The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1914-11-25

why not wait till Mr.. Jones re-
tuils?" she suggested patiently.
And let the mar / love die?"
vehemently.
AT least you will leave word where
you are going, Miss Florence"
1.-THE Queen hotel. And II you say
another word I'll discharge you. Come
Susan"
There happened to be a taxicab con
veEiently near Gas Vroon took care
there should be), and Florence at once
engaged it. She did not see the mar
hiding in the bushes. The two young
women stepped into the taxicab and
were driven off. They had been gone
less than five minutes when Jones re-
turned with his purchase, to find the
house empty Of it's most valuable asset.
He was furious, not only at the maid,
who, he realized, was virtually help
less, but at his own negligence.
In the midst of his violent harangue
the bell sounded. In his bones he knew
what was going to be found there. 1t
was a letter on the back Of which
was drawn. the fatal black mask. With
shaking fingers he tore open the en-
velope and read the contents:
Florence Is now in our power. Only the
surrender Of the million will save her.
Our agent Will call In An h0nr for an an
swer. .....-... .,
THE BLACK HUNDRED.
AS a matter Of fact, they had wanted
Jones almost as badly as Florence,
but her desire for a book-some
popular story of the day-had saved
him from the net. The letter had
been written against this possibility.
Jones became cool, now that he
knew just what to face. The Queen
hotel meant nothing. Florence would
not be taken there. He called up Nor
ton. It took all the buffers patience,
however, as 1t required seven different
calls to locate the reporter.
Meantime the taxicab containing!
Florence and Susan spun madly toward
the water front. Here the two were
separated by an effective threat. Flor
ence recognized the man Vroon and
knew that to plead for mercy would
be 3 waste Of time. She permitted
herself to be led to a waiting launch.
Always when she disobeyed Jones
something like this happened. But
this time they had cunningly struck
at her heart, and all thought Of her
personal safety became as nothing.
For the present she knew that she was
in no actual physical danger. She
was merely to. be held as a hostage.
Would Susan have mentality enough
to tell Jones where the taxicab had
stopped? She doubted. In an emer.
gency Susan had proved herself a
nonentity, a bundle Of hysterical
thrills.
AS a matter Of fact, for once Flor
ence's deductions were happily wrong.
When the chauffeur peremptorily de-
posted Susan on the lonely country
road, several miles from home, she
ran hot-foot to the nearest telephone
and sent a very concise message
home. Susan was becoming acclimated
to this strange, exciting existence.
! Norton arrived in due time, and
he and Jones were mapping out a plan
when Susan's message came.
Good girl" said Jones. She's
learning. Can you handle this alone,
Norton? They want me out Of the
house again, for / believe they were
after me as well as Florence. Half
an hour gone!"
Trust mel" cried Norton.
And he ran out to his auto. 1t was
a wild ride. Several policemen shouted
after him, but he went on unmlndful.
They could take his license number
a hundred times for all he cared. So
they had got her? They could wait
til their enemy's vigilance Stacked
and then would strike? But Susan!
The next time he saw Susan he was
going to take her in his arms and kiss