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?v* A-*jgSRf^ * v Sp ;Hi; 'S3 s(?^SK%^'^,,-> v* * PAGE SIX I I Million D( By HAROLD ! ?' ? ?; Illustrated from Scenes in F Same I\atne by the Than \ f P~-| .. i ? - mimih (Copyright, lyil, by (This intensely interesting serial begun in our issue of last week. You can see the following chapter, second instalment, to? tight in lilms at the Casino Theatre here.) CHAPTER II. The Master's Man. Vroon faced liargreave's butler somberly. The one reason why Braine made this man his lieutenant was hecause Vroon always followed the letter of his instruction? to the final period; he never sidestepped or added anv frills or innovations of tils own. -- -- -- ? ~ aiul because of this very automatism j he rarely blundered into a trap. If : he failed it was tor the simple fact j that the master mind had overlooked some ^essential detail. The organiza- ! tion of the Black Hundred was almost totally unknown to either the public or the police. It is only when you fail that you are found out. "The patrolman has been trussed up like you," began Vroon. "If they find him they will probably find you. But before that you will grow thirsty and hungry. Where did your master put that money?" "He carried it with him." "Why didn't you call for help?" "The houses on either side are too j 1 far away. I might yell till doomsday ' without being heard. They will have ! t heard the pistol shots; but Mr. Har- t greaves v;as always practicing in the backyard." "The people in those two houses j j have been called out of town. The t servants art? tiff fnr <h? niirht ?? I g "Very interesting," replied Jones, ;g staring at the rug. g ; "Your master is dead." f >- Jones' chin sank upon his breast. 0 Ills heart was heavy, heavier than it had ever been before. j "Your master left a will?" g "Indeed, I could not say." ? "Wo can say. He has still three or { four millions in stocks and bonds. "What he took to the bottom of the sea t with him was his available cash." '*! know nothing about his finances. T was his butler and valet." I { Vroon nodded. "Come, men; it is time we took ourselves off. Put things in order; close the safe. You poor jackals, I always have to watch you , for outbreaks of vandalism. Off with ( you!" 1 i lie was the last to leave. He stared long and searchingly at Jones, who felt the burning gaze but refused to meet it lest the plotter see the tire in his. The door closed. For fully an hour Jones listened but did not stir. They were really gone. He pressed his feet to the tloor and began to hitch the chair toward the table. Half way 'across the intervening space he crumpled in the chair, almost completely exhausted, lie let a quarter of an hour pass, then made the final attack j upon the remaining distance. Tie mie $ ceeded in reaching the desk, but ho could not have stirred an inch farther. The hair on his head was damp with sweat and his hands were clammy. When he felt strength returning he lifted the telephone off the hook with his teeth. "Central, central! Call the police , to come to this number at once; llargreave's house, Itiverdale. Tell them , to break in." After what seemed an age of waiting to the exhausted prisoner, with crashing and smashing of doors, the police appeared in the room. "Where's your gag?" demanded the first ofllcer to reach Jones' side. "There wasn't any." "Then why didn't you yell for help?" "The thieves lured our neighbors away from town. The patrolman who walks this beat is bound and gagged and i? probably reposing back of the billboard in the next block." "Murphy, you watch this man while I make a call on the neighbors," said the officer who seemed to be in authority. When he returned he was frowning seriously. "We'd better telephone to the precinct to search for Dennison. There's nobody at home in either house and there's nobody back of the billboards. Untie the man." When this was done, the officer said: "Now, tell us what's happened; and don't forget any of the details." Jones told a simple and convincing story; it was so simple and convincing that the police believed it without question. "Well, If that ain't the limit! . Did you hear any autos outside?" *'l don't recollect," said Jones, stretching his legs gratefully. "Why?" "The auto bandits held up a bank messenger today and got away with twenty thousand. Whenever a man draws down a big sum they seem to 3tnow about it. And'eay, Murphy, call op and have the river police look out for a new-fangled airship. Your mas Mystery MAC GRATH 3B the I'lioto Drama of the houser Film Company V VJl'Y^r /mrm.