The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1911-09-29

unmistakable traces of living death,
laughed a shrill laugh and with 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 il, for Lillian. obeying anoth-
err of the sudden tigerish impulses to
which in the past week she had who'll
" given herself. changed her attitude
completely and with blazing eyes
rushed between Mrs. Rensselaer, and
her tormentors.
"That will do" she cried. Mrs.
Rensselaer, was my friend for great
many years and treated me more pa
tiently than / 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 ,he 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. 1.-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 IA stream of
vituperative profanity so vicious that
even Lillian. Injured as she was by the
past weeks experience to language of
the sort. shuddered.
IT must have your rings and your
brooch, l 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. 1T
is the best thing for you" Taking the
jewels in her hand. she cried, "A gift
from aristocracy to equality and fra
ternityv' 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; 1--WE 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
Ian 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.
II 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 it,
bent his ear close to 1t, while Lillian
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
q clutch and pulled. The door came
open.
Its a good thing that 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 the 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 Archimedes! Cash! Salute your
master, Cash. lOyat subjects. and your
masters master. the king Of Cashp'
Grandfather" said Lillian. hurry
ing to him, come with me. We want
to put this money away and lock 1t
up so no one can get 1t. See, you
have left all the doors open.''
The babble of voices from the upper
part of the house caused him to
straighten up, and his dim old eyes
grew wide.
flush! They are coming!' he said.
'They shan't have itv' he suddenly
screamed. 1T is mine. Mine! Every
dollar of it!''
He rushed toward the door to close
II, but he stumbled and fell upon the
floor and lay quite still.
AS soon as Henry Breed was carried
out there was room for the full score
of men In the big vault. and Blagg call
ed them all In by name. each one as