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Trh( 'child a prisoner. If she was Har greave's true daughter he would come out of his hiding. Shi- heard Florence answering her question: "There is a sum of ten or twelve thousnand in the Riverdain bank, under the control of my father's but Ier. After that is gone, I don't know what will happen to us, Susan and "The -,or of Miss Farlow's will al ways be open to you, Fiorence," re iplied Susan. with love in her eyes. This interesting conversation was intorrupted by the advent of Norton. le was always dropping in during the hate afternoon hours. Florence liked W him for two reasons. One was that Jones trusted hi:n to a certain extent and the other was that . . . that she liked him. She ilnished this sen tence in her heart defiantly. Today he brought her a box of beau tiful roses, and at the sight of them the princess smiled faintly. Set the v!nd in that quarter? She could have laughed. Here was her revenge against this meddler who took no particular notice of her while Florence was in the room. She would encourage him, icor grubbing r.ewslaper writer, with his beggarly pittance! What chance had he of marrying this girl with mil lions within reach of her hand? The peculiar thing about this was that Norton was entertaining the same thought at the same time: what eartn ly chance had he? !n the second story window of tho hcuse over the way there was a wor ried man. But when his glasses brought in range the true contents of the box he laughed sardonically. "TiLs watching is getting my goat. I smell a rat every time I see a shadow." He wiped the lenses of his opera glasses and proceeded to roll a cigarette. When the princess and Norton went away Jones stole quietly up to Flor ence's room and threw up the curtain. Tw o round points of light flashed from the watcher's window, but the saturn Ino smile on Jones' lips was not ob served. He went to the door, opened It cautiously, a hand to his ear. Then he closed the door, turned back the rug and removed a section of the floor ing Out of this cavity he raised a box. There was lettering on the lid; in fact, the name of its owner, Stanley -jHar -e. Jones rephced the flooring, t... i- the box under his arm and i - his exit. -ho man lo-.myir in the shadow d a faint whi- !. It was the sig ., :reed upon. Thve man Felton ran w-ics the street id boldly rang tL b- I It was only then that Florence missed the ever present butler. She h;iteted, then sent Susan to the door. 'I must see Mr. Jones upon vitally Ii- rta:nt business." "iHe has gone out." said Susan, and very sensibly closed the door 'before Felton's foot sxnceeded in getting in side. -It was timne to act. He ran around to the rear. The ladder convinced him that Jones had tricked him. He was wild with rage. He was over the wall i'n an instant. Away down the back ; "A Hundred If You Overtake That Boat." street his eye discovered his man in full light He gave chase. As he came to the first corner he w.. s nearly knocked over by a man coming the othex way '"Who are you bumping into?" growled Felton. "Not so fast, Felton!" "W\ho the devil are you?" The stranger made a sign which Fel-. ton instantly recognIzed. "Quick! What has happened?" "Jonies has the million and is mak ing his getaway. See him hiking to ward the water front?" The two men began to run. There followed a thrilling chase. Jones engaged a motorboat and it was speeding seaward when the two pur suers arrived. They were net laggard. There was another boat and they made for it. "A hundred if you overtake that boat," said Felton's strange companion. Felton eyed him thoughtfully. There was something familiar about that voice. .Great plumes of water shot up into the air. It did not prove a short race. by any means. It took half an hour for the pursue: t'o overhaul the puz sued. "Is that Jones?" "Yes." Felton fired his revolver ito the air in hopes of terrifying Jones' en gineer; but there was five hundred -dangling before that indivdual's eyes. Subscribe n Mystery." Times. Get: 1isDaidup, "Let thm ge t a il'le nearer," shout ed the butX'r The .1, let down theC. :Wed a notch. The oth-ej boat crept ui withia twenty yards. Jones sought a perfect range. ie wouid have to und this spot ag:ain. "Surrender!" yelled Felton. In reply Jotnes raised thei precious box aind delilbrately dropped it into Th;en he turned his auto '.:c ur::.s p .rzuere and succceded in nin:: t;r boat afire. Al this the s.ace of an hour. During 1 Z :r that niglht (there was now a cook) Jones walked about thui dining tablc, rubbing his hands to gether from ine to timeo. "Jones." said Florence, "why do you rub your hands like that?" "Was I rubbing my hands, Miss Florence?" he asked Jnaccently. CHAPTER VI. "Did you rfet the range?" asked the countezss. wh-n late that night