^UMRBMHMUaWUHHK HMUL'Jl Liarolil MacGratU) -ifted the Telephone Off the Hook With His Teeth. er may have been rescued," turning o Jones. "If I were only sure of that, sir!" When the police took themselves off ones proceeded to act upon those dans laid down by Hargreave early hat night. When this was done he ought his bed and fell asleep, the deep of the exhausted. When Har;reave picked up Jonee to share his ortunes, he had put his trust in no irdinary man. A dozen reporters trooped out to the Jargreave home, only to find it deserted. And while they were ringing )clls and tapping windows, the man hey sought was tramping up and lown the platform of the railway station. Throws-- ail Ihia time Norton, the reporter, Hargieave's only friend, slept the sleep of the just and unjust. He rarely opened his eyes before noon. Group after group of passengers Tones eyed eagerly. Often, just as he was in the act of approaching a coupis if young women, some man would hurry up, and there would be kisses ! handshakes. At length the crowd thinned, and then it was that he dis* ^ovred a young girl perhaps eighteen, Accompanied by a young woman in the Daily thirties. They hud the appearance of eagerly awaiting some one. Jones stepped forward with a good leal of diffidence. "You are waiting for some one?" "Yes," said the elder woman, coldly. "A broken bracelet?" The distrust on both faces Vanished instantly. The young girl's face brightened, her eyes sparkled with suppressed excitement. "You are . . . father?" "No, miss," very gravely. "1 am the butler." "Let me see your part of the bracelet," said the young girl's guardian, a teacher who had been assigned to this delicato task by Miss Farlow, who could not bring herself to say good-by to Florence anywhere except at the school gates. The halves were produced and ex nmlned. "I believo we inay trust him, Florence." "Let us hurry to the taxicab. We must not stand here." "My mother?" bhc Is dead. I believe she men shortly after your birth. I have been with your father but fourteen years. I know but little of his life prior to that." "Why did ho leave me all these years without ever coming to see me? Why?" "It is not for mo, Miss Florence, to inquire into your father's act. But T do know that whatever he did was meant for the best. Your welfare was (verything to him." "It is till very strange," said the girl, bewildorodly. "Why didn't he come to meet mo instead of you?" Jones stared at his hands, miserably. "Why?" she demanded. "I have thought of him, thought of him. He has hurt me with all this neglect. 1 expected to see him at the station, to throw my arms around his neck and . . . forgive him!" Tears swam in her eyes as she spoke. 'Everything will bo explained to you when we reach the house. Hut always remember this, Miss Florence: You were everything in this wide vcM to your father. You will never Itow tl;o misery and loneliness he : :: Y< rod that you might not have one 1" ur of unrest. What are your plans?" 0 N V ^ lORRY HERALD, ?I- . Km ? | ^ I |7/cT ;: / / IV on the III / * "Yes." "Then you will stay and bo Miss Florence's companion?" "Gir.dly." "What is my father's name?" nil - ? ' iitirgrcuve, siamey tiargreave." The girl's eyes widened In terror. Suddenly she burst into a wild frenzy c? sobbing, her head against tho shoulder of her erstwhile teacher. Jones appeared visibly shocked. ".What is it?" "We read the story in the newspaper," said the elder woman, her own eyes filling with tears. "Tho poor j child! To have all her castles-in-air j tumble down like this! But what au- j thority have you to engage me?" sensibly. Jones produced a document, duly I signed by Hargreave, and witnessed ; and sealed by a notary, in which it | was set forth, that Henry Jones, butler and valet to Stanley Hargreavo, had full powers of attorney in the event of his (Hargreave's) disappearance; in tho event of his death, till Florence became of legal age. Said Jones as he put the document j back in his pocket: "What is your name?" "Susan Wane." "Tin vnu lnvo fVito ftViH/l Ia^vr j vu IV T U VIA AO VI111U "With xill my heart, the poor unhappy babe!" j "Thank you!" Inside the home he conducted them j through the various rooms, at the ; same time telling them what had ta- ! ken place during the preceding night. "They have not found his body?" asked Florence. "My poor, poor father! " "No." "Then he may be alive!" "IMease Cod that he may!" said the butler, with genuine piety, for he had loved the man who had gone forth into the night so bravely and so strangely. "This is your room. Your father spent many happy hours here prepar- ; ing it for you." Tears came Into the girl's eyes again, and discreetly Jones left the two alone. "What shall 1 do, Susan? Whatever shall I do?" "He brave a8 you always are. I' will never leave you till you find your father." Florence kissed her fervently. "What Is your opinion of the butler?" 