ffie Islandgf LostJfen

I The International Terles of Mystery

Elegance
to all garments
m a d e by t h e
International
Tailoring Co.
The men who wear
this high-grade tailor-
ing always present a
distinguished appear-
ance.
 CHAPTER I
I

I I is not often that the secrets of the Government

Service are laid bare.
things happen that never
M a n y astonishing
become known
and
to the
Detective
mysterious
public.
T h a t is as it should be, for if the plots and counterplots of all the
enemies of this country and of the great European powers were
made known, the people would be astounded, and in many cases
undoubtedly badly scared.
I am J o h n Merrill, agent of our Government Detective
Service, and it was my fortune to have been closely connected
with one of the most startling events in the criminal history of
our country. If I had not been successful in my efforts to solve

i
t h e bewildering and terrible series of e v e n t s that occurred on t h e
p r i m i t i v e little island that lies off" the coast of Virginia, this great
land of o u r s m i g h t have been devastated a n d possibly completely
d e s t r o y e d by a power that still s o m e t i m e s h a u n t s me in my d r e a m s .
M y work started when the chief of our Bureau in W a s h i n g -
ton called m e to his office h u r r i e d l y on a M a v evening.
o His
desk was strewn with papers, a n d a telegram lav open before him.
" D o you k n o w Beaver I s l a n d ? " said he. " It lies off the coast
of Virginia, j u s t s o u t h of Richmond."
" I ' v e heard ot it," I answered.
H e s h o t a keen glance at me. " What have you heard,
Merrill?"
" W e l l , " I replied, " for o n e thing, Professor Bracken lives
there."
" O h , yes, B r a c k e n , " he said i m p a t i e n t l y . "Anyone else?"
I nodded. " I believe there's a y o u n g man w h o ' s fond <>t
fishing and shooting."
" G o o d , " said he. " I see y o u ' v e got the lav of the land.
That young man's name is Richards, r e m e m b e r t h a t , " he re-
peated, l o o k i n g me squarely in the eve. " J o h n Richards, a very
o r d i n a r y y o u n g man with an ordinary n a m e , do von u n d e r s t a n d ? "
" E x a c t l y , " 1 repeated, smiling.
" T h i s is S a t u r d a y , " the chief went on. " Merrill, on M o n d a y
a fisherman was f o u n d dead on that island ; on W e d n e s d a y night
a f a r m e r was discovered dead in his havfield, and this wire tells
m e that o n e ot J o h n Richards' servants met with t h e same fate
last night. Three men in a week, and there aren't m o r e than
twenty in the place."
 " I t m u s t be frightfully u n h e a l t h y , " said 1.
" Very. B u t the strange part is that n o n e of these men were
ill, none were w o u n d e d in anv w a y — t h e y were f o u n d lying dead,
that was all."
" W h o r e p o r t e d this r "
u
Professor Bracken's secretary. She m a k e s f r e q u e n t r e p o r t s
to the D e p a r t m e n t concerning y o u n ^ R i c h a r d s . "
" Three in a week ! " said I. " I hat island must he the
Devil's own stamping - ground ! W hen do vou want me
to go ? "
" At once. I want you to report at Professor Bracken's.
H e can put you up. Kind out what's h a p p e n i n g there, ami — "
here the chief swunu; a b o u t and looked ar me \'erv sharplv — " jec
that it doesn't happen to 'John Richards'. l i e is worth too much
to t h e world."
T h o s e were all mv orders, and I left the office m \ \ a s h i n £ t o n
k n o w i n g only that 1 m u s t manage to save a certain v o u n g man
f r o m an epidemic of m y s t e r i o u s death that was rava^in^ an appar-
ently peaceful little island.
T h e next day, as I travelled by jail to the Atlantic coast, and
was ferried across from t h e r e to Beaver i s l a n d , I tried to unravel
s o m e t h i n g of t h e m y s t e r y . But, t h o u g h I l o o k e d ar it f r o m every
possible point of view, my efforts were fruitless. N o r did Beaver
Island itself seem likely to tell me much. It was similar to
h u n d r e d s of others that dot the waters off" our western coast.
Kour or five miles lonu;, bv perhaps halt that in width, it sheltered
a little colony of fishermen, with a few farmers who worked hard
to m a k e a living from its shallow ami stony soil. I knew the