UrainG recounted h! advenrture. "Range!" ho snarled. "My girl, haven't I just told you that I had to fight for my life? My boat was in flames. We had to swim for it till we were picked up by a Lung Island barge tug. I don't know what beca:ne of the moterman. lie must have headed straight for shore. And I'm glad he did. Otherwise he'd be howl ing for the price of another boat. Olga, for the first time I've had to let one of the boys have a look at my face. Doesn't know the name: but one of these days he'll stumble across it, and the result will be black mail, unless I push him off into the dark. It was accidental." The countess leaned forward, her hands tightly clinched. "But the box!" Braine made a gesture of despair. "Leo, are you using any drug these days?" "Don't make fun of me. Olga." Im patiently. "Did you ever see me drink mere than a pint of wine or smoke more than two cigars in an evening? Poor focls! What: let my brain go into th- wastebasket for the sake of an hour or so of exhilaration? No. and never will I! I'm keen about the gray matter I've got, and by the Lord Harry, I'm going to keep it. There's only one dope fiend in the Hundred. and he's one of the best decoys we have; so we let him have his coke whenever he really needs it. But this man Felton has seen my face. Some day he'll see it again, ask questions, and then . - - "Then what?"' "A burial at sea," he laughed. The laughter died swiftly as it came. "Threw it into eight hundred feet of water, on a bar where the sands are always shifting. He'll never find it. even If he took the range. He could nt have got a decent one. The sun was dropping and the shadows were long. He throw the chest into the water and then began pegging away at us. cool as you please, and fired our tank." "It looks to me as Ir he had wasted his time." "That depends. Between you and me and the gate-post. I've a sneaking Idea that this man Jones, whom no body has given any p. rticular atten tion, is a deep, clever man. He may have been honestly attempting to find a r.w hIding place: the advertisement in the newspaper may have drawn1 him. Ho may have thrown the box over in puro rage at seeing hims'lf checkmated. Again, the whole thing may have been werked up for our. benefit, a blind. But if that's the case, Jones has us on the hip, for we an't tell. But we can do what in all probability he expects we'll cease to* do-watch him just as shrewdly as before." Olga caught his hand and drew him down beside her. "I wasn't going to bother you~ tonight, but It may mean somethirng vital." "What?' alertly. Fer reply she rose and walked over to the light button. She pressed it and the apartment became dark. "Come over to the wIndow, quick!" She dragged hIm across the roomi. "Over the wayV, the house wvIth the marble frontage." A man emerged, lit a cigarette. and walked leisurely down the street. "No" she crIed, as Biaineo turned to make for the door doubtless wit the irntention of finding out who this man was. "Every night after you leave he appear ." "Does he follow me?" "No. And that's what bothered me at first. I bioved he was watching soe apartment abocve. I ut regula:rly v when I turn .ut theG ligh!ts hoen^. frt. So there'o, n' c .mbt that l.'0 atchatou e :Xter and tnkes note of Th" 'i'ow :r the glwI:ng cigtar diai ar arud the corner, th.. ' lht the apartanent wore soe. Y ou rall:. think hc's vI "::"" thisq apartment, I ow to The Timr Remember Th n the game a or you mght b tWNTIN D FRO.\1W) LAST \\ "'I'.m oig i you :ight leave by 1 tor ntrance. l'l keep thu lights on . you're outside. Then I'l! tu:n th:1 ui: a::d you can follow and lari who he is." It's iihty I: tor:t" "'Don't scowl. At your age a wrinkle Is apt to remain if you once get it star ted." He laughed. "Wrinklcs!" She could talk 0i wrinkles! "They are mor" important than you think. Every morning I rub out the wrinkle I go to bed with." 'I wish y(u could rub out the gen oral stupidity which is wrinkling my brain. I ve made threo moves and failed in each. What's come over me? "Perhaps you've had too many suc ce:es. Thc wheel or chanco is al ways turn!ng around." "May I smoke?" "Thanks. At least it proves you still have some con.Ideration for me. You would smoke whether it was agreeable or not. hIut I like the odor of a good cigar. And it always helps you to think." Itraine lit the cigar and began his customary pacing. At length he paused. "Supposo wo have a real old-fash ione'd coaching party out to the old rmas:on we know about?" "A:.d vwhat shall we do there?" "Make th- mansion an erchanted castl" where sometimnes people who cater can't ge t out. Do you think you could g't her to go?" "I can try." "Olga, I must have that girl; and I must have her soon. Sometimes I find myself mightily puzzled over the whole thing. If Hargreave is alive, wiy doesn't he turn up now that it's practically known that his daughter prsides over his household? I might undierstard it if I .didn't know that H::r::reave is really afraid of nothing. VW'hero is the man with the five thou saLd. picked up at sea? What was the reason for Jones carry!ng that box out in broad daylight? Who is the chal) wa'tching across the street? Sometimes I believe in my soul-If I have one!