1 "I think we rpay both trust him ub-! solutely." Then Florence began exploring the house. Susan followed her closely. Florence peered behind the mirrors, : the pictures, in the drawers of the desk, in the bookcases. "What are you hunting for, child?" "A photograph of father." But she found none. More, there were no photographs of any kind to be found in j Stanley Hargreave's home. When Norton awoke, he naturally went to the door for the morning pa- j pers which were always placed in a neat pile before the sill. He yawned, gathered hp the bundle, was about to climb back into bed, w hen a head- j line eahght his dull eyes. Twenty-one j minutes later, to oe precise, he ran up the steps of the Hargreave home rang the bell. He was admitted i jy the taciturn Jone3, to whom the reporter had never paid any particular attention. Somehow Jones always managed to stand in shadows. "1 can add nothing to what has alI ready appeared in the newspapers," ; replied Jones, as Norton opened his batteries of inquiries. "Mr. Jones, I have known your master several years, as you will recollect. There never was a woman in this house, not even among the servants. i ncro are two in the other room. Who are they? And what aro they doing here?" Jones shook his head. "Well, I can easily find out." Jones barred his path, and for the first time Norton gazed into the eyes of the man servant. They were as hard as gun metal. "My dear Mr. Jones, you ought to know that sooner or later we reporters find out what we seek." Jones appeared to reflect. "Mr. Norton, you claim to be a friend of Mr. I Iargreavo?" "1 clo not claim. I am. More than that I do not believe he is dead, lie was deejp. He had some relentless enemies?I don't know where from or "Ht n> .1 n^! (J1 anoe (Her I hi->." ( ** > ^.D, CONWAY, S. C. what kind?and he is pretending; he's dead till this blows over and is forgotten." "You are not going to say that i;< your newspaper?" Jones was visibly agitated. "Not if I can prove it." "If I tell you who those youug Indies are, will you give me your wor ? of honor not to write about them til I give my Dermission?" Norton, having in mind the blustery at the end.of this mystery tan gle, agreed. "The elder is a teacher from a pri vate school; the other is Stanley Har greave's daughter." "Good Lord!" gasped the astonished reporter. "lie never mentioned tin fact to me," and we've been together in some tight places." "lie never mentioned it to any oik but me." Jones again seemed to ro fleet. At last he raised his glance tc. the reporter. "Are you willing to wait for a great story, the real story?" "If there is one," answered Nortoi with his usual caution. "On my word of honor, you shall have such a story as you never dreamt of, if you will promise not to divulge it till the appointed time." "I agree." "The peace and happiness of that child depends upon how you keep your word." That was sufficient for Norton. "Your master knew me. Ho knew alro that I am not a man who promise* lightly. Now Introduce me to thedaughter." With plain reluctance Jones went about the affair. Norton put a dozen perfunctory questions to the girl. What he was in search of was not news bu' the sound of her voice. In that quarter of an hour ho felt his heart dirturbod as he had never before been dls' i:: bed. "Now, Mr. Norton," said Jones gloomily, "will you bo so kind as to follow me?" Norton was led to .Tones' bedroom. The butler-valet closed the door and drew the window shade. Always seek ing shadows. This did not impress 1 reporter at the time; he had no otln : thought but the Btory. Jones then sat down beside the reporter and talked in an undertone. When he had done ho took Norton by the elbow and gently but forcibly led him down to the front door and ushered him forth. Norton jumped into his taxicab and returned to his rooms, which were at the top of the huge apa: tment hotel. He immedately called up his managing editor. "Hello! This is Norton. Put Griffin on theNHargreave yarn. I'm .off on another deal." "But Hargreave was a friend of yours," protested the managing editor. "I know it. But you know me well enough, Mr. Blair. I should not ask the transfer if It was not vltaliy important. "O, very well." "We sha'n't be scooped/' "If you can promise that, I don't care who works on the job. Will yen bo in the office tonight?" "If nothing prevents me." "Well, good-by." Norton filled his pipe, drew his chair to the window, and stared at the great liner going down to sea. "Lord, Lord!" he murmured. Then he smiled and chuckled. Some bright morning he would have all New York by the ears, the police running round ill circles, and v.hn ohinfs nf thp rivnl sheets tearing their hair. What a story! Four columns on the first page, and two whole pages Sunday. . . And all of a sudden he ceased to smile and chuckle. In the living room of the Princess Olga Perigoff's apartment the mistress lay reading on the divan. There was no cigarette between her well shaped lips, for she was not the accepted type of adventuress. 