The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-08-22

cart see II she works smoothly. We may
have to do some hiking. Where Is the :
countess in thIs?" :
Leave that to me, Mr.. Norton" said the 7
butler with his grim smile. "Be of; they \
are moving back toward the house." T.
So Norton carried the basket around to the
lawn, where it was taken from his hands by I
the regular servant He sighed as he saw
Florence, laughing and chatting with a man
who was a stranger and whom he heard ad-
dressed as count. Some friend Of the countess,
no doubt. Where was all this tangle going
to end? He wished he knew. And what a
yarn he was going to write some dayl It
would be read like one Of. Gaboriau's tales.
He turned away to wander idly about the
grounds, when beyond a clump Of cedars he
saw three or four men conversing lowly. He
got as near as possible, for when three or
four men put their heads together and
whisper animatedly, it usually means a poker
game or something worse. He caught a
phrase or two as it came town the wind, and
then he knew that the vague suspicious that
had brought him out here had been set in
motion by fate. He heard Florence and
1.-The old drawing room and that was
enough.
He scurried about for Jones. It was pure
luck that he had had old Meg show him
through the house, otherwise he would have
forgotten al about the secret panel In the
wall and the painting. Jones shrugged
resignedly. Were these men OF the countess
party? Norton couldn't say.
Norton made his hiding place in safety;
and by and by he could hear the guests NOV.
ing about in the room. Then all sounds
ceased for a while. Norton strained his ear
against the panel. A door closed sharply.
"No: here you must stay, young lady"
said a mans voice.
"What do you mean, sir?" demanded the
beloved voice.
1T means That no one viii return to this
room and that you will not be missed until
it is too late"
The sound Of voices stopped abruptly, and
something like ~scuf1ing ensued. Later Nor
ton heard the back of a chair strike the
panel and some one sat heavily upon it. he
waited perhaps FIVE minutes; then he gently
slid back the panel. Florence sat bound and
gagged under his very eyesl 1t was but the
work of a moment to lberate her.
cit is I, jim Do not speak or make the
least noise. Follow me-"
Greatly astonished, Florence obeyed; and
the panel slipped back into place. The room
behind the secret panel had barred windows.
TO Florence 1t appeared to be a real prison.
SHOW did you get here?" she asked
breathlessly.
"Something toiI me to follow you. And
something is always going to tell me to fol-
dow you, Florence"
She pressed his hand. It was to her az
If one of those book heroes had stepped out
of a book; only book heroes always had tre-
mendous fortunes and did not have to work Tor
a living. Oddly enough, she was not afraid
"Who was the mani" he asked.
"The Count Norfeldt. Some one has i'm
posed upon the countess"
"Do you think soT with @ strange look
In his eyes. IT.
"What do you mean2n
"Nothing Just how. The idea Is to gss
out Of here Just as quickly as ne car SEQ
this painting?' He touched q spot on fas
wall and the painting slowly swung OUT IKE
a door. "Come; we make our escape to the
side lawn from here"
At the stable they were confronted Uw3th
the knowledge that Norton's car was ouS4of
commission: Jones could do nothing with a.
Then Norton suggested taat he make an ef-
fort to commander the limousine OF the copp-
tess; but there were men about, so the Hhs
CUISINE was out Of the question. 81
"Horses!" whispered Jones. "There ara
several saddle horses, already saddled. How
about these people, the ownersY"
20, they ara beyond reproach. They have
doubtless been imposed upon. But let us gel
aboard first. There win be time to talk
later. I'll have to. do some explaining, tak'
ing these nasy off like this. We won't have
to ride out in front where the picpfckers ara
There's a lane back Of the stable. and
slight detour brings us back into the maiE
road"
The three mounted apd clattered away
To Florence it had the air of a prank. sh'
was beginning to have such confidence il
these two inventive men that she felt as 1
she was never going to be afraid any more.
When the Countess Olga saw the three
horses it was an effort not to fly into a rage
But secretly she warned her people, VIII
presently gave chase in the limousine, Will
she prattled and TESTED aud laughed with he
company, who were quite unaware that
drama was being enacted right under thei
very noses. The countess, while she acte
superbly, tore her handkerchief into shred'
There was something sinister in the way a
their plans fell through at the very momer
of contamination; and that night she detel
mined to ask Braine to withdraw from TIL
warfare, which gradually decimated thei
numbers without getting them anywhere :