Picture Show (May-Oct 1920)

Kcturt Shou; August 21st, 1920. Real Crime Stories EXPLOITS' OF FAMOUS1 DETECTIVE TOXD : FOR THE FIRST TIME IN" THE PICTURE SHOW lIL. SeefetoHieBepositBoxl l very detail oi tbese stones, which have been filmed by the Selznick Film Company, and will shortly be •hewn over here, is taken from real life. The crooks described are men whose criminal careers are to be ionnd in tbe American Police Records. In the film version the part of the real detective is played by Berber* Rawlinson. otherwise the stories are an exact representation of events which actually happened. WILLIAM J. FLYNN, Chiei ol the United States Secret Service, New York City THE train that had been climbing a steep up-grade, with sparks flying from grinding wheels, reached the summit of the moun tain range. Slowly it made its way along a ravine with a torrent roaring boneath, and plunged into the darkness of a tunnel. When it emerged from the tube ol darkness, Stephen Arnold, of the Secret Service, found he was alone in a seat that a few minutes before had been shared with a companion. The man— a surly individual who resented all overtures at conversation — had disappeared. Arnold looked about, but the man was not in the coach. It had taken only a minute for the train to pass through the short tunnel, but in that time his companion, who had appeared to be napping, had managed to leave his seat and pass from tho car without attracting tho attention of the detective as he did so. Arnold thought it peculiar. Across the aisle a pretty girl was reading a magazine. Every now and then she closed hor eyes, nodded, and then, with an effort, aroused herself and continued the perusal of her book. She was doing hor best to keep awake. Finally, tired nature succumbed, and the girl's head fell back on the seat. Tho magazine slipped from her fingers and dropped to the floor. With a start tho girl awakened. Arnold made haste to reach for the book and hand it to her. She gavo him a curt thank you," and turned her face to the window. Gazing out, Arnold saw that they wore approaching ." Three Forks.' the spot that marks the source of tho Missouri River. The c.\act spot was on the opposite side of tho train, and tho detective moved across the aisle, and took the soat next tho window facing tho eirl, which a few minutes before had hecn occupied by her travelling companion, an elderly man. The girl looked at him from big brown eye?, a frown gathering between them. Sho showod that sho resented his intrusion. " I only want to look at an historical spot along here," Arnold hastoned to assuro hor. Tho girl did not reply, and bent her head to her page. Having passed " Thrco Forks," Arnold turned back from the window. , " It's nico here, isn't it ? " ho remarked, determined to be pleasant. Tho girl looked up, plainly annoyed. Coolly sho looked him over. " Jt u-a/>," she retortod, with considerable emphasis. Highly amused, Arnold returned to his seat. A half hour passed and the girl's companion, a prosperous-looking man, ro-entered the car from the direction of the smoking compartment. Lightning heard her call him " father." and ask when thoy would reach Wayne. " In about an hour, dear," the man replied, mid reached for a leather bag sho had been guarding in his absence. Lightning s thoughts again turned to his seatmato who had disappeared. Getting up, ho wont to the smoking compartment and glanced in. He was not there. Three sharp blasts of the whistle, a grinding of brakes, and the train slowed down. As it stopped, Lightning reached for the door. It «as thrust open in his face, and a man wearing a mask and carryins a rovolvor confronted him. I lio woapon was pu«hod against his body. " Back there — (puck ! ' tho intruder ordered. Lightning fell back into tho car. Inside all ivns . onfusion. Someone yelled " train robbers!" Olid a woman screumcd. The train had stopped dead. The robber continued to menace Lightning, and force him back until they reached the seat he had left a few minutes before. Another man appeared in the doorway, a revolver in each hand. Lightning, his hands above his head, dropped into his seat. The robber turned to the one occupied by the girl, and spoke to her companion. " Hand over that bag," lie ordered. The girl jumped to her feet, but tho masked man forced her roughly back. Without a word the man w ith the girl handed over the bag. The girl's eyes flashed as she turned towards Lightning and spoke across the aisle. " Are you going to let hint get away with that ? " she asked. Lightning did not think it worth while to reply. His position was obvious. Besides, he was watching the robber. He noted that the little finger of his hand that held the pistol was missing just above the second joint. It marked him) and the detective made a mental note of it. The man who had been sitting with Arnold had part of his little finger on his right hand missing. Taking the bag, tho robber backed down the aislo and joined his companion. Both of them disappeared down the steps of the car. For a few seconds no one stirred. Two whistles from the engine and tho train moved on. The hold-up had been a success. The passengers had recovered from their alarm. But now tha the danger was past, and only one of