Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-01-27
ZUDORA
A GREAT MYSTIC STORY BY HAROLD MAcoRATH

services OF one Hassam All, the mystic
detective. or the services OF his niece.
| should be secured. The father was re-
luctant, for he held ali these mystics as
contemplate mountebanks who thrived
| upon the credulity OF fools. But the
metropolitan police had failed, and he
was not a man to leave any stone un-
| turned to recover his hoy, the apple Of
his eye.
So he and Mrs. Van Wick decided to
pay Hassam Ali n visit. They summoned
the car and started out for Hassam Airs
house zudora impressed them both far
more than the mystic himself
do you think you can nelp us"
MY niece will see what she can Do"
said Hassam ALI, or rather Hassam Alra
double.
But young womanr paid Van Wick
doubtfuliy
Hassam All laughed she may look
fragile, but wire looks fragile"
"but these men are desperate charae-
ters."
"And will be the last people IN the
world to suspect q fragile young WemaR
being on their trail"
"Dont worry over the fact that 1 am
woman,n said zudora, emiling. II can
take care OF myself I have been able
to do so thus far. II Il is possible to hna
the boy III do It,"
''And remember said the father.
far as that boy is concerned But Ged
help those dastards II they are cruel 70
him! Well, wen trust the case to you,
Miss--Miss--=5'
'Keene." said zudora. "zudora Keape.r
Good luck, and God bless yop Audpra
Keene," said the mother.
Poor thing!" said zudorn, when the
parents had gone 'The most despieahIe
being In the world Is a kidnaper. IL ~
o vile game and these men should sut-
fer the exact fate of murderers Think
of the little boy, suddenly bereft of
mother love, surrounded by strange, men-
acing facesl 1t is horriblel'
The pseudo uncle looked at her with
strange fires in his eyes. He admitted that
kidnapping was low crime 40 far az talSs
ing children away from their parents and
holding them for ransom, with threats
of mutilation or death. He did not add,
however that between kidnapping and
abduction there was wide diifeFsnce IN
Significance. The truth Is, Baird was
wearying of this game he was playing.
| He wanted to be himself, to play q game
| of his own; he was young, and he
wanted the liberty that went with youth.
| There was no doubt In his nind thaf
Keene the real Hassam ALI, was dying.
He might live for several months, but
nevertheless he had his ticket for the
long journey. Baird determined to play
the game out to the end; for Hsssarn
of money for his loyalty. He had seen
the will, but not without a certain doubt.
Wills could be destroyed quite as easily
as they could he made
When zudora received the invitation
TO Nine. Du Walls ball she was puzzled.
She had among her acquaintance ne
woman of that name. But she found her
name in the blue book and decided to
attend out of mere curiosity. She called
up Storm and asked his ADVICE and was
surprised to learn that he had been In
vited also.
81 think we'd better ignore it," he ad-
vised
but l have so little amusementlN she
pleaded. "And 1t will be lark for beth
of us"
"An right, sweetheart; well go, In
deed, I'd like TO find out why we both
We're invited
Zudora went about the house next day
humming. So long as John was going
she was bound to have a good time at
the Du Val ball. 1t would be as she had
said, lark. Then came the mysterious
note warning her to keep away from the
Du Val house, and this note was signed
'From one who knows where the Van
Wick hoy is Nothing, zudora de-
termined, could keep her away now, Even
in this short time it was evident that the
kidnappers had heard that her services
had been engaged; and II looked as II
they feared she would pick up some in
formation at the Du Val ball. OF this
note she said nothing to either Storm or
her uncle.
on the night of the ball she was rather
surprised to learn that Hassam Ali vas
also going.
"But We're YOU invited, uRele2"
Continued Friday)