Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Trh "Good lord, are you losing your nerve?" cried Braine impatiently. "The secret service has the warning; they find the green stuff. and Jones & Co. will n-og off to the police station. And there'll be a week of red tape before they are turned loose again. They'll dig into Hargreave's finances and all that. We'll have all the security in the world to find out if the mcney is in the house or not. Why worry?" "It's only the way I feel. There is something uncanny in the regular ity of that girl's good luck." "Ah, but we're not after her this time; it's the whole family." "The servants too?" "Everybody in the house wiU be under suspicion." "And can you trust Beggs?" "His life is in the hollow of my hand. You can always trust a man when you hold the rope that's around his neck." Still the frown did not leave Olga's brow. With all her soul she longed to be out of this tangle. It had all looked so easy at the start; yet here they were, weeks later, no further forward than at the beginning. and added to this they had paid much in The Dictagraph Registered Every Word. lives and money. Well, if she would be fool enough to love this man she must abide with the consequences. She wanted him all by herself, out of danger, in a far country. He might tire, but she knew in her her-t that she never would. This was her one great passion, and while her mode of living was not as honest as might be, her love was honest enough and un swerving, though it was not gilded by the pleasant fancies of youth. "Of what are you thinking?" he asked when he concluded that the pause had been long enooh. "You." "H'm. Complimentary?'' "No; just ordinary everyday love." - "Ah, Olga, why the deuce must you1 go and fall in love with a bundle or ashes like myself? Ashes and bitter ashes, too. Sometimes I regret. But the regretting only seems to make me all the more savage. What opium and dope are to other men, danger and excitement are to me. It is not written that I shall die in bed. I have told you that already. There is no other woman-now. And I do love you after a fashion, as a man loves a comn rade. Wait till this dancing bout is over and I may talk otherwise. And now I am going to shake hands and hobnob with the elite-beautiful word! And while I bow and smirk and crack witticisms, I and the devil will be chuckling in our sleeves. But this I'll tell you, while there's a drop of blood in my veins, a breath in my body, I'll stick to this fight if only to prove that I'm not a quitter." He caught her suddenly in his arms, kissed her, ran lightly to the door, and was gone before she could re cover from her astonishment. The affair went smoothly, without a hitch. Norton and his men gained the house through the tunnel without attracting the least attention. The Black Hundred, watching the front -and rear of the house, never dreamed that there existed another mode of 'entrance or that there was a secret cabinet room. Half an hour later the head of the secret service, accompanied by his men, together with "Spider" Beggs, -who was in high feather over his suc-' cess, arrived, demanded admittance, and went at the front of the business at once. "Your name is Jones," began the chief. The butler nodded, though his face evinced no little bewilderment at the appearance of these men. "What is it you wish, sir?" "I am from the secret service and I have it from a pretty good source that there is counterfeit money hidden in this house. More than that, I can put my hand on the very place it is hidden." "That is impossible, sir," declared Jones indignantly. "I'm an old hand, Mr. Jones. It will not do you a bit of good to put on that bold front." *Beggs smiled. How was he to know that this was a comedy set especially for his benefit? "I should like to see that money," said Jones, not Quite so bravely. "Come with m-e," said the secret service rnan. ".where's the library?" "Beyond that door, sir." The chief beckoning to his men, entered the library, went directly to a certain shelf, extracted three vol umes, and ;here lay the money in three neat packages. "Good heavensi " gasped Jones. I Subscribe n Mystery." I Times. Get is nnaid up, ( SMill "I shall have to request you and the family to accompany mie to the sta tion." "But it is all utterly impossible, sir! I know nothing of that money. nor how it got there. It's a plot. I declare on my oath, sir, that I am innocent, that 'Miss Florence and her companion know nothing about it." "You will have to tell that to the federal judge, sir. 