Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-08-01

have to do some hiking. Where Is the
countess in this?"
Leave that to me, Mr.. Norton" said the
butler with his grim smile. BE off; they
are moving back toward the house."
So Norton carried the basket around to the
lawn, where it was taken from his hands by
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 day! 1t
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, 1t usually means a poker
game or something worse. He caught q
phrase or two as 1t came down the wind, ami
then he knew that the vague suspicious that
had brought him out bere had been set In
motion by fate. He heard FLORENCE" and
"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 all about the secret panel in the
wall and the painting. Jones shrugged
resignedly. Were these men OF the countess
party? Norton couldn't say.
Ko,ko, ,n.Jz 1T, g;5;o- 49,. L
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 will return to this
room and that you will not be missed until
1t is too late"
The sound of voices stopped abruptly, and
something like scufHing ensued. Later Nor
ton heard the back of a chair strike the
panel and some one sat heavily upon 1t. He
waited perhaps FIVE minutes; then he gently
slid back the panel. Florence sat bound and
gagged under his very eyes! 1t was but the
work of a moment to liberate her.
at 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.
"How did you get hereT p she asked
breathlessly.
something is always going to tell me to fol.
low you, Florence"
She pressed his hand. It was to her as
II one of those book heroes had stepped out
Of a book only book heroes always had ire
mendous fortunes and did not have to work for
a living. Oddly enough, she was not afraid.
"Who was the man? p he asked.
1.-THE Count Norfeldt. Some one has i'm
posed upon the countess"
"Do you think sol" with a strange look
In his eyes.
what do you mean7"
Nothing Just now. The idea Is to get
out of here just as quickly as we can. See
thiS poAthAh5t IN lOuCucu a bpOC On I06
wall and the painting slowly swung out like
a door. Come; we make our escape to the
side lawn from here"
At the stable they were confronted with
the knowledge that Norton's car was out of
commission; Jones could do nothing with 1t.
Then Norton suggested That he make an Eff
fort to commander the limousine Of the coun-
tess; but there were men about, so the linz
CUISINE was out of the question.
Horses" whispered Jones. "There are
several saddle horses, already saddled. How
about these people, the ownersT'
30, they are beyond reproach. They have
doubtless been imposed upon. But let us get
aboard first. There will be time to talk
later. I'll have to do some explaining, tax
Ing these nags off like this. We won't have
to ride out In front where the picnickers are.
There's a lane back of the stable, and a
slight detour brings us back into the main
road"
Inc three mounted and clattered away.
To Florence 1t had the air of a prank. She
was beginning to have such confidence In
these two inventive men that she felt as IL
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, who
presently gave chase in the limousine, while
she ~prattled and TESTED and laughed with her
company, who were quite unaware that a
drama was being enacted right under their
very noses. The countess, while she acted
s%uperbly, tore her handkerchief into shreds.
There was something sinister in the way all
their plans fell through at the very moment
Of consummation and that night she deter
mined to ask Braine to withdraw from this
warfare, which gradually ~decimated their
numbers without getting them anywhere to-