them had been molested, thoy chose to regard it as a highly amusing adventure. Some even joked as they crowded round tho "only victim — tho girl's father — offering condolences. Tho old man seemed stunned. But tho girl was angry. " If any of you had been half men," she said, " you had an opportunity to prove it." .It seemed to Lightning as though her eyes singled him out particularly. When the sympathisers had gone back to their seats, he approached the girl's father and offered his card. If 1 can bo of -any assistance," he said, " I'll bo very glad to oblige. Did they got much from you ? " " Much ? Only two hundred thousand dollars in Government bonds ! " tho old man replied. " I am Franklin Noyos, President of tho Wayne National Bank. Tho securities belonged to a client in Wayne. As I was in Chicago 1 decided to bring them back with mo. Tho robbers must havo known that." " I advis.' you to say nothing whon you reach Wayne, ' Lightning replied. " I shall stop off with you." Good ! " Noyes said. " Helen " — turning to his daughter who' had boon regarding Lightning with unfriondly oyos — " this is Mr. Stephen Arnold, of tho Secret Service. 1 think he may help us." Tho girl gavo him a curt nod. " 1 warned you against bringing tho bonds," she said to hor father. " You can consider them as good as gone, and be prepared to inako good their loss. I havo no confidence in detectives, and am glad to say wo have none in our town.' Without another word or glance at Lightning sho began handing her baggago to a porter who had approached, for tho train was n earing Wayne. Her last remark nettlod Lightning. " That, Miss Noyes," he replied, ' is one of tho reasons, perhaps, that it is still a town.' liaising his cap, he returned to his seat, and prepared to leave tho car. Helon," ho hoard tho girl's father admonish hor, ' that is tho very first time 1 over know you to bo positively rude." If tho girl mado any reply, Lightning did not hoar it, for thoy passed out of the car. On the station platform, ho saw a fine-looking young chap of about her own age greet the girl HERBERT RAWLINSON, affectionately, who plays the part of Stephen and shake Arnold — "Lightning" — on hands with her t_he screen, father. Before Noyes drove off in the automobile that awaited him, he turned and camo toward Lightning. Come into the bank to-morrow morning," he said. " I will give you a list of the stolen securities." Lightning nodded, and walked towards the telegraph office, where the conductor was sending in a report ot the hold-up. Then he * ent to the express car, where the crew were examining the wrecked safe that had boen blown with nitro-glycerine. From the messengers he teamed that the trick had been done by two men, making four in all. About 25.000 dollars in actual cash had been taken. Considerable more money in an inner compartment, that was locked, had been left behind owing to the short time in which the robbers had to work. Lightning was on his way to Spokane, but his errand could wait. He determined to take a hand in ruiming down the train robbers. The Medicine Faker. THE next afternoon Lightning called on tho banker and received a list of the stolen bonds. From Noyes he learned that tho financier spent part of each year in Chicago, and was preparing to return there soon with his family. " My wife has social ambitions that she cannot fulfil here," ho explained. And from his manner Lightning inferred there was a rift in the domestic lute. Again admonishing the banker to make no outcry concerning the robbery, Lightning prepared to take a look around the town, for ho felt sure, from the fact that the robbers knew of the leather bag that Noyes carried on the train, that someone cither in Wayne or Chicago had been on the inside. Just as ho was about to return to his hotel early that evening, ho was attracted by a crowd gathered at one of the corners. Approaching, he saw tho crowd surrounded an old-timo medicine fakor that he thought had passed out of existence long ago. The faker stood on tho rear of a waggon, tho sides of which announced in glaring letters that ho was Professor Car-' cenoraas, disposing of a marvellous " Egyptian Tiger Gall," a panacea for all ills. The professor had tho usual entertainment and patter. At its close ho held up a bottle of the medicine marvel. "The gentlemanly agent will now pass among you," he shouted. " Don't crowd and' push. There may bo enough for all." Tho small town folk foil for tho faker and his wares. Lightning remained watohing until tho last man had received a bottlo of the wonder cure, and then started for his hotel. Thero ho a«kod the clerk about " tho professor." ( " Oomes hero about once every two years," tho clerk told him. " Usually camps in tho woods near tho watorfal). Stays about a weok." After supper, while it was still light, tho detective started for the waterfall about a mile out in the country. In tho meantime, Carccnomas had driven to the woods and wis preparing to rotiro for the night. But first ho must eat, and a fire was built, over which ho swung an iron kettle. Looking about, the professor discovered ho was short of water. " Hey, Mike ! " ho callod. " Go down to the brook and get somo water." "Mike," tho gentlemanly agent, took tho