i
"MY G L A N C E S T O P P E D A T THK WINDOW. * * *
* I SAW S O M E T H I N G DIMLY
R E V E A L E D IN T H E MOONLIGHT." ( Page 9)
p e o p l e of such a c o m m u n i t y f r o m old experience. T h e y would
be stolid, difficult to get at, and entirely a b s o r b e d in their own
work. T h e y would probably be of little assistance to me in m v
search. W h a t w o u l d also increase t h e difficulties would be t h e
r u g g e d and desolate character of the island, with its w o o d s and
beaches, caves and lonely meadows, offering excellent hiding-
places for desperate malefactors.
A servant of Professor Bracken met me at the b o a t - l a n d i n g ,
and t o o k m y bag. I questioned him closely as to what had hap-
p e n e d on the island since the previous night. It seemed there
was no news of any sort that he could r e m e m b e r . Then I asked
him about t h e three men who had been f o u n d mysteriously slain.
H e said that he had k n o w n t h e m well, that they were old i n h a b -
itants, and that, to the best of his knowledge, none of the three
had ever been farther away from home than to R i c h m o n d . I
wanted to k n o w if there was any ill-feeling in the little com-
m u n i t y , or any trouble between the m e m b e r s ot the different
families. " N o , sir," he answered, " w e be all peaceable folk here
on t h e island, an' the m o r e 1 t h i n k s of it, the more I t h i n k s that
t h e m three was the most peaceable of us all. Seems like n o b o d y
could ha' bore 'em any g r u d g e at all. It looks to me powerful
like there was speerits to work hereabout. I d o n ' t go o u t at
night no m o r e 'cept in fear an* t r e m b l i n ' , with a rabbit's toot
t u c k e d into m y left b o o t . " So I had to give u p that source of
information.
I f o u n d Professor Bracken's house a two-storv b u i l d i n g , set
back from the water. Bracken himself answered my knock
and shook mv hand warmly. He might have been about

5
sixty, and had a g o o d - n a t u r e d face a n d cheery voice, a n d the
bent shoulders of a scholar. " I got your wire," said he,
" a n d y o u r r o o m ' s ready for you. I t ' s high time an e x p e r t was
sent down to look into this matter, for, u p o n m y w o r d , it passes
all b e l i e f ! "
It was already d a r k , and a few m i n u t e s later a bell advised me
t h a t s u p p e r was ready. I came downstairs, and the Professor
i n t r o d u c e d me to Miss L y l e , his secretary, a y o u n g and very
pretty woman. She greeted me w a r m l y . " Oh, Mr. Merrill,
she exclaimed, " if you can only clear u p this terrible tragedy !
There's something uncanny hanging over our heads! Were
all afraid to go o u t of doors for fear we'll never come home
again." I could see in her eyes that she was very much
f r i g h t e n e d , and t h a t only great s t r e n g t h of will k e p t her fears
in check.
" W h a t ' s b e c o m e of o u r foreign f r i e n d ? " P r o f e s s o r Bracken
asked. H e t u r n e d to me, his eyes smiling b e h i n d his great crold-
r i m m e d spectacles. " It never rains b u t it p o u r s , " he c o n t i n u e d .
" Usually Miss L y l e and I are here all alone, b u t this very
m o r n i n g a foreigner arrived, b r i n g i n g letters of i n t r o d u c t i o n to
me f r o m certain f a m o u s scholars of E u r o p e , and stating he was
anxious to learn s o m e t h i n g of m y new e x p e r i m e n t s . H e was a
g e n t l e m a n , so I offered him a r o o m for a few d a y s . "
" A foreigner ? " said I. " F r o m what c o u n t r y ? "
" H e ' s been living in G e r m a n y , and his name is H e r r W i l h e l m
Bey ; b u t he was b o r n in T u r k e y . "
I started. " I n T u r k e y ! " I replied. " B u t he only arrived
here today ? "

6
 " Yes, that is true. A h , here he is n o w . "
The door had o p e n e d , and I found myself l o o k i n g at a
heavily-built m a n , almost bald, with verv black eves, and the
swarthv skin one finds in Eastern Europe. He bowed sol-
e m n l y as we were i n t r o d u c e d , and then the four ot us went in
to s u p p e r .
H e r r Bev and the Professor discussed science the greater p a r t
of the meal. T h e v both seemed absorbed in certain geological
studies Bracken was m a k i n g , and t h o u g h I tried several times to
t u r n the talk to the mvsterious deaths, thev k e p t coming back to
the other topic. A f t e r s u p p e r the man f r o m E u r o p e went u p to
his room to finish s o m e letters, Professor Bracken r e t u r n e d to his
laboratory, which was in a wing of t h e house, and Miss Kvle and
I were left alone.
" Tell me e v e r y t h i n g you k n o w a b o u t t h e death of these t h r e e
m e n , " I said, " and d o n ' t neglect to m e n t i o n any trivial little inci-
d e n t connected with the matter. I t ' s those little things that seem
so u n i m p o r t a n t that give us our real clues."
" T h a t ' s j u s t the t r o u b l e , " she answered. " T h e r e aren't any
little t h i n g s . " T h e n she told me the whole story, and there was
n o t h i n g in it that I d i d n ' t already k n o w .
" W h a t does M r . J o h n Richards t h i n k ? " I asked a b r u p t l y .
I caught a s u d d e n gleam in her eyes. She paled, and then
k<
flushed. Y o u know him ? " she asked q u i c k l y .
I n o d d e d , w o n d e r i n g how much she knew a b o u t him.
T o mv surprise she rose from her chair and came toward me.
<k
O h , M r . M e r r i l l , he m u s t be s a v e d ! " she cried. I'm more
afraid for him than for a n y o n e else."

