The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-08-13

unn1istakabfe traces OF living death.
laughed shrin laugh and with a soil
ed cap that had once been a boys
slapped Mrs. Rensselaer, across the
face.
Flushing crimson with the indignity,
Mrs. Rensselaer, turned to Lillian, but
she had neither time to protest nor
need Of 1t, for Lillian, obeying anoth-
er Of the sudden tigerish impulses to
which in the past week she had Who'll
ly given herself. changed her attitude
completely and with blazing eyes
rushed between Mrs. Rensselaer, and
her tormentorS.
"That viii DOR she cried. Mrs.
Rensselaer, was my friend for a great
many years and treated me more pa
tiently than l deserved. She Is my
guest now and must be respected as
such. Mrs. Rensselaer,, sit here" and
she seated her one time social tutor
and sponsor behind the library table
In the chair that Breed had lately va
Gated. whitney! Gaspar! Williams!
Harvey! Perth! Green! Stand around
this table and protect her from any
further insults In my name! As for
you"-and she turned to the young
woman who had slapped Mrs. Rensse-
laer; her eyes narrowed and grew cold
as she confronted the girl-''take her
out and throw her In the lake." she
directed.
Two men, laughing cruelty. seized
hold of her and began dragging her to-
ward the door.
"But can't swimw shrieked the girl.
that's why / am having you thrown
in the lake." said Lillian coolly. ''The
rest Of you will take note by this that
Mrs. Rensselaer, is to be protected"
She started back toward the door of
the smaller room. The girl, struggling
against the two who had her In
charge, suddenly burst into a stream Of
vituperative profanity so vicious that
even Lillian, Injured as she was by the
past weeks experience to language Of
the sort, shuddered.
81 must have your rings and your
brooch, think. Mrs. Rensselaer," said
she. and, swiftly going behind the table.
she disengaged the diamond cluster
from Mrs. Rensselaer's throat and
stripped the rings from the unresisting
fingers. Even as she did this her mood
changed again. and she whispered. cit
is the best thing for you" Taking the
Jewels In her hand, she cried. "a gift
from aristocracy to equality and fra
ternityP' and she tossed them in the
air.
A hundred hands reached for them
as they came down, and a clamor OF
excited voices told how popular that
action had been.
"Come on" she said; I'VE have work
to do" And, followed by Blagg and
his score Of picked men. she hurried
through the little rear room.
They found the closet door open and
its rear wall pushed back, revealing
the narrow secret staircase. Single
file they hurriedly descended this, Lii
liam at the head, and turned into the
wide cemented vestibule where an
electric light was already burning.
Lillian dropped down before the COM
bination knob and turned It carefully
backward and forward several times.
81 feared So" she said to Blagg. who
knelt beside her. 1.-THE combination
has been changed"
Blagg took the knob in his long, SEN
sitive fingers and. not looking at 1t,
bent his ear close to 1t, while Lillian
4 laid her bare arm loosely across his
shoulders. He turned the knob slowly
and gently, he stopped and turned 1t
backward, slowly and gently, and then
smiled as he gave the ring Of the door
a clutch and pulled. The door came
open.
Its a good thing that I practiced
those long, long hours every night on
that sample knob In my room upstairs, -
he said as he went on to the next one.
Slowly. but with remarkable skill,
he worked his way through the four
iron doors until, with Lillian by his
side, he had thrown TIE last one open,
and there In the vault, with a great
pile of gold and bills scattered thickly
about him, with his robe and crown
still on and his scepter in his hand,
stood Henry Breed.
Cash" he cried. Cash! The
greatest force in all the world! The
great social dynamo! The golden lever
Of Arch1medesl Cash! Salute your
master. Cash. loyal subjects, and your
masters master, the king Of Cash.
Grandfather" said Lillian, hurry
ing to him, come with me. We want
to put this money away and lock it