -Jon from Lemwa. Th* protoaior's -hole from# quivered. He saatebeo the analet from the girl's ankle and be: t over It.

Bhe leaned towards him. a torrent of words streaming from her Ups The professor answered her to her own language. She lUtened to him to smazement. The anger passed Bhe held out both her Lands. The professor itttl argued. She shook her bead. Finally he placed some gold to her palms. She patted him on the cheek, toughed Into hi* eyes, pointed behind and res®mad her dance. The anklet remained to the professor's hard. ’’Bay. well get out of thla.’ Quest said. “The girl* have had enough." The professor made no objection. "Congratulate me." he aald. "I have been a collector of Egyptian gold ornaments al! my life. This is the one anklet I needed to complete my collection. It has the doable mark of th* Pharaohs. I recognized It at once. There are a thousand like It. you would thick, to the bazaars there. In reality there may be. perhaps, a dozen more in all Egypt which are genuine" They all looked at one another. Their relief had grown too poignant for words. "Early start tomorrow," Qnest re-

Letora. a few sights later, looked down from the star-strewn sky which seemed suddenly to have dropped so much nearer to them, to the shadows thrown across the desert by the dancing flames of their fir*. Laara rose to her feet. "Bay, Pm going to get a drink," ahe

Th* dragoman who had been hover tog around, bowed gravely and pc in ted towards the water bottles took the horn cup from the

Have some yourself. If you want to. Haaaan." ahe Invited. Haaaan bowed gravely, filled a cup and drank It off. He stood for a moment perfectly still, as though something were coming over him which he tailed to understand. Then hto Up* parted, hit eyes for a moment seemed to shoot from out of hU dusky skin. He threw up his arms and fell over on hto aide. Laura, who had only sipped her cup. threw it from her. She. too. a moment. Tbe professor and Quest came running np. attracted ly Lenora's shriek. "They’re poisoned ' ’’ she cried. “The Veedemzoo!" Quest shouted. 'My God! Pull yourself together, Laura. Hold up for a minute." He dashed beck to the.r little encampment and reappeared almost Immediately. He threw Laura's head back and forced some liquid down her throat. “It’s camphor!" he cried. “You’ll be all right, Laura. Hold on to youroelf." He swung round to where the dragoman was lying, forced his mouth open, but It was too late—the man waa dead. He returned to Laura. Bhe stumbled to her feet. She waa pale, and drops of perspiration were standing on her forehead. Bhe was able to rise to her feet, however, without assistance. "I am all right now." ahe dectored. Quest felt her pulse and her forehead. They moved back to th<. fire. “We are within a dozen miles or so of the Mongar village," Quest said grimly. "Do you suppose that fe' 1 '"* could have been watching?" They all talked together for e time In low voices. The professor was In-

clin'd to acout the theory of Craig having approached them “You must remember." he pointed ont. "that tbe Mongar* hate these fellows. It was part of my arrangement with Usman that they should leave us wheu we got In Bight of the Mongar encampment It may have been meant for Hassan The Mongar* hate th# dragt-tnen who bring tourist* In thto direction at all." They talked a Uttle while longer and finally stole away to their tints to sleep. Outside, the camel driver* talked atlll, chattering away, walking now and then around Hassan'* body In solemn procession. Finally, one of them who seemed to haee taken the lead, broke Into an Impassioned stream of words. Boon they stole away—a long, ghostly procession—Into ths

night.

'Those fellows seem to have left off their Infernal chattering all of a sudden." Quest remarked. Uztly. from to' side the teut. The professor made no answer. Ha was sales p. to as cmmxnr-

ECONOMY IN WARTIME

MR. CWILLKIM8Y FINALLY GETS DOWN TO BEDROCK.

All Luxuries and a Few of the Necoe sane* Being Ci* Out, He Now Buys Small Boys’ Watches by the Gross. "It didn't soem possible that thto European war business could ever affect oor income to any way." aald Mr. Gwillkimby. "but U did hit us finally to a way that we had Dover even

other people, we were forced to economize. ~A man never can tell what he can do till be has to. but then be can do most anything. In our household expenses we found many things that were really only luxuries that as could lop off without suffering, and thsn wo went through what to fiuaher days wo •houid have considered aa necessaries and cut down on them, finding among even these things many that w* could do without; and lastly w# cut tho things w* had to have right down to tho bone. "With all these sacrifices. changes and revtotons we finally got our expenses down on paper below our reduced income, but somehow, to acfeJ practice It didn’t work oat that way. Instead of having aa we now should have, even on our smaller means, a little surplus, we still had every week e Uttle shortage, it never struck me where that leak was til one day It came to me all of a sadden that I had forgotten to figure into our expenses the cost of our zoo's watches! “Our boy. like most boys at th* present time, carries a watch: but 1 doubt If any oiher hoy on earth la aa bird on watches as our hoy to. He regulate* hto watch about seven times a day and seta it seventeen times. About twice a week be takes the back and front off hto watch, looks to at the wheels and stirs them np a Uttle and moves the hands. "Once to a while he takes tbe works ont of a watch, but I have never yet known him to put them back. Frequently be drops hto watch, as likely as not on the floor. In one way and another be uses up two or three watches e week, an average of * dozen a month; and whenever he broke hto watch be would come to me for a new one and I would give him the money freely. "But. cheap as these watebec are, we couldn't possibly do that much longer now; and the question was what should w* do about IL fo ’. hu bad got to have a watch aomebci would sooner go without milk'on table than azk our boy to go wlU a watch In his pockeL another bright idea, on now acting. “I now buy our watches by tbs Instead of singly, thereby making a considerable saving; enough. In fact, to urlng our expenses down to Just below our Income; and I now expect that we shall be able to hold things ao until the groat war Is over and oar to come gels back to normal."

Finland. Finland la a grand duchy t In ths ituaslan empire. Women won the vote In Finland as a reward for the ectlve pert taken by Finnish women to the general movement for national Independence when the women struggled side by side wnu band to band with the men of the country. The diet of Finland gave to women who paid tax** the vote on municipal matters In 1 £63—that la, to those who lived In the country or the small towns •cd villages. In 1*72 this wra rxteo'*ed to taxpaying women who lived to elite*, to 1*06 there waa a great uprising of th# Finnish people, and the czar of Huisia granted a new coastltutlon to Finland; tbe parliamentary suffrage was granted to women by the Brat diet that assembled therwafter. Many good lawe have been enacted since the granting of equal suffrage In Finland, but aa all laws can be vetoed by the Ituaslan Imperial council, some of the** have cot become operative Irdeed. the rights of all the Finnish people are subject more or less to the general action and decree of the empire and lla government.

formed a large p.-oportion c •Hence that *ltc«*acd Jack Johnson's defeet, rank among the beat workmen In the world. They c ly deserve high wages, for trace of machinery la to I their factories Without i binder or any pattern to l Cuban ctgarmakrr can turn c aeventy-five or a hundred • day. absolutely Identical :n a and weight, the only troplem being a block ef maple v small curved knife. While Insists on bring amuaed amusement takes the I read to aloud. At every o to Havana you will find f gaged and paid by t ealtng hi* audience v | per or a novel. Some '' receive as much a ! many were elected ts he firwt Cuban {

: legislature.

The Heavily Home. ■Why.’ asked pr little girl. ’ angels have win I "Maybe, ac vered the Uttle Yj ! It e to prev* it them from gw | tbe golden »tr*-eL. all mu ^ Ana I tht-lr muddy feet." '

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