During my visit to the McCord Museum, I was fortunate enough to have read a compilation (April 24, 1920 v1 n1 to June 5th 1920 v1 n7) of “The Amazing Exploits of Houdini” found in The Kinema Comic.

1. The Bride & The Orangutan.
2. The Jewel Thieves.
3. “Stop Thief!”
4. THE GOLD MELTERS.
5. Adventure of the Midland Express.
6. In The Dead of Night.
7. Out of The Sky.

Each issue contains a several page serialized fictional story (by-lined by Houdini). This week I share my paraphrased version of “The Gold Melters” found in the May 15 1920 v1 n4 issue:

On the ride from the Midlands to Manchester, winds were battering against the windows, as the limo surrounded on each side by desolate moors, raced up the incline to the top of the hill.

Suddenly, Houdini was thrown against the side of the car. Something had gone wrong. Shattered glass was all around and all the lights had gone out.

Concerned for his limo driver, “Are you all right, Bob?”

“Quite Sir! It might have been worse; The steering column has snapped, and it was simply luck that she took this side of the road. If she had swerved to the other side, we should both be lying at the bottom of the valley, perhaps dead, but certainly pretty badly messed about.”

Bob had made up his mind as to what they should do. He would stay with the car all night while Houdini went and looked for shelter from the elements at some hotel or house.

The quest was not an easy one in that district. Moors stretched for miles on every side, and it was pitch black outside. Houdini was about to turn back until he saw a faint twinkle of a light below in the valley.

Without hesitation, Houdini turned off the road and scrambled down the side of the moor. It was an adventurous journey thru the woods.

A half hour later, he came upon a house with the light coming through a downstairs window.

Houdini approached the uncovered window and peered into the room and saw a tall well built man about middle age melting down sovereigns to use the gold for commercial purposes.

Suddenly there was a sound of footsteps coming from the woods. Moving from beneath the window, Houdini made his way around the building until he reached the front door. The doorbell was not working, so he knocked a number of times until the man he saw in the window slowly crack open the door.

Houdini told the man he was searching for shelter since his car met with disaster at the top of the moors.

The man told Houdini he couldn’t put anyone up.

Suddenly another voice from behind Houdini was heard, “Can I have a word with you before you turn the gentleman out of the house?”

The man at the door left his position and stalked past Houdini.

After a conference, the man returned and lied:

“My man tells me that we can accommodate you. Only he and I live in the house, so you will find things very rough and ready, but I must ask you to take things as you find them. If you will follow me, I will show you to your room. Except for our own two rooms, it is the only one that is habitable in the house. Come this way.”

The man immediately moved off in the direction of the stairs, and Houdini followed in his wake. They climbed up three stories, then a long passage. At the door of one room the man paused.

And beckoned Houdini to enter the apartment.

“You have seen too much, my friend and must stay here until you forget. That may be tomorrow. On the other hand, it may be forever”

The door swung shut and Houdini was trapped.

Houdini examined the lock. It was a simple contrivance and he could escape anytime he wanted.

After a couple hours, Houdini rose to his feet and unlocked the door. To one who has broken out of some of the most famous prions in Europe, the proposition of that door was a very elementary matter.

Moving as quietly as he could, Houdini made his way to the stairs. No one appeared to be about, so he removed his boots and descended the stairs without making a sound. Not a light shone anywhere. He had to grope his way along the hall. At the far end, he found a door leading to the room where the gold-melting operations were being carried on. The men were still at work there.

Houdini returned to the hall, and after unscrewing the bells, took down the receiver and asked Exchange to be put into communication with the nearest police.

“There’s a man here who’s melting down golden sovereigns. Perhaps you and a few of your colleagues had better run through and make a few investigations.”

The official at the other end of the wire thanked me, and said that they would be there  as soon as they possibly could.

“Good! And when you come, you might bring some food along with you. Enough to satisfy two hungry men.”

On receiving the promise that food would be brought, Houdini crept back to the room he was supposed to be imprisoned in.

The rest of the story is simply told. The police came on the scene and captured the men red-handed at their unpatriotic work.

But, what was more important, the police brought food for Houdini and Bob.