The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1914-12-24

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bowed and approached She slipped
the letter into his hand and whis-
pered: "Show that at the cave to-
morrow. 1t is in invisible ink and
meant for Hargreave."
4 He's alive?"
Positively"
Very WELL" The waiter bowed and
strolled away nonchalantly.
! Braine was in Boston over night,
otherwise the countess would have
taken the mysterious note at once to
him. She remained for perhaps a
quarter of an hour longer and then left
the garden. She would have taken the
letter to her own apartment but for
| the fact that the chemicals needed
were hidden in the cave.
Now 1t happened that Florence went
out for her early ride the next morn
ing and crossing a field she saw a
man with a bundle under his arm.
The sun struck his profile and limned
1t plainly, and Florence uttered a low
cry. The man had not observed her.
So, very quietly, she slipped from the
horse, tethered it to tree, and started
after the man to learn what he was
doing SO far from the city. She would
never forget that face. She had seen
it that dreadful night when the note
had lured her into the hands of her
enemies. The face belonged to the
man who had impersonated her father
It occurred to her that she might
just as well do little detective work
on her own hook. She had passed
through so many terrifying episodes
that she was beginning to crave for
the excitement, strange as this may
seem Like a gambler who has once
played for high stakes she no longer
found pleasure in thimbles and needles
and pins. She followed the man with
no little skill and at length saw him
approach a knoll, stoop, apparently
press a spring, and a hole suddenly
yawned. The man vanished quickly, !
and the spot took on again its vir- !
ginal appearance. A cave. Florence
had the patience to wait BY and by I
the man appeared again and skunk
away.
When she was sure that he was be- !
yond range. she came out from the
place of concealment crept up the
knoll, and searched about for the magic
handle of this strange door. Diligence
reWarde her, and she soon found
herself IN large, musty, earth-smell-
ing cave Loot was scattered about,
and there were boxes and chairs and
large chest. Men evidently met
here, possibly after some desperate
adventure against society. She found
nothing to reward her hardihood, and
as she was in the act of moving to-
ward the caves door she beheld with
terror that it was moving!
She was near the chest at that mo-
ment The cave was not deep one.
There was no tunnel, only a wall.
Resolutely she raised the lid of the
lid down. She was just in time. The
door opened and three men entered,
talking volubly. They felt perfectly
secure in talking as loudly as they
pleased. To Florence it seemed al
most impossible that they did not
hear the thunder Of her heart? Strain
her ears as she might, she could gath
er but little of what they said, except:
IF Hargreave had this paper we
might all be put on the defensive To !
an outsider it is blank paper But
the boss will be able to read it. . :"
The speaker moved away from the
of the chest and she heard
no more.
Very deftly Florence raised the lid
Just enough to peep out. The man
who had been talking was putting the
note in his hip pocket AS he turned
toward the chest he sat down on the
soapbox Immediately in front of the
chest. An inspiration came to the girl,
an exceedingly daring one She took
her liberty in her hands as she ex-
ecuted the deed. But the dimness Of
the cave aided her. When she crouch
ed down again the magic paper was
hers.
1t seemed hours to her before the
men left the cave. AS she heard the
hidden door jar in closing she raised
the lid and stepped out, breathing
deeply The paper she had purloined
was indeed blank, but Jones or Jim
would know what to do with 1t. And
wouldn't they be surprised when she
told them what she had accomplished
all alone? Her exultation was of short
duration She heard the whine of the
door on its hinges. The men we're re-
turning Why?
They were returning because they
had discovered a woman's shoeprint
outside. 1t pointed toward the cave,
freshly, and there was none coming
away. To reenter the chest would be
foolhardy 1t would be the first place
the men would look She glanced
about desperately. She saw but one
chance, the well. And even while the
door was swinging inward. letting the
brilliant sunshine enter, she sum-
moned. up the courage and let herself
down into the well, which proved to