Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1917-02-11
CHAPTER I.
The Secret Seven.

question. living way 10 a suuden
burst OF emotion, she clinched her
fists and glared reproachfully at DR..
"You ought to know. You are the
physician" she exclaimed.
Come, come said Zulph, gazing
coidly yet earnestly at her with his
6shy eyes, mo anger. know how TO
cure such symptom in you, my good
woman. Understand right now that
you must obey my orders implicitly
If you do not"
'You will expose something in my
life | have been trying to hide IN
terrupted Jane in weary, faraway
tone-"you and your Great Master
and your Secret Seven" Zulph re-
coiled in amazement
The less you say about the Great
Master and The Secret Seven the bet
ter off you will be- he Numbered.
why shouldn't ! speak OF them to
your replied Jane. Haven't | been
in Mr.. Clarke's home for years?
Haven't | seen you and the other vile
members of your organization come
and 60? Don't I know that Mr..
Clarke is one OF the brainiest OF The
Secret Seven; that most OF his money
was piled up through crime
All" broke in DR.. Zulph, smiling
outwardly, but raging inwardly, and
resolving that Jane Warren should
follow Clarke on journey to eternity.
you know Clarke for what he really
is. He is now very sick man.
yes" said Jane. "he is a sick man,
and you are physician attending
him. Heaven help Thomas Clarke"
And heaven help Jane Warren"
whispered Zulph, his face close to
hers Heaven help Jane Warren if
she doesn't do as | say. have
brought a will here with me. | want
you to see that Thomas Clarke signs
it. Since you know so much about
his affairs you probably know-sick
nnen always tell their troubles---that,
~ grace OF what The Secret Seven
his done for him. he has pledged
himself to leave all of his wealth to
: The Secret Seven"
II do" said Jane. Better far if he
would leave his money to poor Bev-
eriy Clarke, his niece, whose father
his own brother-he swindled. And
the girl is now living in poverty with
her mother"
Thomas Clarke is going to keep
his promise" sneered Zulph, FUN
bling in his pockets and finally draw
ing forth a small bottle filled with
dark liquid. Gle will keep his prom
ise--and he dies today. Jane, you
have one of two things to do-either
obey me and you will be rewarded
handsomely or refuse to obey and
be punished. Refusal means ruin;
obedience means opulencc | want
YOU, as soon as have departed, to
see that Mr.. Clarke signs his will.
Then offer toast to his health.
In one of your glasses of wine
place two drops from this bottle. One
drop produces a prolonged sleep, two
drops kill Let him drink OF the
glass with two drops in it. | am
going to a meeting Of The Secret
Seven. You have my telephone
number. As soon as Thomas Clarke
has signed the will telephone me
Then when he is dead-poor man
telephone again"
Let alone. Jane pondered over her
frightful plight. Zulph was a pow
erful man in New York. He was OF
that modern Jekyll and Hyde type
that grasps money and brushes all
opposition by fair means or foul in
one phase OF life and is SNUG. re-
spected citizen in another. She
thought Of going to the police and
exposing him, If she did he would
only bring about her undoing, for
Zulph had it in his power to blast her
whole life. And she had tried to live
down what she had done years ago.
Well, she was weak. She knew it.
She took the will to aiing Thomas -,
Clarke.
"A pen and ink" he said when he
saw it. Quick! My hesrt-I do
not believe | will live much longer,
Cali Frederick" Jane summoned
Frederick, the butler, and then de-
fivered the pen and ink. As she
reached the door of the room she
turned and saw Clarke writing. He
was signing the will She hurried to
the telephone.
Zulph at meeting of the most ras-
cally band OF brainy criminals the
world ever saw received her message
and smilinsly delivered it to The
Great Master This individual, keen
eyed, alert, well groomed. bore all the
outward marks of prosperous bust
ness man.. For years he had directed !
the operations of The Secret Seven,
a band that garncrd gold from every
avenue of crime.
Meantime Frederick, the butler, was |
Fastening to Beverly Clarke's home
on the outskirts Of the city with the
note that meant millions to her And
trailing the unsuspccting servant was
a band OF the most villainous thugs
in New York. They were led by two
gun men who had taken a postgradu-
ate course in the College of Crime
and who were familiarly known as
The Rat and the Spider. When Fred
erick entered the Clarke home the
two leaders posted their men around
it.
Let's phone the Big Chief" sug-
gcsted The Rat.
They did. The Great Master received
their message and swore aloud al
Dr. Zulph.
What was it?' the physician asked.
SIT was report from The Spider"
he replied. You yourself should have
put Clarke out Of the way Hc'has
sent for Beverly. 1t is plain to me
that when Jane Warren thought he
was signing that will he was writing
a note to Beverly Clarke"
What OF our two squads?" asked