1 In fact, she was not an adventuress; she was really the Princess Perigoff. Iler maiden name had been Olga Pushkin; but more of that later. When Bralne came In he found her dreaming with half closed eyes. lie flourished an evening newspaper. *'"01ga, even the best of us mako mistakes. Here, just glance over this." The Russian accepted the newspaper and read the heading Indicated: "Aeronaut picked up far out at sea. Slips ashoro from tramp steamer. Had live thousand in cash in his pockets." j "Hargreave escaped!" | "Not necessarily," she replied. "If it was Hargreave he would have had more than five thousand in hs pockets. My friend, I believe it an attempt to fool you; or it is another man entirely." She clicked hor teeth with the tops of her polished nails. "There are two young women in the house. What the deuco can that mean?" "Two young women? O! then everything's as simple as daylight. Katlina Pushkin, my cousin, had a child." "Child? Hargreave had a child? What do you mean by keeping this fact from me?" he stormed. "It was useless till this moment. lie probably sent for her yesterday; but in his effort to escape had to turn hor over to his butler. We shall soon barn whether Hargreave Is dead or alive. We can use the child to brlrv? him back." The anger went out of his eyes. "You're a wonder, Olga." "Put you should have gone with Vroon last night. Tie does everything hist ns you tell him. When they retorted that Hargreave had visited Ort's hpcyir you ought to have pre j vied agi.insC ? u h n coup as flight through the air." "I admit it. But a daughter! Well.*. 1 can bring him back/* with a sinister laugh. "By the Lprd Harry. I have him in my hands this time, that is. if this girl turns out to be his daughter. A million? Two, three, all he has in the world. I want you to pay a visit right away. Watch the butler. Jones. He'll lie, of course; but note how ho treats tho girl; and if you get the J chance look around the walls for a j secret panel. He might not have car-' al- t * ?icu ttwuy me casn at an, only enough , for his immediate needs, which would account for that five thousand on the man picked up at sea. If I could only pet inside that house for an hour!" "I believe I'll call at once. Leo, was Hargreave the man's real name?" Braine laughed. "That is of no vital . consequence. ITe will be Hargreave till the end of the chapter, dead or alive. You can tell me tho news at i dinner tonight." So, later, when tho butler accepted j her card at the door, loath as ho I might* he, there was nothing for him to do but admit her. "Whom do you wish to see, madam?" stepping back into the shadow. "Miss Hargreave. I'm an old friend of her mother's." "There is no such person here." <4rp^ - A* * - * * iu wuuiii, men, aocs uns nat ue-| long?" she asked quietly. She waved j her hand indolently toward the hall rack. Jones' lips tightened. "That belongs to Miss Gray, a kind of protege of Mr. Ilargrcavo's." "Indeed! You have no objections to my seeing her? My maiden name was Olga Pushkin, cousin to Katrina, wife of Stanley Hargreave. I am, if you will weigh the matter carefully, a kind of aunt." To Jones it was as If ice had suddenly come into contact with his heart's blood. Put as he still stood in the shadow, she did not observe the pallor of his face. "If you will state exactly why you ' wish to see her, madam." "You seem to possess authority?" j "Yes, madam, absolute authority." Jones produced his document and presented it to her. "There is no flaw in that," she agreed readily. "I wish to see the 1 child. I have told you why." "Very well, madam." Why had 1 they not telegraphed the child, even on the train, to return to Farlow's. Ho J knew nothing of this woman, whether j Blie was an enemy or a friend. Ho ! conducted his unwelcome guest into ' the library. j 1 "How did you know that she was here?" suddenly.^* I 1 Rut she was ready. "I did not. Rut the death of Mr. Hargreave brought ' me. And that youthful hat in the hall was a story all its 6wn. Later I shall show you some papers of my own. ; You will have no cause to doubt them. They have not the legal power of? yours, but they would find standing in any court." Jones turned and went in search of 1 Florence. The princess lost no time in beginning her investigations, but she wast- 1 ed her time. There was no secret 1 panel in evidence. "Who is she?" asked Florence as she looked at the card. "Did my fa- 1 Vther know princesses?" \"Yes,'' said Jones briefly. "Be very i careful what you say to her. Admit nothing. She claims to be a cousin of your hjother. Perhaps." 