The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1912-10-29
to pay upl When will you Sc,

prepare TO pay up! When Will you SET
herr" !
Tomorrow night there will be &
masquerade at the Milligans." reni1et
Pedro. she is to be there"
Then tell her" Hill began.
But Pedro stopped him, for even
moment was bringing them nearer to
the city, and he had not yet hnished.
81 WILL" said he. But listen now
TO my own part Of the story. You PEG
pie know nothing about me. Well, ]
am-but no, ! shall not say that until
| have to. But this / must tell you.
BY some strange circumstance, the
character OF which / have not yet
solved, my mother Is In New York In
company with Rowe, whose real name
is Ricardo Valdez, an ex-minister Of
the Venezuela government He. Is as
much a villain as my dear mother, my
lovely girl-mother, is an angel! Until
a few days age | imagined her safe In
her own home, and now discover her
here, and with that man! Some rea.
son that seems good to her must have
brought her, but what It is, | cannot
even guess. But this | know-what-
ever Of evil Valdez Is engaged in, she
IL t1aecent, and to you must conide
has interests, and beg that you allow
no haym to touch her"
-Dst why don't you look after her
ydvgsssff" gasped Hin in amazement
II cannot!" cried Pedro, his ayes
fun OF distress. "You see, / ran away
oh. long. long ago. because she
would have forced me to-oh! l can.
not explainl But II she once saw me
she might betray me TO that Valdez
gang-for my own good, al she thinks
and then ! would have to go on to a
far country, and take up a Job loathe
that would kill me, that would stop
my being a painter! And ever for my
mother. / could not submit to that!"
But how the devil can she make
you go against your will?" demanded
Sam. And why did you leave her In
the first place? It's all very mysteri-
ous!"
YES, ! know II sounds strange" re-
piled Pedro. "but | can only explain a
little. You might take her side. In
deed, almost every one does. except
Old Nita. They seem to think that to
be rich and powerful . oh. they
do not understand. They have given
me too much freedom for their pur-
pose, and now they cannot tie me
down. . AS for having left her,
1t wal really she who left me. i had
a little escapade-very harmless mis-
chief II really was-but afterward Val
dee told me that my mother would not
receive me any longer. | gave him a
letter to her in which | begged her to
relent. but she never answered II, nor
my others. Were II not for my love
of her, II would be a relief to have
severed my connection with my past,
because OF the different life | would
lead should / go back, and now that |
have begun to paint, to lead my own
life. But, please, beg Of you,
as ! have served you. promise to pro-
tect her, and ask me no more. Some
day | may be able to tell you every
thing, but not now"
Very WELL" assented Hill reluctant
ly. But | may call upon you to get
her out of a difficulty II 1t should prove
absolutely necessary to do so?"
Yes" returned Pedro. But remem-
Der that for me to take any active
part in the matter would have terribly
serious results for me. Now tell me
about Mr.. Vanderpool."
81 don't know much to tell" replied
Hill. "He recognized me, allowed him
self to be persuaded that should be
locked up till this damned boat had
reached It's port, whatever 1t was, and
gOye orders that | was not TO be hurt
Then he went off before ] could get q
word In edgewise, and ! haven't seen
him since"
The ferryboat had reached its slip,
and they aroused their sleeping com.
panions.
VIII you go 10 the feuro
asked when they had landed.
Hill considered for a moment.
NO." he said, 81 shall go back to
Jones street with Beau-Jean and the
bear. I'm going to get at the bottom
Of this business before tomorrow-that
is, today-is over. have not yet de-
cided on a plan Of action. but In all
probability, | shall be better able to
work from the stratum of the tene-
ments than as myself. In the mean
time, thanks. and good night, and God
bless you for this!" He tapped the
breast pocket wherein lay the promis.
sorry note signed by Iris.
CTo BE CONTINUED