, 1923-03-11
Characters N THE STORY

Inc frsenuS OF the Boor, is an or
ganization which has preyed on the
wealthy men of Chicago. Those who
obey their demands to leave certain
amounts OF money in an oak tree in
Jasper Lane. eff Sheridan Road. are
unmolested. Those who have not
obeyed the demand are found dead.
strangely enough. from a-sphyxiation
though always out of doors.
Robert Forester. n young engineer.
IS recipient of a crude'y written note
demanding that he leave $4,000 in the
oak tree. The note comes Wednesday
and the time limit set for the deposit
IS Saturday midnight.
Frederick Prentice, a friend Of For
roster, tries TO persuade him to ac-
qu,ese in the blackmailers' demand.
He points out that the police have
been unable TO capture the Friends of
the Poor even though the money has
been aiken from the tree right under
heir noses. News then comes of the
nth Mt their hands of the father of
aries Nevins who is engaged to
aphine Forester. Roberts sister.
famine r. Green, a detective of
eat prestige. is engaged by For
r TO help run down the back
ia 1I9GAA A=aS a AAA1bA HAT AAAI
blackmai'ers live near the tree. For
roster promises TO Green the ten thou
sand If he does so.
Humphreys, a reporter of the Times
suggests that Forester us, his train
him Humphreys theory Is that
the ckmailers make their headquar-
tiers n some more luxurious place
than they are believed to nave by the
city detectives.
CahiIl and 0'Connor, who declare
they have traced them to a west gar
age and that they are an ordinary
black hand" crowd of "dagoes."
They tell Forester to put the package
in the tree at 1920 Saturday night
and they will watch. This is some.
what disappointing to Forester.
whose Investigations and those of
Green at the tree developed some in
teresting angles. Green has been
frightened away from a night vigil by
ghostly sounds, including signs. the
clanking of chains and the weird toll
ing Of d bell, and by a flaming hand
which rose above the tree.
Joshua, giant negro employed as
gardener on the Bradbury place neal
Jasper Lane, tells Forester that II is
not men but ghosts who haunt the
tree. He attributes the manifesto
tons to the spirit of the husband of
Lucy, a bad Jamaica nigsah wom-
an" who. Joshua says, had muir
dered him.. Forreser visits Lucy in
the guise of a reporter. He obtains
little Information but is astounded to
sec in a dry aquarium a bunch of
live snakes. He remembers that
snakes are used in Voodoo worship.
Mary Sturtevant, n young lady
staying at the Bradbury Place, accord
ing to Joshua, visits the tree at night.
She surprises Forester at the tree.
On learning his name she gives him
a letter from q New York woman, in
Producing her to Forrester's mother.
Mrs. Forester is rather surprised
that her riend in New York did not
write to her directly. Forester is
very much attracted by her.
Mrs. Forester and Josephine movo
to Woodmere, their country place
neal Jasper Lane. on Friday, being
invited to a canoe at the Prentice
home nearby, Saturday night, where.
Mrs. Forester says. Miss Sturtevant
is TO be a guest. Friday night while
Robert waits alone in the town house
the door bell rings. but no one is
present when he goes to the doc
Not long after Prentice comes to
cal. once a man and later a woman
telephone to find out the time For
roster plans to put the none in
the tree. He tells each 1890 Satur-
day night, in accordance with the
detectives plans. Prentice again in
sists that Forrester's best move would
be to acQuiesce in the blackmailers'
demands. After Prentice leaves, Rob
ert is astonished to find in in his
humidor a note in which the Friends
of the Poor demand SIS 600 as n
penalty for his activities. His bank
provides him with a bundle resem-
bling a package of currency. He
meets Miss S%turtevant at the Prem
tees. Green, instructed TO watch
her after Forester departs for the
tree at 10 o'clock. sees her come out
of the Prentice drawing room and
meet a man.
At 1890 saturday night Robert
puts the dummy package in the hole
in the tree then hides nearby. Sud
denly shouts and sounds OF a struggle
are followed by a binding fash of
light, the darkness and shots. Ca
hill and o'Connor had seized two Ital-
ians and Just then Humphrey had
touched or a hashlight powder. The
Italians got away in the excitement
and the dummy package disappeared.
Humphreys photograph led to the
Italians arrest and they confessed to
n plot to '4beat the Friends of the
Poor to the money" The photograph
reveals standing near the tree the
mar whom Green had seer talking to
Miss ~Sturtevant.
Humphreys visit marked a turning