7
 " So am I , " I answered g r i m l y . " A r e you brave e n o u g h to
t a k e m e to his h o u s e at once ? "
" If you'll g o , " she answered eagerly. " It's a good mile
f r o m here, b u t there's a m o o n . "
I s t e p p e d to the laboratory d o o r , and told the P r o f e s s o r that
M i s s L y l e and I were going to see M r . Richards. Bracken was
busv weighing some metals in a balance, and only n o d d e d his
head absent-mindedly.
T h e girl and I went o u t , and followed the road a l o n g the
shore. C l o u d s were g a t h e r i n g in t h e s k y , but t h e r e was e n o u g h
light for us to see o u r way. it was fully a mile to the h o u s e we
s o u g h t , but we reached it safely. A servant o p e n e d the d o o r at
o u r s u m m o n s and showed us into t h e s i t t i n g - r o o m . A young
man was there, and at s o u n d of o u r steps he j u m p e d u p . " 1 ou
here, A n n e ! " he exclaimed, and I was sure that I could read
m o r e t h a n friendly interest in his eyes.
I had never seen this man before, t h o u g h I had often heard
whispers a b o u t h i m . So I t o o k a g o o d look at him now. He
was tall and slender, very h a n d s o m e , and a n y o n e used to s t u d y i n g
men could have readily seen that he was not of Anglo-Saxon
birth. M i s s L y l e explained my business with h i m , and he at
once became very m u c h interested. " Yes, it's t r u e , " said he.
" O n e of m y servants, F r e d e r i c k , as fine a fellow as ever lived,
was f o u n d dead in t h e road night before last, and there was not a
single m a r k of violence a b o u t h i m . T h e doctor f r o m the main-
land examined him, and said it was the m o s t extraordinary case he
had ever seen. H e was in the best of health, and yet he appar-
ently s u d d e n l y s t o p p e d breathing and fell in the r o a d . A n d it
8
was the same with t h e o t h e r two men last week. I t seems be-
y o n d belief. Y e t I ' m convinced t h e m e n were m u r d e r e d , taken
off in some devil's fashion, not for m o n e y , because thev weren't
r o b b e d , nor for hate, because t h e r e was no one with a g r u d g e
against t h e m , b u t j u s t for the sheer love of killing. A n d if that
h a p p e n e d to t h e m , w h o ' s safe at all ? "
" I ' v e k n o w n m a n y strange cases, b u t n o n e like t h i s , " said I.
" B u t you'll always find there's a reason back ot these e v e n t s , if
only you'll g o d e e p e n o u g h . "
Richards was l o o k i n g at Miss Lvle. "You shouldn't have
come out, A n n e , " he said. " T h e r e ' s d a n g e r l u r k i n g tor every-
one in this night air."
" I had t o , " she answered s i m p l y . I l o o k e d away, and as I
did so my glance s t o p p e d at the window. T h e curtain was only
halt drawn, and I saw s o m e t h i n g outside, s o m e t h i n g only dimly
revealed in t h e m o o n l i g h t , b u t which I was certain was the figure
ot a man, s t a n d i n g stock-still and gazing in at us. I did not
recognize him as a n y o n e I had yet seen. I moved ever so
slightly, and the figure disappeared.
" M r . R i c h a r d s , " I began, but had g o t no farther when there
was a cry o u t s i d e , the o u t e r door was flung o p e n , and t h e servant
who had let us into the house rushed in. " They've got
Tom Lee this time ! " he cried. " Right before his own
house! He's killed, j u s t like t h e others, w i t h o u t a trace ot
the criminal ! "
I was on m y feet, revolver in h a n d . " Y o u stay here ! " I
c o m m a n d e d R i c h a r d s and M i s s L y l e . " N o w , " I added, turning
to t h e s e r v a n t , " take me to T o m L e e ' s as tast as you can ! "