-that Hargreave is playing with us. playing! Well," flinging the half consumed cIgar into the grate. "the Black Hundred always goes for ward, win or lose, and never forgets." "We are a fine pair!" said the wo man bitterly. "%Ve are exactly what fate intended us to be. They wrote you down in the book as a beautiful body with a crooked mind. They wrote me down a. the devil, doomed to roam earth's top till I'm killed." "Killed?" "Why, yes. I'm not the kind of chap who dies in bed, surrounded by the weepirg members of the family, doctor, nurse. and priest. I'm a scoundrel; but It has this saving grace. I enjoy beIng a scoundrel. Now, I'm going up to the club- There's nothing like a game of billiards or chess to smooth that wrinkle which seems to worry you." In the great newspaper office there was a mighty racket. Midnight al ways me-aus pandemonium in the city room of a metropolitan daIly Copy boys were rushing to and fro, messengers and printers with sticky galeys in their hands; reporters were banging away at their typow-Iters, and intermingling you could hear the ceaseless 'dckety-click from the tele graph room. The ::nauaging editor came out of his oillee and approached tho desk of the night city editor. "Litorial page gone down?" "Tweoty minutes ago," said the night city editor. "I wanted a stick on that Panama rumpu." "Too late." "Where's Jim Norton?" "At the chamber of commerco ban Quet. The major is going to throw a bomb into the enemy's camp-" "NothIng on the Hargreave stun?" "No. Gucas I'd better put that In the cubbyhole. Hie's dead." "No will found yet?" "Not a piece as big as a postage stamp." "'That will leave the girl in a tough place. No will, no birth certificate; andI. worst of all, no photograph of the old man himself. I don't see why Jm sideste7pped this affair. Hie the onlyv man: in town who knew anything about Ilargreave." "lHe ha.sn't given it up; hut he wants to cover It on his own, turn the yarn over when h~e's got It. no i'ai.o alarms." "Ah! So thate the garne?" "Yes; a:nd Ji-m is the tort every pa per raeds. Whe:n the time conaes the story tus up. if there is one. THere he is new. Looks i2. a" :' P fourth act of a drama. Good-loolh:.;g chap, though." Norton came in through the outer gan.s. H~e w::;; i: (eve'.tag clothes, top hat. A dead cigarett dangled b twten his lips. "Hot'\: much do ycu want?" asked the nicht cit .'dl r. "Off with: your glad rags!" "Any.thing good?" asked the manag ing ed~tor. "The lid has: ben au jami eo tight. No wine in any restaiurant atfter one o'clock. Trh.re'll be a roundup of ev ery guer:an in town." "Goodl work! Go to It." It was one o'clock when: Norton turredl In his last sheet oft copy and strted' for' homi' Just outside the entrance to the btuilding a rman with a slesh hat drawn down: over his eyes stpped forward. "Mr. Norton ?" "Yes." Norton stepped back sus piciously. The' (the.r chucled, raiced an:d low red his hat swiftly es, and get th~ e Pastime will nid win the $ & mit off in the 11 ur EE K--LOUK FOR NEXT ISSU o L !" murmured the re "WXi'll take a ride with me in a taxi "AlK the way to Syracuso, if you say so. -e6!, l'li be ti.ker --d!" "No names, please!" What took place in that taxicab was never generally known. But at ten o'clock the next mnornin: Norton sur prisod the elevator boy by going out. Nort.n proceeded downtown to the national bank, where he deposited $5A.00 !n bills of large denominations. I The teller had rome ditiiculty in count ing them. They stuck together and r? tained the sodden appearance of money recently submerged in water. Florence was delighted at the Idea of a coaching party. Often during her schoo'girl days she had seen the fash ionable coaches go careening along the read, with the sharp. clear note of the bugle rising about the thunder of hoofs and rattling of vwheels. Jones was not enthusiastic; neither was he a killjoy. "B:t you are to go along, too," said Florence. "I. Miss Florence?" "The couintss invited you especially. You will go with a hamper." "Ah, in my capacity as butler; very good. Miss Florence." To her he gave no 6=sa of his secret satisfaction. The hour arrivcd, and the g.y party bowed;awa. 