'My duty is to take you all to the station. It would be just as well not to say anything more, sir" "Very well: but some one shall smart for- this outrage." "That reains to ba seen," was the terse comment of the secret service man. He led his prisoners away directly. Norton aid his men had to wait far into the r5i:at. Tho Black Hundred did not inend to malte any mistake this time by a hasty move. At quarter after ten th-y descended. Braine was rot with them. This was due to the urgent request of Olga, who still had her doubts. The men rioted about the house, searching nooks and corners, examinnlng floors and walls, opening books. pulling out drawers. but they found nothing. They talked freely, however, and the dictagraph regis tcred every word. The printin:g plant. which had .so long defied discovery. was in th cellar of the house occu pied by tle Black Hundred. Nerton and h's men determined to follrU' :d raid the building. And the reporter promised himself a good front pag story without in any way conflicting with his promises to Jones. Events came to pass as they expected. The trailing was not the easiest thinr. Norton knew about wheI the build ing was, but he cculd not go to it di rectly. He was quite confident that its entrance was ide-ntical v:ith that which had the ttap door through which he had been flung that memorable day when he had been shanghaied. When they reached the building he uwarned the men to hug the wall to the stairs. The trap yawned, but no one was hurt. They scampered up the stairs like a lot cf eager boys; broke the door in-to find the weird execu tive chamber dark and empty and an acrid smoke in their nostrils. This latter grew stifling as they blundered about in the dark. By luck Norton found the exit and called to the men to follow. They saw Beggs at the top of the stairway and called out to him to surrender. lie held up his hands and the stairs collapsed. Real fire burst out and Norton and his compan ion had a desperate battle with flame and smoke to gain the street. The fire was put out finally, but there was nothing in the ruins to prove that there had been a counterfeiting den there. There was, however, at least one consoling feature: in the fu ture the Black Hundred would have to hold their star-chamber elsewhere. It was checkmate; or, rather, it was a draw. CHAPTER XV. Another Trap Set. If the truth is to be told, Jones was as deeply chagrined over the outcome th goa sogtYu hstm h r gaizto Shad Ha k vent queth Yones, and this fact disturbed the butler. It might signify that the turning point had been reached, and that in the fu ture the good Inck might swing over to the side of the Black Hlundlred. Jones, rcdoubled his cautions. reite.rated his w;:rnings, and slept less than ever. Indeed, as he went ever the ground he conceded a point to the Black Hun dred. He would no longer be able to keel) tab on the organization. They had deserted their former quarters asolutely. The agent of whom they had leased the building knew nothing except that he would have to repair thte place. The rent had been paid a year in aCdvance, as it had been these last eight years. He had dealt through an attorney who knew no more of his clients than the agent. So it will be seen that Jones5 had in reality received a check. .,ore than all this, it would give his enemies renewed confidence; and this ow to The Tiir Remember Til in the game a w you migrht b (CONTINUED"FRZOM LAST W was a deeper menace than lie cared to face. But he went about his at fairs as usual, giving no hint to any one of the mental turmoil which had possession of him. It is needless to state Norton did not scoop his rivals on the counter feit story. But he set to work explor ing the cellar of the gutted building, and in one corner he found a battered die. He turned this over to the secret service men. There was one man he wanted to find-Vroon. This man, could he find him, should be made to lead him, Norton, to the new strong hold. Ile saw the futility of trying to trap Braine by shadowing him. Ile desired 3raine to believe that his es cape from the freighter had been a bit of wild luck and not a precon ceived plan. Braine was out of reach for the present. so he began the sear-:h for the man Vroon. le haunted the water front saloons for a week wilh out success. He did not know that it was the policy of the Black Hundred to lay l.w for a