Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-05

N&@zGE2g parently they expected immedi.
ately to meet the Master of
Mysteries face to face: for they looked CuT1OuSly
about the richly decorated apartment with hest
tati1g air ,
girl in friendly voice. The Master is at present
rapt in psychic trance, and cannot be disturbed
Excuse me while prepare for his awakening 1t
is dangerous to call him too suddenly: but know
your business is urgent, and L II do what | can.
With that, she took from a small antique rei-
quarry handful of green powder and scattered it
on censor. Almost Immediately it fared up and
sent forth aromatic smoke. 1t hiCkered eery
as she left them. Once alone she entered a small
chamber off the reception room. and turned on the
studio lights from electric switch.
In the place where she stood now looking into
"a large mirror, she could the visitors, wildly
illuminated if in ObsCura. The man
sat istlessly. staring straight ahead of him without
movement of any kind The gazed, with
. raised eyebrows and half startled expression
from one curious object to another. The skull in
corner made her tremble Her fingers plucked
nervously at her wrap. 1t evident that she
fearfully distraught
Astro entered the cabinet and his eyes on
the glass. His assistant leaned close to him and
whispered:
a kidnapping case. The Calendons little boy
stolen week or ago. don't you remember?
It's really dreadful The police have been unable
to locate the boy anywhere and they re half crazy
about it. She poured 1t all out to while they
waiting for you. l do hope you do some
thing!'
The seer's eyes busy in the mirror. Yes,
1 know. He's a director in the Tobacco Trust.
I'd have known it. anyway. by that little silver
cigar on his watch charm. A dozen of them
made for souvenirs when the combine first
organized. He hasn't slept for two three nights.
But what S he doing with The Era 2 He'd naturally
be a reader of The Planet Oh, | see The kid
nappers of course have asked him communicate
with them through the Personal column. So
they've begun to work him already Poor DEVIL,
TT agonzing story that fell from the lips of
Calendon little later; which, in all the
tional events of the seers career in the solution of
mysteries long stood out unique. Used
about this crime that astounded him. Calendon
recited the details in voice hard and strained
taut wire.
MY five-year-old boy Harold has been missing
for ten days. having been kidnapped and kept in
hiding by the most merciless gang of fiends in New
York | try to restrain myself SIR in order to tell
the story COnCISely, but assure you 1T is hard
to speak calmly. My child abducted in Cen
trail Park. where he had gone with his nurse. He
had strayed little away from her at the time.
connivance. Nevertheless she has been closely
watched. l have not spared money. l assure you
l at once notified the police, and they have been at
work the case, without results, far" He
paused for moment, almost overcome,
His wife interrupted him with cry of anguish
pitiful to hear. Oh. James! how can you sit
there and tell all that Why don't you tell him
Immediately what has happened to-day? Why
don't you show him the terrible thing" She
dropped her face in her hands and sobbed aloud
and drew out a package wrapped in paper. ST.
lenty he handed it to the palmst. Astro took
it and carefully undid the wrapping
Inside disclosed small tin box such as
tobacco OF the sliced plug variety usually comes in
This, opened, showed object in crumped oiled
paper, packed in the box with cotton wool Astro
with grave expression on his swarthy face picked
the thing up and looked carefully at it. With great