9
 " O h , be careful ! " begged the girl. " Y o u d o n ' t k n o w what
m a v h a p p e n if you go out there ! " A t the first note of alarm
s h e had r u n across the r o o m to t h e y o u n g m a n , and now stood
p r o t e c t e d by his a r m .
But I was in no m o o d tor caution. The criminal could not be
far away f r o m me now. " ^)uick ! " I cried to t h e servant, and
catching him by t h e sleeve fairly pulled him t h r o u g h the d o o r w a y .
O n c e outside t h e man ran across a bit of o p e n lawn, vaulted a
fence, a n d so b r o u g h t m e into a road. W e headed down this.
It was b o r d e r e d on o n e side by a row of trees, a p p a r e n t l y part of
an o r c h a r d , and on the o t h e r by a low s t o n e wall. W e had not
c o v e r e d m o r e t h a n twenty yards or so when I thought 1 saw
s o m e t h i n g m o v i n g a m o n g t h e trees on t h e right. I did not call
t o t h e s e r v a n t , tor tear of a t t r a c t i n g a t t e n t i o n , but slackened my
pace. N o w I was sure t h e r e was s o m e o n e j u s t t h e o t h e r side ot
t h e trees. W i t h o u t hesitating I t u r n e d f r o m t h e road and ran to
t h e right. I passed u n d e r a b o u g h , and at the same instant felt a
s t i n g i n g blow on m y left a r m . I s t o p p e d , partly s t u n n e d by the
s h a r p pain, t h e n , with a cry, I s p r a n g forward. A man was
s t a n d i n g before m e , stick in h a n d . H e aimed a n o t h e r blow at
me, b u t I missed it by d u c k i n g to one side. I whipped my
revolver from my pocket. Before I could fire m y e n e m y ' s stick
had sent the pistol whirling f r o m m y h a n d . Then I plunged
forward, m y arms stretched o u t before me. I caught the man
a b o u t t h e knees, a n d , t h o u g h he was very heavy, I b r o u g h t him
t o the g r o u n d . O v e r and o v e r we rolled, each t r y i n g to pin the
other underneath. At last I saw m y chance. I loosened my
grip, t h e n s u d d e n l y clutched at his throat with b o t h hands, and

10
managed to get m y k n e e s u p on him at t h e same instant. I
torced his head back on the g r o u n d . By now Richards' s e r v a n t
had missed m e , and had come r u n n i n g back. I called to h i m ,
and he dashed up. "Who is i t ? " he cried.
" 1 d o n ' t k n o w , " \ answered. " H a v e vou a n y t h i n g to hind
him with ? "
F o r answer t h e man slipped off his canvas belt. " Here,"
said he, " e a s e u p a bit, and I'll make his arms fast." Mv
o p p o n e n t , w h o was a heavy man, was bv now gasping for b r e a t h ,
and capable ot m a k i n g no f u r t h e r resistance. I loosened mv g r i p
at his throat, and pulled him u p to a sitting position. Then the
s e r v a n t was able to run t h e belt a b o u t his elbows and fasten his
a r m s together.
I got to mv feet. " N o w , " said 1, " w h o are vou, and w h a t
did vou mean by trying to brain me with that stick r "
T h e man said n o t h i n g . I t o o k a good look at him. His
hat had fallen off in o u r tight and exposed a shock ot black
hair.
" I ' v e a notion I've seen vou before this e v e n i n g , " 1 said.
" I t h i n k v o u ' r e t h e fellow 1 caught looking in at M r . Richards*
window."
Still he answered nothing. I looked a b o u t the g r o u n d , f o u n d
mv revolver, and p u t it back in mv pocket. I r u b b e d mv left
arm briskly to drive the n u m b n e s s out of it. Then I stood in
f r o n t of our s o r r y - l o o k i n g prisoner. " C o m e , speak up, m a n , " I
admonished him. " What were vou d o i n g skulking through
the trees here, and whv did vou go for me with vour
stick ? "

li
ACK FROM OUTSIDE THAT WOULD HAVE LEFT A MARK." ( P A G E LH)
 He m i g h t h a v e been d u m b . He tried to stretch o u t his
arms, b u t the belt held t h e m fast. T h e n he sat still, staring at
the g r o u n d .
" D i d vou ever see him before ? " I asked, t u r n i n g to R i c h -
ards' m a n .
" N e v e r , sir. Shall I twist his arms a bit to make him
answer ? "
" N o , he'll h a v e time e n o u g h to talk after a while." 1 bent
down and felt of t h e strap that held the man's a r m s . " That's
good and tight, b u t we'll j u s t get him u p with his back to that
tree and m a k e t h e belt fast a b o u t that. N o w , y o u ' d better come
quietlv, m y m a n , and m a k e n o t r o u b l e . "
H e m a d e no resistance while the two ot us lifted him to his
feet, w a l k e d him o v e r to the nearest tree, and stood him with his
back to it. I loosened t h e s t r a p that held his a r m s and m a n a g e d
to pass it a r o u n d t h e t r u n k of t h e tree and pin his arms at the
elbows. When this was d o n e I turned to Richards' man.
"He'll be here n o w when we want h i m , " said I. "I'm not
g o i n g t o r u n i n t o anv such pitfall again, so I'll j u s t step back
to M r . R i c h a r d s ' house and get a lantern. I want you to go
on and tell t h e m not to m o v e T o m L e e ' s b o d y until I can get
there."
" All right, sir," he answered, and disappeared down the road.
It o n l y t o o k m e a m i n u t e or two to run back to Richards'
house. I o p e n e d the f r o n t d o o r , s t e p p e d in, and picked u p a
lantern that was near at h a n d . I pulled a box of matches from
mv p o c k e t and lighted it. "What is i t ? " cried Richards, who
had heard me.