month after a raid of such a serious character. So the largre.:e menage had thirty days of peacea; always watched. however. For DrainUe never reloxed his viligance in that part cf the game. He .:id iot care to lose sight of Jones, who he was pr si tive w-as ready for fight if the sligat est opportunity off'ered itself. Norton wunt back to the primrcse paths of love: and sometimes he wouid forget all about such a thing as tie Black Hundred. So the sunimer days went by, with the lilacs and the roses embowering the Hargreave home. Eut Ncrton took note of the fact tLat Florence was no longer the ligit hearted schoolgirl he had first inm't 1E1r trials had made a serious woman of her, and perhaps this phase was all the more enchanting to him, who had his serious side alsc. Her young mind was like an Italian garden, always opening new vistas for his admiriag gaze. He went about his work the same as of old, interviewing, playing detective, fattening his pay envelope by speckAs to the Sunday edition and some of the I;ghter magazines. Sometimes he had vague dreams of writing a play, a novel, and making a tremendous f.;r tune like that chap Manders, who or.ly a few years ago had been his de-k mate. He really began the first ch j) ter of a novel; but that has nothing to do with this history. All ready, then. The chess are once more on the board, and it is the mo e of the Black Hundred. The day was rather cloudy. Jones viewed the sky wearily. He covid hear Florence playing rather a che'-r less nocturne by Chopin. Fourtee"n weeks ago this warfare had begun, and all he had accomplished, he and those 'with him, was the death or incarcer-a tion of a few inconsequent members of the Black Hundred. Always they struck and always he had to ward off. He had always been on the defensive; and a defensive fighter may last a long while, but he seldom wins; and the butler knew that they must win or go down in bitter defeat. There was no half way route to the end; there could be no draw. It all reminded the amil to ccopanyMe t th The Faitelpon Acoan Me the same moment Florence left the piano. She stoed at the threshold. "Hello. You? Where have you been? What has happened?" "Who is it?" asked Florence, step ping forward. .!ones held up a warning hand, and Florence paused. "Yes, yes; I hear perfectly. 0! You've beea working out their new quarters? Good, good! But be very careful, sir. One never knowvs what may happen. They have been quiet for some time now. . . . Ah! You can't work the ceiling this time? . W\indow over the way. Very good, sir. But be careful." The w ord "sir" caught Florence's attention. She ran to Jones and seized him by the arm. "W ho w'as that?" she cried, as he turned aw'ay from the telephone. "You said 'sir.'" Jone's eyes widened. "I did?" es, and get th< e Pastime will nd win the ~ e eut off in the )ollar EEK-LOOK FOR NEXT ISSU n"Yes. ad it's the first time I ever heard you use it ov.r the telephone. Jones. you were talking to my father!" "Please. Miss Florence, do not ask me any questions. I cannot answer any. I dare not." "But if I should command, upon the pain of dismissal?" coldly. "Ah, Miss Florence," and Jones tapped his pocket, "you forget that you cannot dismiss me by word. I am le gally In control here. I am sorry that you have made me recall this fact to you." Florence began to cry softly. "I am sorry, very sorry," said the butler, torn between the desire to comfort her and the law that he had I......... It Was a Letter on the Back of Which Was Drawn the Fatal Black Mask. laid down for himself. "It is very gloomy today, and perhaps we are a little depressed by it. I am sorry." "0, I realize, Jones, th.at all this unending mystery annd secrecy have a set purpose at back. Only, it does just seem as if I should go mad some times with waiting and wondering." "And if the truth must be told, it is the same with me. We have to wait for them to strike. Shall I get you something new to read? I am going down to the drug store and they have a circulating library." "Get me anything you please. But I'd feel better with a little sunshine." "That's universal." replied Jones, gong into the hall for his hat. Had the telephone rung again at that moment it is quite probable that the day would have come to a close as the day before had, monotonously. But the ring came five minutes after Jones had left the house. "Is this the Hargreave place?". "Yes," said Florence. "Who is It?" "This is Miss Hargreave