Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-08-13
BY HAROLD
M a C G r A T II
Copyright, 1914, by
Harold MacGrath).

| w ell, Supposlng were ehsdsed
TO him?" haughtily.
THAT would be very grave af-
fair What have you to prove that
he may not wish to marry you for
your money!.
why, Jones, you know that
haven't a penny in the world I can
call my owni There is nothing to
prove. except your word, that l am
Stanley Hargreaye's daughter"
mo, there is nothing to prove that
you are his daughter. But hasn't it
ever occurred to you that there might
be a purpose back of this? Night
/ 1t not be of inestimable value that
your fathers enemies should be left
in doubt? Might it not be a means
of holding them on the leash? There
! is proof. ample proof, my CHI Id; and
/ when the time comes these will be
! shown you. But meantime put all
| thought of marrying Mr.. Norton out
of your head"
"That l refuse TO do" quietly 81
| am at least mistress of my heart:
and no one shall dictate to me when
shall or shall not marry I love
! Mr. Norton and he loves me. knowing
I that l may not be an heiress after
all And some day l shall marry
I him.
Jones bowed. This seemed to ap-
pear final to him, and nothing more
was to be said.
Norton did not return to his rooms
till Z. He found the telephone call
and also a note in a handwriting I'M
familiar He tore off the envelope
and found the contents to be from
he
Call at tonight" he read. Il
have an important news story for
you. Tell no one, as l cannot be
involved in the case. Cordially,
Olga, Countess Perigoff.''
Humph! Norton twiddled the note
In his fingers and at length rolled
1t into a ball and threw it into the
wastebasket. He, too, made a mis-
take: he should have kept that note.
He dressed, dined, and hurried off to
the apartments of the countess.
He arrived ten minutes before
Florence and Susan
And Jones did some rapid tele
phoning.
How long, how long!" the butler
murmured. How long would this
strange combat last? The strain was
terrific. He slept but little during
the nights, for his ears were always
waiting for sounds. He had cast
the chest into the sea, and it would
take a dozen expert divers to locate
1t. And now, atop of all these wor-
ries, the child must fall in love with
the first conner! 1t was heartbreak-
ing. Norton, SO far as he had learn
ed, was cool and brave, honest and
reliable in a pinch; but as the hus-
band of Stanley Hargreave's daugh-
haA al
matter. And he must devise some
means of putting stop to it, but
But he was saved that trouble.
Mongoose and cobra, that was the
game being played; the cunning of
the one against the deadly venom of
the other If he forced matters he
would only lay himself open to the
strike of the snake He must have
patience. Gradually they were break
ing the organization, looping off a
branch here and there, but the peace
of the future depended upon getting
a grip on the spine of the cobra him
self.
The trick was simple. The countess
had news; trust her for that. She
exhibited a cablegram dated at Glib
raltar, in which the British authori-
ties stated definitely that no such per-
son as William Orts, aviator, had ar
rived at Gibraltar. And then, as he
rose, she rose also and gently pre-
cipitated herself into his arms, just
at the moment Florence appeared in
the doorway.
Very simple, indeed. When
woman falls toward a man there is
nothing for him to do but extend his
arms to prevent her from falling.
Outwardly. however, to the eye which
saw only the picture and comprehend
ed not the cause, it had all the hall
marks of an affectionate embrace.
Florence stood perfectly still for
moment then turned away.
1T beg your pardonv' said the
countess but a sudden fainting spell
seized me. Ny heart is a bit weak"
Don't mention it, replied the gal
liant Norton. He was as innocent as
babe as to what had really taken
place.
Florence went back home. She
wrote a brief note to Norton and in
closed the ring which she had secretly
worn attached to a little chain around
her neck.
When Norton came next day she re-
fused to see him. It was all over.
She never wished to see him again.
He says there has been some cruel
mistake" said Jones.
IT saw him with the countess in his
arms / do not see any cruel mis-
! take in that I saw him. Tell him so.
And add that I never wish to see him
again."
Then she ran swiftly to her room,
where she broke down and cried Bit
terly and would not be comforted by
| Susan.
"In heavens name" demanded the
| frantic lover. what has happened p"
| The comedy of the whole affair lay
| in the fact that neither of the two
suspected the countess, who con-
soled them both.
CONTINUED in Saturday Evening