14
 L o o k i n g u p I could see into the s i t t i n g - r o o m . Richards was
still busy p r o t e c t i n g M i s s Lyle with his s t r o n g right a r m , and I
discreetly l o o k e d away. " N o t h i n g , " I answered, and hurried o u t
at t h e d o o r .
W i t h t h e lighted lantern I went back across the J awn and into
the road. I was on my guard now, revolver in hand, a n d very
careful to k e e p far e n o u g h from trees or b u s h e s to run no risk of
a n o t h e r blow in t h e d a r k . I went down the road until 1 came to
the place where I had spied the strange man. T h e r e 1 t u r n e d off.
and made for the tree where I had left h i m . " W e l l , mv fine
fellow," said I, " have you got y o u r voice back by now?"
T h e r e was no answer. I s w u n g the lantern in front of me,
t h i n k i n g I m i g h t have made a mistake in the tree, Then I went
f r o m tree to tree, until 1 had examined a d o z e n or so. T o my
a m a z e m e n t t h e r e was no man there, our prisoner had absolutely
vanished, w i t h o u t even leaving the canvas belt behind him.
I looked for him high and low before I gave u p the search.
T h e n I s t o p p e d to consider. Kither he was a most r e m a r k a b l e
contortionist, or he had a confederate to help him. And f was
by now convinced that he had had some hand in these mysterious
crimes that were devastating Beaver Island.
When I was sure t h a t there was no use in l o o k i n g tor him
farther, I went back to the road. F o l l o w i n g it I soon came to
a house, with open g r o u n d before it. T h e shifting moonlight
showed m e t h a t t h e figure of a man lay t h e r e , with a n u m b e r of
men and w o m e n g a t h e r e d a b o u t it. I went over to t h e m , a n d ,
telling them who I was, knelt down and m a d e a rapid e x a m i n a -
tion by the light of mv lantern. M v w o r k as a detective had

T
5
m a d e m e familiar with such situations, a n d so I h u r r i e d l y applied
t h e tests t h a t are u s e d in such cases.
There was no d o u b t b u t t h a t t h e m a n was d e a d , and also no
d o u b t , so far as I could see, b u t that he had fallen where he s t o o d ,
w i t h o u t a n y blow or attack f r o m outside that w o u l d have left a
mark. 1 n all my experience I had never met with any case like
this before. It seemed as if there m u s t be s o m e deadly poison
hiding in the night air of this place.
" Well, Mr. M e r r i l l , " said a d e e p voice at my shoulder,
u
what d o you m a k e of it ? "
I stood up. I k n e w f r o m t h e voice that t h e speaker was
H e r r W i l h e l m Bey. " I saw this man s t a n d i n g on his p o r c h n o t
five m i n u t e s a g o , " said he. " I was o u t for a little walk, and
h a p p e n e d to pass b y . "
" And you heard nothing, saw nothing after that ? " I
asked.
" Nothing. I had g o n e on d o w n to t h e beach when I heard
s o m e p e o p l e calling and h u r r i e d b a c k . "
I was t h i n k i n g fast. 11 seemed strange that a m a n who k n e w
t h e d a n g e r s of b e i n g abroad in this island at night s h o u l d have
g o n e for a walk on the beach by himself. But this was no time
to u n r a v e l these mysteries. " Y o u had better take the b o d v of
M r . L e e i n d o o r s , " I directed. " N o w , H e r r Bey, I ' m g o i n g to
ask you to step o v e r to M r . R i c h a r d s ' house with m e . " " Very
g o o d , M r . M e r r i l l , " said he. I t o u c h e d Richards' servant on t h e
s h o u l d e r , and whispered to him to say n o t h i n g of the man we
had left b o u n d to t h e tree. 'Then we went back to his master's
house.