talking?" "Yes." "This is Doctor Morse. I am at the Queen hotel. Mr. Norton has been badly hurt, and he wants you and Mr. Jones to come at once. We can not tell just how serious the Injury Is. He is just conscious. Shall I tell him you will come immediately?" ''Yes, yes!" Florence snapped the receiver on the hook. She wanted to fly, fly. He was hurt. How, when, where? "Susan! Susan!" she called. "What is it, Florence?" asked Susan, running into the room. "Jim is badly hurt. He wants me to come at once. 0, Susan! I've been dreading something all day long." Flor ence struck the maid's bell. "My wraps. You will go with me, Susan." "Where. Miss Florence,' asked the maid, alive to her duty. 'Where? What is that to you?" de manded Florence, who did not know that this maid was a detective. "Why not wait till Mr. Jones re turns?" she suggested patiently. "And let the man I love die?" vehemently. "At least you will leave word where you are going, Miss Florence." "The Queen hotel. And if you say another word I'll discharge you. Come Susan." There happened to be a taxicab con veniently near (as Vroon took care there should be), and Florence at once engaged it. She did not see the man hiding in the bushes. The two young women stepped into the taxicab and were driven off. They had been gone kl: thian five minutes when Jones re turned with his purchase, to find the house empty of its most valuable asset. Hie was furious, not only at the maid, who, he realized, was virtually help less, but at his own negligence. In the midst of his violent harangue the bell sounded. In his bones he knew what was going to be found there. It was a letter on the back of which was drawn the fatal black mask. With shaking finigers he tore open the er. velope and read the contents: Flourence is now in our power. Only th~e surrfntd-r of the~ minlion will save her. Our agent will call in an hour f'r an an swe r. THE BLACK HUNDRED. As a matter of fact, they had wanted Jones almost as badly as Florence. but her desire for a book-some popular story of the day-had saved him from the net. The letter had been written against this possibility. Jones became cool, now that h~e knew just what to face. The Queen hotel meant nothing. Florence would not be taken there. He called up Nor ton. It took all the butler's patience, a wonderful st L show each ch 10,000. Be su midst of the s Myst however, as it required seven different calls to locate the reporter. Meantime the taxicab containing4 Florence and Susan spun madly toward the water front. Here the two were separated by an effective threat. Flor ence recognized the man Vroon and knew that to plead for mercy would be a waste of time. She permitted herself to be led to a waiting launch. Always when she disobeyed Jones something like this happened. But this time they had cunningly struck at her heart, and all thought of her personal safety became as nothing. For the present she knew that she was in no actual physical danger. She was merely to be held as a hostage. Would Susan have mentality enough to tell Jones where the taxicab had stopped? She doubted. In an emer gency Susan I.d proved herself a nonentity, a liundle of hysterical thrills. As a matter of fact, for once Flor ence's deductions w:ere happily wrong. When the chr'uffeur peremptorily de posited Susan on the lonely country road, several miles from home, she ran hot-foot to the nearest telephone and sent a very concise message home. Susan was becoming acclimated to this strang, exciting existence. Norton arrived in due time, and he and Jones were mapping cut a plan when Susan's message came. "Good girl!" said Jones. "She's learning. Can you harle this alone, Norton? They want nze out of the house again. fOr Ihbeliove they were after me as w-ell as Florence. Half an hour gone!" "Trust me!" cried Norton. And he ran out to his auto. It was a wild rile. Several policemen shouted after him, but he went on unmindful. They could take his license number a hundred timos for all he cared. So they had got- her? They could wait til their enemy's vigilance slacked and then would strike? But Susan! The next time he saw Susrtn he was going to take her in his arms and kiss her. It might be a new sensation to kiss c Fan, always so y;'Im a-d cinish. Corey reet-that had been her direc tion. They hbd put Florence in a motor boat at the foot of Corey street. He was perhaps half an hour behind. Florence never opened her lips. She stared ahead proudly. She would show