Martinsburg W Va evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1913-1920, 1916-12-04

skoit wit a heavy black vel." (as the Of
fee boy put it,, who had departed irme-
ditely, and laid the matter before Mans
field. the city editor.
1.-THE name sounds familiar" remarked
the latter. frowniug.
Grant nodded, and with sudden insplra-
tion picked up o copy OF The Chronicle.
opened it at the amusement advertise
ments and pointed 10 one OF them.
Huh, The automatic chess piayerl"
exclaimed the city editor. "Well-maybc
there's something IN Il. Look II up" and
lie turned 10 the assignment book.
Pu2zling much over the possible iden-
titN Of the mysterious yelled lady, Tommy
Grant went to the wRxworks show on an
uptown street where "Marvelo" was es-
tablished. and presently discovered the
most dangerous man"-the figure OF n
small, bearded Turk. sitting cross-Iegged
in box against the wall with chess
board and men before him. While n
spieler harangued tho Interested crowd
the figure. moving only its forearms, and
that stiify, brought up knight from its
ambush behind a couple OF pawns, and
"heckmated an opponent neatly.
With an amazed grunt the man walked
away. while the crowd laughed: and Grant
took his place as soon as the others lost
interest. He had been sizing up the su-
tomaton with keen eyes. and had scrib-
hled something on his pad. The spieler
moved away after setting up the chess
men afresh. Grant reached forward az
though to move pawn and dropped his
scribbled note In the middle Of the chess
board.
For an instant the figure was motion
less; then swiftly and very humanity tho
figure snatched up the note and stuffed
it into the folds of its vouminous cloth
ing. Then the arms fell inert
Grant hid a smile. for what he had writ
ten was: You are betrayed Make your
getaway before it is too late" Where
there Is n guilty conscience such mes
sage seldom fails to get results.
He waited a moment. then hecSoned 10
the spieler. This thing won't work." he
complained.
The man cume over in evident surprise.
investigated some clockwork mechanism
and swofe feeIingly. ITS busted" he
announced CURLY. pulled a curtain across
the box and disappeared through a door
in the rear. Grant followed him, making
sure he was unobserved.
He found himself in n sort of store
room. To one side the attendant WINS ar
guing furiously with small man in big
eyeglasses, whose long hair and whiskers
seemed to be bristling with terror aB he
struggled into n coat and hat Beside
him was evidently the door leading into
the mechanical figure. from which he had
just emerged.
Il tell you, I'm through" yelled tho 1T
Ito man. I'm sick!" He hurried out
through a rear door. and Grant slipped
after him unobserved.
This led into an alley. and tho little
man was just ahead, Fastening towards
the street. At the corner he ran plump
into-and tho reporters pulses leaped as
he saw her-a ahapelY young woman in
heavy black veil.
The fleeing man grabbed at her TO save
himself from falling. and tore away the
veil. Instantly he leaped back with CRY
of fear, whipped out revolver and fred
Just AZ Grant, . galvanized into action.
rushed forward to protect her. lie was
too late, for she rreled and foil Imply To
the ground. The man dashed away and
was boarding a passing street car as Grant
bent over the girl. She was decidedly
pretty, and seemed to have swooned.