The Washington times., 1916-04-23

Great Scott Eight thirty-hvo! And
] have an engagement with Prof. Hall
at O."
As he hurried toward the bathroom for
his morning shower he passed the
broad mirror and stopped with q thrill
OF surprise. ut
Am I still dreaming Of this weird
affairf" he asked himself. On the
breast Of his pajsmas was pinned a
piece OF note paper. Doubling his senses
he sat down on the edge Of his bed to
read II.
The message was simple, even in It's
mystery: -
Cease your investigations Of the &C.
cult. The hand that placed this warning
over your heart can also stop It's beat
ing"
Alden pursed his lips into quizsicai
snSile as he recovered from the first
surprise. A man Of his splendid ply
siole. and scientific materialism was not
easily terrorized by a scrap OF paper,
however uncanny its message. The mat
ter-of-fact cheerfulness Of the sunny
room-the stimulating thrill OF the morn
tains OF the haif-open window-these
were irresistible antidotes OF morbidity.
His expression changed suddenly, as
he studied the lower right corner OF the
note. Two triangies, with their points
In juxtaposition. were surrounded by
some finely drawn hieroglyphics.
fhe pentasram q the Black Marie
i.ns!. he exclaimed. None .,f Of un my
And he nsye. .lOkes-he knows the Sc
Then he arose slowly and walked to-
ward the door Of the bedchamber. II
was locked. as he had left II when en-
taripo thu rom hOura before.
He hurried toward the window, half
opened from the top. W.
Apparently all was just the same as
ne had left II.
ton of the two sashes with a reading
glass. Tho delicate layer of dust de-
posted during the night was undis-
turbed OH either side OF the frame: IN
the center u had been brushed clean.
cite and studying the situation with
renewing confidence. These devils
cannot fly through the air. nor dema-
terialize themselves SO they can enter
keyholes and cracks. This particular
messoneer be-, FADE his call with the
aid Of rope"
He hurried to his private laboratory
in the rear OF the house. Il.
This curious place was furpished with
a conglomeratlon of appliances for the
ual phenomena. Here were the most
modern creations Of inquisitive scien-
fists for the recording. on delicate
psychological instruments, OF human
emotions-of love. hate. fear-of all
those subtle radiations emitted by the
DR.. Alden glanced hurriedly about the
laboratory.
"Ah. that's good--nothing disturbed"
ne innttered In relief. Then he dis
cerned a slightly opened drawer In the
filing cabinet IN which II was his Gus
tom tc p1ethodically record all the de-
tails of his Investigations.
The doctor was precise man. ne
s.ss yn naTNs os sossd
leaving his workshop.
Nervously he opened this one now. to
finger each neatly labeled envelope In
order. All were. intact. until. he came. TO
one marked Maynard Case" 1t was
His valuable memoranda had been
stolen since his last addenda to this
batting subject. recorded the night be-
"That's their game, ehr' His prows
contracted. Wen. they know my game!
have been ridicuied for my devotion
10 this work, yet here is the triumphant
proof that I have been following the
right trail In the darkness OF theory.
They cannot terrify me for. by
heavens, will fight them with their
own weapons from behind the oattle-
ments OF legitimate science
He hurried to his desk to telephone
for a messenger. Then almost. fever
ishly he wrote note upon his profess
II have never been able to meet her
yeti is double fortune to have my
chance under these circumstances" he
told himself as he sealed the envelope.
There was. q, timjd knock upon the
laboratory door.
The messenger boy. sir" It was. the
Tell him to rush this and not to read
The women nodded and ,dissnpeared
abruptly. To her. as to the other serv-
ants. the. doctor was man OF hncanny
ways.
to all OF his friends and relatives. I'm
usually successful for q man OF his
years. after. a brilliant career In Amer,-
can and Continental medical Institutions.
he had surprised every one by his
strange retirement from active particI-
patton In his lucrative practice two
years before.
Assured of comfort by a modest com
petence. he hermltlzed himself. neglect
Ing his clubs. his social connections.
kinspeople. who had come 10 regard hts
career as family possession. His abb
sorption In laboratory work, his mys-
terious. unchronicled visits to India.
TO China. TO Egypt, ana other rlolcu-
lousy Questionable resorts" ELECTED
sarcastic comment from the blood-tie
busy-bodles,
Yet pr. Alden had smiled with Inn
perturbable amiability at all remon-
STRANGE and advice. ''''f ''-''
my life Is devoted to q task that
means more to humanity than you can
conceive" he had told them. Adding
the insult of cross-advlcc to the injury
OF withheld confidence, he had ended
the conference with: MANY farmers
have amassed fortunes by toiling on
their own crops instead OF those Of their
neighbors!" -.
During these two years Of solitary
plodding he had attained a distinguished
reputation in the Investigation OF the
psychic.
On this he had been secretive--for he
had touched upon a field of the occult
barely suspected by the most forward
looking scientists
DR.. Alden had discovered an ominous
Intangible yet shockingly powerful force
OF psychic evil In the life about him.
Mysterious. inexplicable tragedies anC
crimes had baffled' the police OF ths
city. In every case he had discernec
subtle simiiarities' of methodist start.
ling In their evil resemblances that hs
had even confided to the president OF
q psychical research society his con
viction that they were all the worl
OF q single organization OF BLACK Ma