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0 not a gamble, but a sure thing that are getting the greatest possible Quality and hc Black Cat's Ques By Lawrence W. Booram. 2 limit of your to good pi 'until fires are out for the se spare moment to get ° 8840 [3 % PART L "Joe," 1 called, "come here." Joe Fatty, my office boy who aspired to be the world's greatest detective, arose lazily from his chair where he been reading "Sleuth-Hound ! Pete" and shambled in my direction. "Well?" "Think there's any mail for me?" I asked. He grinned as he balanced his! eight on one foot. "Dunno. Might "Unless there is," I began slowly, is will be your last day as my office boy and assistant." . .Joe carefully marked his page and left for the post-office, leaving me in the dingy little 'room where I oc- casionally wrote a story that sold. The proceeds of the story kept an advertisement running in the paper, paid "Joe's salary and supplied me with fifteen-cent lunches. This was also the office of detective Williams --myself--who tried to solve mysti- fying things; but in reality nobody ever tried to hire me as a detec- tive. Ever since I was a youngster 1 wanted to be one, and after study- ing under different men and in dif- erent schools for seven years, here I was--a failure. / 1 heard Joe come in; he came over toward me and said, "A letter for you, boss." He grinned at me ac- cusingly. [I looked atound with a start and took the. letter. The en- velope was of very high-grade sta- tionery, and the handwriting was' un- foubledly that of a lady. I stared at it and postmark, for I knew no ladies in the town. 1 opened the let- ter very' carefully and read it. As Joe was a ik ed character, he leaned over my shoulder and read also: The Black Cat Farm. Dear Mr. Williams: Noticing your advertisement in the local newspaper as @ private detective, and being in need of one, I would like to secure your services for a short time, if you are not too badly pressed. Call at three o'clock this afternoon and I will explain, ' (Miss) Wanda Morris. I almost choked with joy--it was my first job, "No more work this morning," I told Joe. "We deserve a half day's vacation." "Gee whiz!" muttered Joe per. plexed. "That's some name for a farm--'The Black Cat'. Funny how some people will name things. They ht to be arrested for cruelty to mals." This attracted my attene tion, and I also wondered. Exactly on the stroke of three Joe | and IT were at "The Black Cat Farm" for our interview with Miss Morris. A maid ened the door and ushered us in. iss Morris wasted no time in getting down to her business with us: "My father died vi recently-- last March to be exa nd until lately I thought he left me in good circumstances," she said. "I knew he had little ready cash, but thought he had many valuables that he cou easily turn into cash,--pearls, especi- ally. In his youn, been on pearl shing expeditions and found many large, valuable pearls, . He never sold them, but al- ways kept them somewhere--I al- 'ways thought in some bank's vault, Shut I Was mistaken. Where they are, 1 don't know; that ig what I want you to. find on for my su 5 money is gone, 1am in need of more. Fa- r often talked ut the pearls; Put he would never tell where he 1 kept ; and he also said they were me to have after he was I needed money--that's the w nothing of them, nor can y written statement to hel will you ind them, you probably will get X Are 't go terms' aati c= "a respectful, "Yes," and then to. _ somethi eR ao Vig aeibing get to work. 1 confess TI days he had often) nor the head would unscrew, so Jo can be attended to now as well as 'later. . | Fi "ed out,.the contents aired, sorted an "Garments to be repaired ER tions Biv sul al orie. place by themselves 'such as a roomy utility box, Those to be stored for the sum- mer must be cleaned and properly cared for. The cleaning of the clos- et itself should be very thorougly . done, and if any traces of mbths have been found, it should be tightly had to use different means. The form closed and a sulphur candle burned was of a cat crouching as if to jump at something, and the tail was stick- ing almost straight up. I knew no cat would hold its tail up when ready {to jump at somethipg, so I thought that was part of the combination. Although the tail would not un- screw; it seemed as it if were slight- ly loose. 