The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1911-09-15

she plucked Rollins by the sleeve.
Hurry! Co" she whispered.
She pulled open the door and thrust
Rollins through 1t before he had more
than half comprehended her intention
then she slammed II shut. turned the
key In the lock and slipped the key
into the neck of her gown just as the
guards and Sam threw themselves
upon the door.
Miss White. will give you thirty
seconds In which TO produce that key.
came the cold voice of Kelvin.
She looked back Mt him steadily. but
made no move. Kelvin drew his watch
from his pocket. A tense silence set.
tied In the room. Finally he slipped
his timepiece back into his pocket.
"Will you give II up?" he demanded.
Now his voice was trembling.
She shook her head.
"Sam. take It,"
The blood that had left Elsie's face
suddenly surged up crimson as Sam
approached her. but except to clasp
her hands over her breast she did not
move. nor did she take her eyes from
Kelvin. he himself turned. half
nauseated. but the word Of an emperor
was out. She shuddered as Sam put
his enormous hands upon her. but she
defended the key as best she could
with her puny strength. There was a
brief struggle. then Sam sprang from
Elsie and inserted the key in the lock.
though Rollins by that time was in
his automobile and speeding away to-
ward the Maryland line.
Elsie staggered back a pace against
the wall for support, still with those
large eyes fixed upon Kelvin. Across
| the width of the room he gazed into
them and saw die there every last
| lingering trace, from every corner Of
| her heart, Of the love and affection
that had for many years been a part
Of its fiber. She sank fainting to the
floor. Two or three ran to revive her,
but Lillian was not among them.
In the midst of that confusion Henry
Breed found his voice. You shan't
have it!' he cried. You shan't have
my money. III resist to the last ditch.
You can't get into the vault. I'll hire
million assassins to kill you. IL
was to be emperor! / was to be en-
peror!'' His face was scarlet, and
there were decks of foam upon his
lips.
His granddaughter put her hand
upon his shoulder. Never mind.
grandfather" she said contemporary.
Remember that it's all In the family"
She glided up to the desk before
Phillip. my emperor, l salute you,"
she said, smiling up at him, and from
his desk she picked up the dagger.
"Here it is, your talisman that twice
threatened your life. Do you remem-
Der how once, holding its point up like
this, you declared that In this sign you
would conquer? 1t represented then,
as 1t does now, the tips Of ten thou
sand glittering sword points. Of mil
lion glittering bayonets. believed in
you then, as I do now, and declared
that l. too, would reign. In this sign
we conquerr' and with hysterical
laugh she raised the dagger aloft.
Melvin iOOheu uOWu upOu hCh III sun
den fury. He had not forgiven her
for enticing him to the forgetfulness
of his great principle that to acquire
success he must have no entangle-
merits with women; he had not for
given her his entrapment into 4 mar
rage avowal: he had not forgiven her
the death of that love which he had
seen die out Of Elsie Whites eyes.
"For some time to come" said he
with quiet suppression, II expect to
reign alone"
"Then. your majesty" she said to
him mockingly. II have only to ask
you that you guarantee me safe exit
from the palace"
His face flushed at this first trace Of
ridicule to be heaped upon his preten-
sions to royalty. but his voice was
grave and even enough as he strove to
establish dignity. You have my word
for that" said he.
back from his desk toward the door
that was still open. 81 shall keep this
little souvenir until l have chance to
present 1t to you again." and she
thrust the dagger into her belt. do
you know what am going to do? |
am about to turn revolutionist; I am
about to become the Jeanne dare of
America; am about to join George
Blaggs army and finance it and lead
It." And with shrill laugh she swept
out of the door.
There was q moment Of paralyzed
silence. and then through the corridor
they heard her voice. loud and clear
and wild, singing the "Marseillaise."
She swept out through the entrance
and down between the ranks Of those
bronzed mountaineer soldiers. March
ing with martial tread, she sang the
song Of blood clear through their
ranks. The news of its singing flashed
along wires and across pulsating, cleo
trified spaces. In every city in the
United States that mighty. rousins
song was caught up, and the land VI
brated with one accord to its rhythm
and grew wild with its frenzy. In one
day America had an emperor, and its
national song had become the "Mar-