The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1914-12-18
Copyright, 1914. By Harold MacGrath)

4
pers a word to anyone; that her ia
theirs life hangs upon the secrecy
she must confide in no one. least o
| all Jones, the butler. 1t all depends
upon how the letter gets to her. Bret
in the country, she probably sleeps
with her window open. A pebble at
| tached to a note, tossed into the win
dow. I'll trust this to no one; III
do it myself With the girl in oul
control the rest will be easy. If she
really does not know where the money
is Hargreave will tell us. Great head
little woman, great head. She does
not know her fathers handwriting
"She has never seen scrap of it
All that Miss Farlow ever received
was money. The original note left on
the doorstep with Florence has been
lost Trust me to make all these in
quiries."
Tomorrow night, then, immedi-
ately after dinner, taxicab will
await her just around the corner.
Grange is the best man l can think
of. He's an artist when it comes to
playing the Oldham parts"
Not too old, remember. Har-
greave isn't over forty-fve."
Another good point I'm going to
stretch out here on the divan and
snooze for a while. Had devil of a
time last night"
when shall l wake your"
"At six. Well have an early dinner
sent in. want to keep out of every
body's way. By-by!"
In less than three minutes he was
sound asleep. The woman gazed down
at him in wonder and envy. If only
she could drop to sleep like that. Very
softly she pressed her lips to his hair
At eleven o'clock the following
night the hall light in the Hargreave
house was turned off and the whole
interior became dark. A shadow
crept through the lilac bushes with
out any more sound that a cat would
have made. Florence's window was
open, as the arch-conspirator had ex-
pected it would be. With a small
string and stone as sling he sent
the letter whirling skillfully through
the air. 1t sailed into the girls room.
The man below heard no sound of the
stone hitting anything and concluded
that it had struck the bed.
He waited patiently. Presently a
wavering light could be distinguished
over the sill of the window The girl
was awake and had lit the candle
This knowledge was sufficient for his
need. The tragic letter would do the
rest, that is, If the girl came from
the same pattern as her father and
willed. and adveDtu-
rous.
He tiptoed back to the lilacs, when
4 noise sent him close to the ground
Half a dozen feet away he saw
shadow creeping along toward the
'front.' door. Presently the shadow |
stood up as if listening. He stopped
gain and ran lightly to the steps, up
.hese to the door, which he Rugged I
Who was this? wondered Braine
Patiently he waited, arranging his pos
ure so that he could keep a lookout /
1t the door. By and by the door
opened cautiously. A man holding
candle appeared. Braine vaguely
Olga's description of the
,utler The man on the veranda sud
Ienly blew out the light.
Braine could hear the low murmur
# voices, but nothing more. The con-
ersation lasted scarcely a minute.
The door closed and the man ran
own the steps, across the lawn, with
'raine close at his heels.
"Just a moment, Mr. Hargreave,"
e called ironically; lust moment"
The man he addressed as Hargreave
urned with lightning rapidity and
truck. The blow caught Braine
bove the ear, knocking him fiat.
lhen he regained his feet the rumble
motor told him the rest of the
tory.
By the dim light of her bedroom
andle Florence read the note which
ad found entrance so strangely and
into her room. Her IA
Ter! He lived, he needed her! Alive
1T in dread peril, and only she could I
I'VE him! She longed to fly to him {
once, then and there. How could
lie wait till tomorrow night at eight? [
Immediately she began to plan how to
rcumvent the watchful Jones and f
e careful Susan. Her father! She c
ept no more that night.
my Darling Daughter: l must see il
u. Come at eight o'clock tomorrow
ght to rs Grove street, third floor
,nfide in no one, or you seal my ]
ath warrant.
your unhappy FATHER" 2
What child would refuse to obey t
mmons like this? n
A light tap on the door started her.
is anything the matter?" asked "
g mild voice of Jones. v
NO. l got up to get drink of a
ter"
She heard his footsteps die away a
wn the corridor. She thrust the a
ter into the pocket of her dress,
I'll, 1o,v pooflu foIdoI ~, Tho nh