1 turned it'as far as I could and then examined' the head. While it was absolutely tight before the tail was twisted, it was loose after- ward. I turned it as far as it would go; when it stopped I heard a faint click. Then to my surprise the. tail could be unscrewed. As I unscrewed it the head of the cat dropped to the floor. The cat was hollow, and contained a paper- This I drew out and hand- ed it to Miss Morris. "Perhaps this will explain matters,' I said. As she read it a puzzled look came over her face, After she had finished, she handed the paper to me. Here is what it said: : Three Questions Asked by The Black at 1. Do I look out of my right or left eye? 2. Where do I look? 8. Where will my height throw a sha- dow at 1 p.m.? ~ "Great Jessups!" Joe exclaimed. "What do yow think of that?" bi 1 very simple," I explained. "That is, I think it is." "I don't see any sense in thaf" Miss Morris said. "It doesn't look like much," I.re- (marked, "but I think it tells where ithe pearls are. Now thig farm is named "The Black Cat,' isn't it?" "Yes," she answered. "Why?" "I 'don't know; father named it." "Anything to signify the name?" "Well, there is a sign father had painted on the barp-- ----" | "What is it?" I almost shouted. "He had a sign painter put 'The Black Cat Farm' on it, and a picture (of a black cat above the sign." Be jrmped, "What? The picture of a black eat! Why didn't you say so be- fore} _Now we've just the same as got the pearls in your pocket (for- 'getting that women seldom carry their money in pockets as men do). Show me the cat and I'll show you where your fortune is." (To be continued.) Sans 4 ELEPHANT LICENSE NEEDED In Order to Hunt Wild Animals in South Africa. If you should ever wander through Africa and come across a wild ani- mal, do not take it for granted that you may capture it. Quite aside from any objections which the animal may offer, you may be trespassing upon the big game preserves of the World Zoological Trading Company...' 'This company has eapturing 0 1d | 55,000 African acres, or square miles. ig How many animals, and what kind { of animals, does such a tract contain? It is impossible to give any definite figure, for officials jib at taking a wild animal census, but according to Mr. Jordan, the managing director of "the Zoological Company, their game preserves contain . about a thousand. elephants, a thousand red buffalo, herds of roan and sable ante- lope, eland and waterbuck, besides crowds of smaller creatures. Orders for these animals--many from America--are coming in stead- ily... If you want to keep a pet red b hi fou had better write at once, or they will all be booked. Arrange- ments are now being made for the capture of as many of them as will permit themselves = to be captured. it do mot go out there yourself | without permission. Should a hunter minu permit to kill a wild ele- 'phant. he will have the Zaclogiest upon him, w a kill t. So the¥e yo) how long do you keep it whoo e Judge. + §0 as to penetrate all crevices. Once the closet is in order.again, we are sure to be surprised and. delighted,' even as we are every year to find how {uch extra space we have. | Next, bureau drawers and all boxes "one by one, for these are really the 'things which take time. It is sur- { prising, too, what a lot of supplies we will unearth which can be used to good purpose in our spring sewing and summer fancy werk. One re- sourceful woman already has laid aside enough bright. matenials of | good quality to make knitting bags | for most of her Christmas presents | next December. = You see she be- i lieved in preparedness. el It is much better judgment to dis- card things which have outlived: their usefulness than to keep putting them away with the idea that they may {come in handy. The chances are that | they will just harbor moths and dust. | Give them away or do something with them which will put them to work to the best purpose. During the summer the fewer pic. tures and pieces of bric-a-brac we : have around the better, so these art- jcles can all be cleaned, "wrapped, labeled and laid away. Heavy drap- eries can be taken.down, brushed and: | renovated. Lace hangings should be | goaked in cold water until the dust and grime are removed, then laun- dered. This will give them a much better color than; if put into warm I'water, In fact, many a handsome | pair of curtains has been made gray nd ugly by plunging them into warm water. 5 ; ! Everything is now in readiness "for the cleaning. df each room when the time arrives, and it is not nearly so tiresome a task to do this when | there are no small things to handle and no accessory cupboards or draw- ers to clean. Before beginning the remainder of the cleaning, have everything in readiness--ammonia, ~brushes, cham- ois, furniture polish, stepladders, pails, rubber gloves and cleaners. Do- ings housecleaning systematically robs it of its terrors and makes it much less tiresome and disagreeable. | a 's Disease Germs in Dishwater. Be careful how you wash your ; dishes if you want to avoid typhoid fever and other serious diseases. | Investigation made following an | epidemic of typhoid "fever "showed | that each dirner 'plate as it leaves | the table in tLe ordinary household | harbors from 380,000 to 90,000 bac- teria. Most of these were harmless bacteria; still, if the plate were such fertile ground for Barmless bacteria, it would make a rich culture for dan- gerous disease "germs. Next a long seriey of experiments were carried on to learn how many bactéria were left on these plates after they had been washed. The average dinner plate, when washed in lukewarm water and dried without rinsing, was found to have on its surface 250,000 bacteria, or almost five times as' many as it had when brought soiled from the dinner table! 