i6
 I entered t h a t y o u n g man s sitting-room first. " I he mystery
d e e p e n s , " said I. " I ' v e b r o u g h t in a g e n t l e m a n who was passing
by. H e r r Bey, M r . R i c h a r d s . "
T h e y o u n g m a n l o o k e d up. To my surprise I saw him
s h r i n k away f r o m t h e visitor, and 1 t h o u g h t he blanched u n d e r
the tan of his cheeks. " H e knows h i m ! " I t h o u g h t . " T h e Pro-
fessor was right when he said this man was a T u r k , and it's dollars
to d o u g h n u t s he k n o w s as much a b o u t J o h n Richards as I d o . "
H e r r Bev had made a low bow, and was now s t a n d i n g still, a
smile on his broad face. " I n d e e d , it is most extraordinary, M r .
R i c h a r d s , " said he. " I see this man quite alive and well o n e
m i n u t e , and t h e next he is dead, and with never a scratch to show
why. Y o u r little island is a most tragic place."
" So it s e e m s , " said Richards drily. I saw he wished to be
rid of the visitor, and so I suggested that it was high time we
were r e t u r n i n g h o m e . " I shall come to see you in the m o r n i n g , "
the y o u n g man said in a troubled voice, and apparently equally t o
me a n d to M i s s L v l e . But it was H e r r Bey who answered him.
" W e shall all be glad to see you, M r . Richards, at any t i m e , "
said he.
A s we came o u t into the night a strange s o u n d caught my ear.
I l o o k e d u p at t h e s k y , a r o u n d at the lawn and trees, down at t h e
beach. I had certainly heard a t h r u m m i n g , b u z z i n g noise, yet
th ere was n o t h i n g to be seen. " I suggest we walk fast," said I,
" t h o u g h as t h e devil of this island seems to h u n t his victims
when t h e y ' r e alone, I s u p p o s e we three are sate e n o u g h . "
I know t h a t M i s s L y l e and I were glad to reach h o m e . All
three of us went into the Professor's laboratory, where we t o u n d

7
him w o r k i n g over his balances and vials. I told him what had
happened. H e seemed very m u c h preoccupied, r e m a r k a b l y so, I
thought. " D e a r me, dear m e , " he said a b s e n t - m i n d e d l y , " it's
lucky y o u ' r e here, Air. Merrill. I hope you find out the trouble
as soon as you can." A n d he t u r n e d back to his table.

" What a remarkable man ! " exclaimed the foreigner. " I

wish I k n e w as much as he does !
" A n d I wish I knew w hat your little g a m e on this island is,"
u
I t h o u g h t to mvseit, for you k n o w a lot m o r e than y o u ' v e told
any of" us yet. But I'll find out what y o u ' r e u p to before I ' m
t h r o u g h with v o u , " I a d d e d , " and I ' m t h i n k i n g that'll throw a
little light on who or what it was that killed T o m Lee." Then
mv eyes lighted on A n n e Lyle. " But I ' v e got to find out in
time to save that y o u n g man with a h i s t o r y , " I concluded, " or
that y;irl and the U n i t e d States G o v e r n m e n t won't have much
m o r e use for me ! "
I looked back at the Professor. It was certainly strange that
he took so little interest in these mysterious catastrophes.

/ TO BE C O N ' T I N T E D IN" BOOK NO. 2,

V WHICH WILL BK M A I L E D TO VOl' SHORTLY

19
 QRRE3P0N DENIS

G . B. A . , Chicago, 111., writes: I am to be an usher at a Church

Wedding. It is to take place at noon. Please tell me the correct dress
and accessories.
Answer. In a measure, you will have to be governed by the other ushers, so as
to have the appearance o f all uniform. T h e correct dress, h o w e v e r , is as follows :
OVERCOAT Black or Dark G r a y Chesterfield. Single or double-breasted in
plain or fancy weave.
COAT M o r n i n g coat ( C u t a w a y ) . T h i s coat should be moderately waist-
defining, either plain or braided, although the plain is now
rather smarter than the braided. It may be of black or dark
gray fabric, long in the skirts and cut sharply a w a y .
W AISTCOAT Cloth to match coat or fancy. Silk in a corded or fine line
effect, light gray — single breasted, will be found a very sat-
isfactory fancy waistcoat.
TROUSERS : W o r s t e d or cheviot, dark grav, striped. T r o u s e r s to match coat
are rather informal and are used more for business and walking
suits.
SHIRT W h i t e — S t i f f , pleated or tucked bosom. Small colored stripes and
figures are permissible, but the general white effect must be
preserved. Better stick to the plain white.
COLLAR H i g h wing collar with large or small tabs. Poke, or fold, if
AND CUFFS preferred. T h e fold collar is quite permissible, although often
stated to the contrary. T h e cuffs may be single or double with
square or round c o r n e r s — w e l l starched.
CRAVAT T h e once over or the f o u r - i n - h a n d . In dove gray to match vest.
N e v e r white.
GI M a t c h cravat. Unfinished deer-skin, rather heavy, one button to
button through.
Black patent leather or polished high calf skin. Black silk or lisle
socks. Spats m a v be w o r n and should match cravat.
STICK Light weight, gold or silver mounted stick. T h e crook stick is
rather smarter than the straight.
J" Gold cuff-links, etc. Links of semi-precious stones mav be w o r n .
Plain gold watch chain. Plain pearl or unobtrusive j e w e l
scarf-pin.