'lhey wound in and out of the streets toward the country to the crack cf the whlip and the blare of the horn. Fiorence's enjoyment would Florence Was Chatting With the Count. have been perfect had it not been for the absence of Norton. Why hadn't he been invited? She did not ask be cause she did not care to disclose to the countess her interest in the re porter. They were nearing the limits of the city, when the coach was forced to take a sharp turn to avoid an auto mobile in trouble. The man puttering at the engi:.e raised his head. It was Norton. and Florence waved her hand vigorously. "A coaching party," he murmured; "and your Uncle James was not invit ed! Oh, v-ery well!" Hie laughed, and suddenly' grew serious. It would not hurt to frnd out where that coach was gomng. He set to work savagely, located the trouble, righted It, and set off for the Hargreave home. He found Susan and bombarded her with Questions wh:Ich to Susan canme with the rapidity of rain upon the roof. "In his ca aciyongbtle only." N rto miled. "Well, I'll take a jaunt out there myself. You are sure of the location?" "Yes." "Well, good-by. I'll go as a waiter, since they wouldn't invite me. I'm one of the best little waiters you ever Lwa'rd of; and all things come to him v.ho waits." What a pleasant, affable young man he "was! thought S'n as she watched himi jun:i into the car und go flying up the street. Jone(s was a good deal surprised wheon Nor'ton turned up at the old Chilton manor. "What made you come hero dressed like this?" the butler demanded. "I'in a suspicious duffer; maybe that's the reason." "D~o you know anything?" "Well, no; I can't say that I do. But, hang it, I just had to come out here." "Maybe it's just as well you did," said Jones moodily. "I know this plnce. The housoeep c1 ' to .' nurvse. ani if ahe is still on the jet she may be of s,.rvice to u. Yp': &n:' think they'll c'ucsion or rc'::in me?" "::-! ' "'l ;t in a word for you. i~ m I~ * i Vt yo. kntowing if we bl eoug 'rvunts to take care of th l. n "A: I- l go and~ hunt up Meg." C'u'o 'D.e.3 i old nurse, was 'till in car~oof he h":e; a!nri when hr "hb" :h..dis !dntlty she all but fel u~i his'~ neck. ".t ht are you doing hero, dresued up us a waiter?" "'s a ltle secre't, Mog. I wasn't invited r:d the truth is I'm vecry dep ratl in lovoe with tho young lady in whose honor this coaching party is being give~n. And... may be sho's in danger." "Th Lrd only knows. But show me a ou theouso. I've not beern here in so long I've forgo'ttn the run of it. I renmomber one room with then .mecret ra'o'l and anocthr-r with a painng m!::at turned. H~ave they hanged thezT' a wonderful st t show each chi 10,000. Be sv midst of the s Myst E.) "No; it 1s Just the same here as it used to be. Come along and i11 show you." Norton inspected the rcom; care fully, stowing away in his mind every d. tail. I, might be v orry!n.- aLout nothing; but so many strange things had happened that it was better to be on the side of caution than on the side of carelessness. Ile left the housc and ran across Jones carrying a basket of wine. "Here, Norton; take this to the party. I want to reconnoiter." "All right, m'lud! Say, Jones, how much do you think I'd earn at this job?" comically. *Gct along with you, Mr. Norton. It may be the time to laugh, and then it may not." "I'm going back into the house and hide behind a secret panel. I've got my revolver. You go to the stables and take a try at my car; see if she! works smoothly. We may have to do come hiking. Where is the countess in this?" "Leave that to me, Mr. Norton," aA the butler with his grim smile. "'De off; they are moving back toward the house." So Norton carried the basket around to the lawn, where it was taken from his hands by the regular servant. lie sighed as he saw Florence, laughing and chatting with a man who was a stranger and whom he heard ad dressed as count. Some friend of the countess, no doubt. Where was all this tangle going to end? li wished he rnew. And what a yarn he was going to write some day: It would be read like one of Gaboriau's tales. He turned away to wander idly about the grounds, when beyond a clump of ce dars he saw three or four men convers irg slowly. He got as near as possible, for when three or four :. n put their heads together and whisper animated ly, it usually means a poker game or something worse. ie caught a phrase or two as it came down the wind, and then he knew that the vaguo suspi cion that had brought him out he re had been set in motion by fate. He heard "Florence" and "the old draw ing room;" and that was enough. He scurried about for Jones. It was puro luck that he had had old Meg show him through the house. other wise he would.ave forgotten all about the secret panel In the wall and-. the painting. Jones shrugged resignedly. Were these men of the countess' party? Norton couldn't say. Norton made his hiding place in safety; and by and by he could hear the guests moving about in the room. Then all sounds ceased for a while. A door closed sharply. "No; here you must stay, young lady," sarL a man's voice. "What do you mean, sir?" demanded the beloved voice. "It means that no one will return to this room and that you will not be missned until it is too late.' The sound of voices stopped ab ruptly, and something like scuffling ensued. Later Norton heard the back of a chair strike the panel and some one sat heavily upon it. He waIted perhaps five minutes; then he gentlyj slid back the panel. Florence sat! bound and gagged under his very eyes.