2 X This statement'may seem amazing and improbable; but a little thought wil] show that it is logical, and the result what might have been expect- ed, What are the - necessities for rapid baéterial growth? "Warmth into it. done which take so much time and} of all, closets should be rns and cupboards can be taken in order and food. And 'what does the houge- : L} 38 Four th > aaa pL Use a dilsh- HER Fifth--Rinse. all - eT os' Sind" dilb-cloths™ 40d dish-towels. Gv ih When We Visit the Sick. To know just when to call, how long to stey and just what/to do and say when visiting the sick, requires tact, judgment and common sense. The first thing to consider ds the patient 'needs = lar and periodic Icare and the visit' should be timed with reference to this and not mere- ly to the caller's personal conven- ience. Most invalids are better able to enjoy seeing their friends during the middle of the day than at other times. Few! invalids care to receive their friends until the room has "been | freshly aired and set in order for the | day, the daily bath and toilet com- | pleted and the doftor's morning, visit 'over. - Neither early mo! nor {late evening are favoralbe visiting ours. g Some visitors never know when to go. As'a rule, from fifteen minutes to half an hour i¥ a sufficiently long period, for it is far better to go while the welcome lasts. If the visi- tor is wise, she will not allow herself to be entreated to remain longer or to prolong her call by the invalid's plea that she is "not a bit tired." She is probably more or less ex- cited though not able to realize her real feeling until after her guest's departure. . » But more important than all else in visiting the sick; is the atmosphere the caller jously oF _ io ly carries with her. versation, mater, even the tones of the: voice have their effect on the invalid. Too much' sympathy with the pa- tient is a mistaken . kindness . and often positively harmful. - After a few kindly enquiries, ' the visitor should tactfully lead the conversa- tion away from the patient's ail- ments into other channels. Diversion of the right kind is really as valuable to a sick person as a dose-of medi- cing: LF 8 Fk The visitor should carry cheerful news and avoid all that may be de- pressing. One's own personal wor- ries and trials should be left outsid Entertaining news items; descrip- tions of the latest book read and let- ters from absent friends will all be of intérest to the lonely shut-in. The caller should dress attractive- ly. Only those who have experienced much illness, realize what a positive refreshment a caller's charming toil- et'may be nor with what delight the tized eyes take in every bright de- tail. You must remember that what is merely an episode to the caller is an event to the patient. Just what to take a sick friend may be a problem. Flowers, fruits and jellies are customary gifts. If your friend is supplied with, these dainties, will a new book or 'magazine, even more. appreciated ab bringing a fresh element inte thé sick room. ; "a Any little novelty that helps to break the daily monotony will prove attractive. a ; -- emir 'GIANT BRITISH CRUISER jj Warship Now in Course of tion is 900 Feet Long. Détajls" of the biggest and most powerful. warship which is being built on the Clyde for the British navy can now be told. The fship is Hjs Majesty's Hood, 'whose 'designed speed, the representatives of the London Daily News 'learn on official authority, will be 82 knots," and which may be increased during her trials to 856 knots. « J Details of this vesse! hitherto have been! secret. She is a battle-cruiser, § { less than the Aquitania, the ldrgest of selection of a seasomable hour. The. ength will be 800 feet; or| Brit'sh liners. The|- Hood is expected to bz in commission: 4 sie puRthe Sg a sk MHOi HELPS. TD,,$RREAD T, EE XY UDDHIST. FA) is EEE | An American 'Missionary Working in oe Japan Describes Methods Adopted All_the world is familfar with the military spy. but the religious spy is something new--at least "to the Occl- dental world, It has remained for the Buddhists of Japan to develop and [perfect the religious spy system. Ac cording to Christian missionarief in that country, Buddhism is spying out, as it believes, the strong points of the Christian religion as presented at the missions and adapting them to the 'spreading of Buddhism. "0 "Buddhist 'girl spies committing | Christian Sunday school fessons and gospel hymns to memory, heathen preachers using Christian sermons verbatim excapt for substitution of the name' of: their god, Tor that of Christ, pagan religions attempting re- vivalg along Occidental lines--these 'ire some of the curious phases of the 1ite of Japan to-day as tuld by Somner R. Vinton; a missionary: home on fur: Tough. 