N . V . B . , t >maha, N e b . , w r i t e s : A r e p e r m a n e n t t u r n e d - u p t r o u s e r s
in g o o d f o r m ?
Answer. T h i s is a mooted question, and a great many different opinions have
been expressed. I do not hesitate to say, h o w e v e r , for informal wear thev are abso-
lutely correct, giving a rather smart appearance to the foot. O f course, thev are not
to be w o r n for formal day dress nor formal and informal evening w e a r .

20
f = LONDON PROCESS
°f
COLD W A T E R SHRINKING
A Feature of all International Tailoring

V E R Y Y A R D of w o o l e n s u s e d in I n t e r n a -
tional Tailoring is fully s h r u n k by o u r
L o n d o n P r o c e s s of Cold W a t e r S h r i n k i n g .
T h i s p r o c e s s — a distinctive feature of
this tailoring — is t h e most m o d e r n and t h e
only p e r f e c t m e t h o d of s h r i n k i n g e v e r d e v i s e d .
It a b s o l u t e l y p r e v e n t s a n y s h r i n k i n g of t h e cloth after
it h a s b e e n m a d e u p into g a r m e n t s .
It s h r i n k s t h e g o o d s perfectly —every i n c h is the s a m e .
T h e r e is n o c h a n c e for c a r e l e s s n e s s as in h a n d s p o n g i n g ,
and it is far s u p e r i o r to s t e a m i n g .

The London Cold W a t e r Process

m a k e s I n t e r n a t i o n a l Tailoring better in e v e r y w a y . L i k e
all o t h e r m e t h o d s w e e m p l o y , it is t h e best of its kind.

Here
V i every garment*
is ~ ~ t o be RIGHT
If it 1*5 not
our RIGHT
You Have no
Guarantee ^ RIGHT
V, to take it-—
i /i. £
= v =