~ It was but the work of a momcnt tol liberate her. "It is I, Jim. Do not speak or make the least noise. Follow me." Greatly astonished, Florence obeyed; and the itanel slipped back into place. The room behind the secret panel had barred windows. To Florence it ap-. p'uart d to be a real prison. "llow did you get here?" she asked. breathlessly. "outoig told me to follo~v you. An~d sonzothing is always going to tell me to follow you, Fiorence." She pr..ssed his hand. It was to her as if cune of those book heroes had* stepped out of a book; only book he roes alw.ays had tremendous fortunes, and did not have to work for a liv ing. Oddly enough, she was not afraid. "Who was the man?' ho asked. "The Count Norfeldt. Some one has impostd upon the countess." "Do you think so?" with a strange look in his eyes. "What do you mean?" "Nothing just now. The idea is to get out of here just a's quIckly as we can. See this painting?" lie touched a spot in the wail and the painting slowly aung~ o'ut like a door. "Come: we make our escape to the side lawn from here." At the stable they wer-e confronted with the knowledge that Norton's car was out of commission; Jones old do nothing with it. Then Nen.a e~t ed that he make a e-~ort to comn mnandeer the' limousine of the count e;s; but there were men ab'.a. so the limousine was out of the question. "Horses!" whispered Jones. "There are several saddle horses, already sod died. How about t': :te ' '1"e the owners?" ''Oh, they are beyond reproach. They have doubtless bc-en imposed upon. But lot us gct aboard first. There will be timne to talk Ltter. I'll have to do some~ exp.lOning'. tak~ng ?hes. rua: off like thIs. Wci won't hanv. to rid-- out in front where the pickanickers ares. There's a lano back of the stable and a slight detour brings us back into the main road." Tho threo mounted anLd clattered away. To Florence it had the air- of a prank. She was beginning to havo such confidence in these two inventI-:e men that she felt as if she was ia-; going to be afraid any more. When the Countess Olg2 en. tho thrce horses it was on r:-.r a.nit ' fly Into a rage. IPut S .cre: warand her people, w!o pr - c'hnse in the limoune : prattled andI j'sted .n ': - her company . o w ~c-Gi"un ory, as apter as it; ap .re that your tory. Th . a: h. n1 o L. A wr' -io o and th at r~h.L ta -.-r:>:: Coar.. . hi hs h:ua: ueae u.U H - R Vi i. turbed. he w jas attn up vith iy, as -h- old V;tves satY. "Y0*u aIt'% wonderiA .::..z if I ss~c h "I n I his Jl.l -s into rVy r arkabl- har aet'"h. The- oe-.riu:ahmef t.:s re:aeflburler.Thlbeo the as ar cL:e within ange. Norto!, reached for a cigarette, but his hands shock as he ht it. There was a peculiar little scar In the con t of the lobo. "Well," said .Tcncs, "I can find no evidence that she bas been concerned in ay of thes affairs." "Y ou are suspicious?" "O: everybody," looking boldly Into the reporter's eyes. "Of me?" smiling. "Even Lf myself sometimes." Conversation dropped entirely after this declaration. "You're a taciturn sort of chap." "Ani I?" "You are. But an agreemtent is an agreement. and while I'd like to print this story, I'll not. We newspaper men seldom break our word." Jones held out his hand. "Sometimes I wish I'd started life right," said the reporter gloomily. "A nevspaper man is generally Iniprovi dent. He never looks ahead for to morrow. What with my special ar ticles to the magazines, I earn be twcen four and 1Ive thousand the year; and I've never been able to save a cent." "Perhaps yca've never really tried," repiel Jones, with a glance at his companion. It was a good face, strong in outline; a little carewxorn, perhaps, but free from any indications of tirssi pation. "If I had begun life as you did, I'd have made real and solid use * * "D Nt pak erMk h es th-icm ."~ "YunvrcnKl.Prasawm anmgthaeed yo hiN t..> hogh o .a-::: mgh int. an. o'e ..'a Ie' Ic na a"1 gid wha~ -~ni -ia~r ];atlg on" to his; selt-ro n migt -., - xrealay '"1+: utau lpifehrto acep theso - - ; - ; l KCOML TO SES The Sombi Bend hube telRu . The 0. N. and iebmnud Cook Stove. The 0. [E.Wood and 'uai Heoater. Th - F ephtee ratu ald 1 h r Tho PerfecTtionl Oili Cook L;; idI~ T e Interlnatioa( Sa I r . The I soIIarl f. Ti ; u and ,:;tary .alL Co 'atin A . -. 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