7% : "As Hinduism is trying to'fight back the conquering armies of Christianity in India and as Mohdmmedanism is attempting a like' task in Africa, so the devotees of the religious of Japan are waking up. And just as Japan mental life she is trying to adopt our religious methods," said Mr. Vinton. Revivals In Pagan Religions. "There is a Shinto revival and a Buddhist revival. The first ni | 18 an attempt to substitute patriotism tor religion. - It is a huge experiment in national psychology, If it di it may "have the"sanie result as & similar plan had in. Germany--Japan. may out-Prussignize Prussia. *As to Buddhism, we haven proverb in Burma, where 1 was born and lived eighteen years, "The dying. frog gives a last kick." "Lia "The Shin sect of Buddhists has two branches in Japan, tlhe Nichi Hong. wanji and the Higashi Hongwanjl. The Nichi Hongwanji is the progressive' denomination which is conducting the révival movement. The movement has had an unhappy history. Large funds were collected and these were used, secretly by some of the insiders for speculati on the Tokio Stock Exchange. The result was a huge scandal. The Japanese newspapers printed ifdignant articles and' the: gove ent finally took over super- vision of the budget. 'This Buddhist budget last year was about $10,000, 000, of which $6,600,000 was credited to the Hongwanji. i "The Nichi Hongwanji is establish ing Sunday schools throughout Japan. It has a big church' and Sunday schools in the Hawalian Islands, and it that the church building bore a cer- tain type of chrysanthemum in its de- <coration, which in Japan can mean only that the enterprise using it en- joys imperial patronage. A Buddhist 8 y School. © "1 visited a Buddhist Sunday school in Japan with a missionary friend and wag cordially received, The Buddhists eagerly showed us all over the build- ing, and then they began to ask us about American Sunday school meth- ods. - My: mission friend gave the information desired freely. He told me later he 'did this because he was determined to bring these Buddhist leaders themselves. to. Christ, knowing what a great victory that would be, "But the Buc Jet * their information in this open 'way. For instance. a young J copies western industrial and govern-} 1 was surprised to see when I visited ts do mot always || : + by Propagandists. > | American : [+ . % "Some of the young men in training come to listen to our sermons, com- these same sermons in Buddhist pul- pits, only substituting Buddha Christ whenever the word eccurs, 7 "Another, side of aH omvete Ltion. with - Ohristianity 'is "in the schools. * wedlthy man set up a splendidly equipped high schéol for girls in the neighborhood of one of ~~ our Methodist high schodls. It was an opposition school, and Having un- limited funds, it is now graduating more pupils. " 7 "In many ways this Buddhist school is excellent, but I thought I could de- tect in the faces of the. girls that it was ot turning out the fine type of womanhood. we were. A curious 'de- velopment; however, is that this school 16' becoming less and less a Buddhist institu every year. The Buddhist side 'is dishppearing. Perhaps some day the school-may become Christian." ; RICERCA LAUGHTER-LOVING PEOPLE, British Litérature and Drama Prove the Mirthfulness of Britons. {We BritiSh; despite an ancient fable of the rest of the world that we are stern-faced, are a laughter-loving @ literature and drama of a coun- try is always a mirror of its character, and British literature and drama haye vided some of the greatest laugh® hot all time. : akespears, genius was a distillation of the Bri- tish spirit, was thergreatest ofall the - 'world's laughers, 'Fielding and Smol- lett, fathers "of the world's' nov ig ens, although so intimately, colloquials. ly, 'and almost insularly a British author, sent ripples of laughter round the world in translations into other < tongues' that will' raise laughter among genérations yet unborn, We have had, too, our great laugh- ing poets--Herrick, who laughed; at lovers laugh, happily and daintily; ° Byron, who laughed satirically; Burns, finest laugher of them all. who laughed broadly, generously and hu=~ manly, and from a heart whose'laugh- ter rose more mellow from the deeps of sorrow, like the laugh of the people in our streets today. . . s ~ girl professed innova ions in| conversion and became'|{' 8 mit them to memory and then preach" - ple, says. the London Dally Mail... ; A Whose = surpassing.' 4 rei were mighty laughers. 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