these scoundirels that she was her father's daughter. They plied her with questions, but she pretended not to hear. "Well, pretty bird, we'll make you speak when the time comes. We've got you this trip where we want you. There won't be any jumping over board this session, believe me. We've wasted enough tima. We've got you and we're going to keep you." "Let her be," said Vroon morosely. "We'll put all the questions we wish when we're at our destination." And he nodded significantly toward the ships riding at anchor. Florence felt her heart sink in spite of her aburdant courage. Were they going to take her to sea again? She had acquired a horror of the sea, so big, so terrible, so strong. She had had an experience with its sullen power. They had gone about four miles down when she looked back longingly toward shore. Something white seemed to be spinning over the water far behind. At first she could Florence Knew That to Plead for M not discern what It was. As she watched it it grew and grew. It final 1y emerged from the illusion of a gi gantic bird into the actuality of an everyday hydroplane. Her heart gave a great bound. This flying machine was coming directly toward the launch; it did not deviate a hair's breadth from the line. Fortunately the men were looking toward the huge freIghter a quarter of a mile farther on, and from their talk it was'evident that that freighter was to be her pris on-bound for where? Nearer and nearer came the hydroplane. Was it for her? It was impossible for the men not to take notice of the 'barking of the engines at last. "The thing's headed for us!" 'Vroon stared under his palm. It was not credible that pursuit had Itaken place so quickly. To test yonder man-bird he abruptly changed the course of the launch. The hydroplane veered its course to suit. Florence heard her name called Ifaintly. One of the mon drew' his revolver. but Vroon kix'eked ii out of his hand. "There's the police boat, you fool: "Jump!" a voice called to Florence. ry, "The MiI apter as it api re that your i ory. ry. She flung herself into the water without the slightest hesitation. All this came about something after this fashion. When Norton arrived at the foot of Corey street a boatman informed him that a young woman of his description had gotten into a fast motor boat and had gone down the river. "Was there any struggle?" "Struggle? None that I could see. She didn't make no fuss about go ing." "Have you a launch?" "Yes, but the other boat has half an hour's start, and I'd never catch her in a thousand years. But there's She Flung Herself Into the Water. a hydroplane a little above here. You might interest the feller that runs it." "Thanks! " But the aviator would not listen. "A life may hang in the balance, man!" expostulated Norton, longing to pommel the stubborn man. "What proof have I of that?" Norton showed his card and badge. "0, I see!" jeered the avi;atcr. "A little newspaper stunt in which I am to be the goat. It can'7. be done, Mr. Norton; it can't be done." "A hundred dollars!" "Not for five hundred," and the aviator callously turned away toward the young woman with whom he had been conversing prior to Norton's ap proach. The two walked a dozen yards away. Norton had not served twelve years as a metropolitan newspaper man for nothing. He approached the mechan ics who were puttering about the machine. "Ho about~ twnyaiee"h began.~ .arned. "wnyistet, ak n Give hru arsve fo the W t. saw hisrpn hdolitte above thee Youe migh aionlter nt the felrtaausit." Thnsitmvn"asarpre Bu the virstclbr woul notpposdtobe erAc WolBe a hagsnte balae, an!epotualrad ngitne, longing. Noreton showed hisk rdnd bwidfgt, thin, gI see!"u jeerd lie apto," alitte wpaperutut ie whc caml Norton;i an' flow dny ie." nh last for yes.ndrted, momenthe aircallousyturnedrance tordh droppedotnthewo ate with allm the hadl ofeen condtiern prio toohrtq' ap-rd NoAnd haoud not see twle yearhs asxalmtroo ita nep aper!nfo nohnges arahd the mech t anth icsll wol were we'e a bouteredo "Howst haven't weInt tapic? hoe or hat?"ae' dahere taskesdnohe "For soae.nd that padde aroundl not moew noese." "Giem intothteat, biutesn toch, anyged toe levers, aganesfthem wane.hencnt do buseness. hackan Give her a mihoe fowiefng yo aIto ofte firstk oflibr ing uppsd Ftor ~7~y - ene ac adth mne s ous.W ar irdoffgtig''A ide ersudB at oin TThe. ris, igchinsontawr CASTORIA SFor Infants and Children. 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