1 "My mpther?" Without waiting fori any further advice from Jones, wh^m j I? lorence in. her young years thought presuming upon his authority, she ran downstairs to the library. Her mother, to learn some fact about the mother of whom she knew nothing! "You knew my mother?" she cried without ceremony. ^ He heard the princess say: "I did, my child; and heaven Is witness that you are the exact picture of her at your age. And I knew your father." Jones straightened, his hands shut tightly. "Tell me about my father!" The princess smiled. It was Katrlna Pushkin come to life, the same impulsiveness. "I knew him but slightly. I was a mere child myself when he used to pinch my cheeks. I met him again the other night, but he did not recognize me; and I could not find It In my heart to awaken his memory in a public restaurant." Presently Jones cams in to announce that two detectives requested to see Florence. Tho two men entered, informing her that they had been instructed to investigate the disappearance of Stanley Ilargreave. "Who are you, miss?" "I am his daughter." ' "Ah!" One of the detectives questioned Florence minutely while the other wandered about the rooms, feeling the walls, using the magnifying glass, turning back the rugs. Even tbe girl's pretty room did not escape his scrutiny. Ry and by ho returned to the library and beckoned to his companion. The two conferred for a moment. One chanced to look into the mirror. lie saw the bright eyes of the princess gazing Intelligently into his. "I'm afraid we'll have to ask you to accompany us to the station, mlss.'V' "Why ?" / "Some technicalities. Wo must h&ve some proof of your right to be in this house. So far as wo have loaraed, Ilargreave was unmarried. It will ! take but a few minutes." I "And I will accompany you," paid 1 the princess. "We'll bo back v ilhin half an hour. I'll tell them whkt I know." \ j ( tL \ fl Jones, fn (he hall, caspht sight of the reporter coming t# the steps. ] I Here was some one he cotfhj depend upon. "Why, #r. Nortof!" The reporter eyed the princess In II amazement. ,* "You look surprised. Naturally. I am a cousin of Miss Florence's mother. You might say that I am her aunt. It's a small world, isn't it?" &it if wishing could poison, the reporter would have died that moment. "Who are you and what are you doing here?" one of the detectives doma tided. "I am going to ask that very ques* M I tion of you," said Norton urbanely. I "We are from headquarters," replied I one, showing his badge. "What headquarters? What are I I they asking you to do?" he eaid to Florence. "They say I must go to tho poIWe station witli them." "Not the least in tho world," laughed ' the reporter. "You two clear out of here as fast as your rascally legs can "Tell Me About My Father." ? sarry you. I don't know what your ^^B ?arae is, but I do know every repu- ^^B table detective in New York, and you* Jon't belong." V ^Hj "Good heavens!" exclaimed the princess; "do you mean to say that these men are not real detectives?" ^B "This girl goes to the police station, ^Bj young man. So much the worse for you if you meddle. Take voursolf ctfrp "All in good time." BB "Here, Jenner, you take charge of ^|B the girl. I'll handle this guy. He f I shall go to the station, too."" What followed would always be viv-^ ' ^B Idly remembered by Florence, fresh |H from the peace and happiness of herl fl school life. Norton knocked his oppo-; uent down. He rose and for a moment1 the room seemed full of legs and arms: ) B and panting men. A foot tripped uiV Norton and he went down under the oogus detective. He never suspected] H that the tripping foot was not acci-l B dental. He was too busy. . fl Tlie other man dragged Florence! toward the hall, but there the peaceful' *3 butler entered into the field of action H with a very unattractive automatlo. jB Tho detective threw up his hands. . ^B The struggle went on in the library.? |B A trick of jiu-jitsu brought about the t B downfall of Norton's man, and Norton ran out into the hall to aid Jones. He searched the detective's pockets an&Jj^^^B secured the revolver. The result all this was that the two bogus '(0^0 fljj^B tectives soon found themselveJ^ jn charge of two policemen, andJf they ^ V were marched off to the statioB. * a-xr - ? v i our auvent was most providential*' V Mr. Norton," said Jones in hijs usual colorless tones. "I rather believe so. Why don't you pack up and clear out for a while?" "I am stronger In this house thai* elsewhere," answered the butler enig- -S matically. ll "Well, you know best," said the re- 41 porter. . jJ The princess was breathing rapidly.* fl No. on second thought she had no 1 9 wish to throw her arms about the ro- fl porter's neck and kiss him. V TO BE CONTINUED NEXT WEEK I Are You Just at Odds With Yourself? ' uo You Kcgulate Living? fl Are you sometimes at odds with I yourself? Do you wonder what alia ' you? True you may be eating regu-4* ^ larly and sleeping well. Yet some thing is the matter! Constipation, Headache, Nervousness and Billioua tl Spells indicate a Sluggish Liver. Tha 1 tried remedy is Dr. King's New Life || Pills. Only 25c at your druggist. >1 Bueklen's Arnica Salve for Sldn J Eruptions.?adv. J /"" NOTICE. % I \Vc have rented from Patrick A. J Gcrrald all his lakes and fishing streams, and hereby warn all persons from trespassing Ipr entering thereon, or entering on trespassing on the lands of H. IC. Cpoke and Addelic Cooke, situate inS Galivnnts Ferry township, Horry County* S. C. $ 9 Galivants Ferry, S.?C.' H. K. Cooke, 1 March 5th, Adcllc Cooke, J ? WW' 11 r J