The Washington times., 1922-01-08

THE clocks in the pretty little village
of Beverly Hills. not far from Los
Angeles, had Just finished Ginning
. the midnight hour. As the last echoes died
away all the electric lights in the village
!, went abruptly out At the same time the
power died on the trolley line, leaving the
late cars at standstilI
The good-or. maybe, the otherwise
people of Beverly Hills who were still up
complained bitterly at the abrupt invasion
Of darkness, impatiently awaited the turn
Ing on Of the current again. and grumbling
ly wondered what on earth was the matter
with the power and light company now!
But II their eyes could have pierced the
shadows which shrouded the charming lit
tie bungalow OF Mr. William Camp of the
main street OF the village. their wonder
ment would have turned to distinct dis.
quiet and apprehension. For they would
have seen creeping across It's lawns little
group Of men treading with all the stealthy
silence Of night-roaming Thomas cat
sinisterlooking. large black box; another
held under his arm bundle that might
have been rifles
What and who were these men? Were
they marauders Of the night bent upon as.
sault Of Mr.. Camps bungalow after they had
cunningly cut of in true craftsman style
the illumination of Beverly Hills? Were
they members OF some secret organization
which he had offended and we're they about
TO carry out some dread decree Of their
leader?
Cautiously the big black box was lifted
up to the window. There was mysterious
fumbling with the bundle that looked like
gun barrels. For few moments every.
thing was stiller. II possible, than It had
been before Then
"Bang!" t% K. ~
There was q roar and binding white
light flashed out. revealing every detail Of
the bungalow and its surroundings. Fol-
lowed the sound of a broken door, the out
cries of men and the scream OF a woman!
"wel, what will those motion picture
people from, Hollywood do next?" wondered
the awake and awakened villagers as the
electric lights came up again and the troll
ley cars resumed running
But they were wrong The binding light
which they had recognized as photogra.
piers fash-powder had not belonged to any
motion picture enterprise. Nor had that
stealthy advance anything to do with mid
night loot or vengeful secret societies. Not
at all.
The whole thing had been surprise
which Mrs. Camp No 3. formerly Mrs.
William c. Thorn, multi-millionaire widow
Of one OF the founders Of Montgomery,
Ward & Co., had prepared for her husband.
The big black box had been camera
whose eye had been poked. into the dark
inwards OF. the bungalow; the stealthv
band had been her agents, and the lights
and power had been turned of so no glar.
ing arc light or noisy trolley car could
interfere with Mrs. Camps little surprise
party And was Mr.. Camp properly sur.
.prisedf Indeed and indeed he was!
But before going any further into Mr..
Camps immense amazement, II win be well
to mention why Mrs. Camp No. 3 wanted to
surprise him. And this involves some ref.
erence to Mr.. Camps long and love adven.
turous career He Is the outstanding
American example OF what is meant by a
love target His bitter fate seems to be
that women OF az ages and description
become madly infatuated with him at nrst