INTERNATIONAL TAILORING COMPANY

NEW YORK CHICAGO
Whatever Your
N e e d s M a y Be
B u s i n e s s Suit, Over-
coat, E v e n i n g Clothes,
O u t i n g G a r m e n t s , etc.,
you can get perfect
satisfaction a n d save
considerable money
by ordering
INTERNATIONAL
TAILORING
It is the highest type of
made-to-measure tailoring
and costs you less than
others charge for less attrac-
tive garments.
 Business
A train in Arizona was boarded bv
robbers, who went through the pockets of
the luckless passengers. O n e of them
happened to be a traveling salesman from
N e w York, w h o , when his turn came,
fished out t w o hundred dollars, but rapidlv
took four dollars from the pile and placed
it in his vest pocket.
" W h a t do vou mean bv that ? " asked
the robber, as he toved with his revolver.
Hurriedlv came the answer : " Mine
frent, you surelv vould not refuse me two
p e r z e n t . discount on a strictlv cash trans-
action like dis ? " — Fun.
Ticket Collector; " W e d o n ' t stop
there, s i r . "
Montague Hnrdup ( w h o has just given
up ticket) : " Stop where : "
Tiiket Collector: " A t the pawn-
broker's."
His Chance
" W h a t do men know of w o m e n ' s
work ? " fiercelv queried the lady orator.
" Is there a man h e r e , " she continued,
folding her arms, " that has day after day
got up in the morning, gone quietly d o w n -
stairs, made the fire, cooked his own
breakfast, sewed the missing buttons on
the children's clothes, cleaned the pots
and kettles and swept the kitchen? If
there is such a man in this audience, let
him rise u p ; 1 should like to see h i m . "
In the rear of the hall a mild-looking
man in spectacles, in obedience to the
summons, timidly rose. H e was the
husband of the eloquent speaker. It was
the first time he ever had a chance to
assert himself.
Something Easier
A well-dressed man entered a florist's
shop, threw d o w n a five-dollar bill, and
said he wanted sonic flowers to take
home. H e was very unsteadv, and had
evidently been looking on the wine when
it was red. T h e flowers apparent!v were
intended as a domestic peace-offering.
T h e florist picked out a dozen chrysan-
themums, and the customer started to leave.
At the door he hesitated.
" I s a v , " he said thick! v. " \ \ , i ; s h
these flowcrsh c a l l e d : "
" Chrysanthemums."
T h e customer shook his head. " (>o:
to have something easier than *har." he
said. " G i m m e a dozen p i n k s . "
j-
Sure
LZ3 0
T h e " Prodigal S o n " was the subject
of the Sundav-school lesson, and the
teacher was dwelling on the character or
the elder brother.
" B u t amidst all the rejoicing," said the
teacher, " there was one to w h o m the
preparation of the feast brought no joy, to
w h o m the prodigal's return gave no hap-
piness, onlv bitterness ; one w h o did not
approve of the feast and had no wish to
attend it. N o w , who can tell me w h o
this was ? "
Silence for several moments ; then a
hand raised and a small, sympathetic voice:
" Please, m a ' a m , it was the fatted c a l f . "
 A N e w York m a n paid his first visit
to t h e S o u t h , and found himself one
night at the h o m e of a hospitable K e n -
tuckian out some ten miles f r o m L e x -
ington, H e slept t h e sleep of t h e just
a n d w a s a w a k e n e d early the n e x t m o r n -
ing bv an old colored m a n w h o asked
him if h e w o u l d like to have breakfast in
his r o o m .
" O h , I d o n ' t k n o w , " said the N e w
Y o r k e r , " w h a t have w e for breakfast this
morning ? "
" A i n ' t but one kind of K a i n t u c k v
b r e a k f a s t , " the old n e g r o replied, w i t h a
grin-
" A n d w h a t might that be ? " asked
the man.
" J u g o f liquor, er nice steak a n ' er
d o g , " c a m e the a n s w e r .
" F o r h e a v e n ' s sake, w h a t is the dog
for?"
" H e ' s to eat the s t e a k , " w a s the
ready r e p l y . ^ the reply.
M
T i m e for a C h a n g e
Willie: " M a , I d o n ' t think I
stand y o u r h u s b a n d a n y l o n g e r . "
j*.
M r . P. c a m e h o m e very late the other
night f r o m a political gathering. In the
hail he kicked u p r a t h e r a r o w , g r o w l i n g
and s w e a r i n g to himself till his wife called
to him f r o m upstairs :
' ' W h a t ' s t h e m a t t e r , m y dear ? "
"Matter h i e — i s , " M r . P. s h o u t e d ,
" that t h e r e ' s t w o hat-racks here, and I
d u n n o w h i c h one to hang my hat o n . "
" But y o u ' v e got t w o hats, h a v e n ' t
y o u ? " said M r s . P . soothingly. " H a n g
o n e on each rack and c o m e up to bed.
You're tired."
A Generous Thought
A b a r b e r w a s about to be electrocuted
at Sing Sing for m u r d e r . O n the night
before his death he w a s asked if he had
any d y i n g wish.
" Y e s , " he said, " there is o n e thing I
w o u l d like to d o . "
" W h a t is i t ? " inquired the kind-
hearted w a r d e n .
" I w o u l d like to shave the district
a t t o r n e y ! " — Saturday Evening Post.
3K
" W h a t brought you here, m v m a n ? "
asked t h e jail visitor o f a prisoner.
" I married a n e w w o m a n , s i r , " w a s
" A h a ! A n d she was so d o m i n e e r i n g
and extravagant that it drove you to des-
perate courses, eh ? "
" N o , " a n s w e r e d the prisoner ; " the
old w o m a n turned u p ! "
St.
Explained
" W h a t ' r e ye com i n ' h o m e with v o u r
can
milk pail e m p t y f o r ? " d e m a n d e d the
farmer. " D i d n ' t the old c o w give a n y -
thing ? "
" Y e s , " replied t h e c h o r e b o v ; " nine
quarts and one k i c k . "
T h e H a s and the A r e
I ' d rather be a C o u l d Be,
I f I could not be an Are ;
For a C o u l d Be is a M a y Be,
W i t h a c h a n c e of touching par.
I ' d rather be a H a s Been
T h a n a M i g h t H a v e Been, b v far ;
For a M i g h t H a v e Been has never b e e n .
But a H a s was once an A r e . - Blue Bull.
The Smartly Dressed
Business Man
has respect for himself and always has the respect of his
associates, friends and customers. It costs very little for a
business man to dress well nowadays with the wonderful
facilities of the International Tailoring Co. at his command.
See the N e w Style Models and patterns of Strictly All-Wool Fabrics at our dealers.
T h e Name and Address is on the cover of this Magazine. It is worth looking up.
 r
O U are invited to call and examine the complete
A g g t p
line of INTERNATIONAL Style Models and high
grade fabrics. A n early visit is suggested.
?tfii,
V. B. BISHOP & CO.
Monterey, Va.

K E T T E R O N U S , PMILAOA. « N E W Y O S K