The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1914-10-21

ten me II 700 are n asaecs oomme,
oication with my fathe~T
Yes, Miss Florence" he sasweeeS
promptly. But 90 nos breathe tbs
to s single soul, nanee snssA nee
Norton"
Il promise that But, al! Aas$so
the day when he es.n come b. no
without fear"
THAT Is my wish saso"
You need not caH no ssass. Why
| should your
1T might not be wise 70 have any
one hear me call you thus tanntliar4y,"
he objected gravely.
Please yourself about that. Now !
must telephone Jim"
"Jimr" the butler znurmaped
He caught the word which wss BOe
intended for his ears Bot 70. ones
Jones had been startled cot oS htn-
| self.
rs It wrong for me- to call Mp. Nor
ton J.mS' she asked with q BIT Of
banter.
"'It Is net considered quite the prop
er thing, Miss Florence, to call .
young man by his FIRST name unless
you are engaged to marry him. OF
grew up with him from childhood"
7Well. supposing were engaged 10
d?" haughtily.
THAT would be vesy grave aaair.
What have you to prove that be nay
not wish to marry you FOX youf
money!"
why, Jones, you know that I
| haven't e penny IN the world I can
can my own! There is nothing to
prove, except your word. that I sn
Stanley EsrFeave's daughter"
No, there 10 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: Might It
not be Of inestimable value that your
fathers enemies should be le-" in
doubt? Might It not be means Of
holding them On the leash? There is
proof. ample proof. ny child: and
when the time comes these viii be
shown you. Brt meantime put all
thought Of marrying Mr.: Norton out
Of your mind"
That I refuse to do." quietly. Il
am at least mistress OF my heart;
and no one shall dictate to me whom
shall or shall not marry. love MI.
Norton and he loves me, knowing that
may not be an heiress after all. And
some day I shall marry 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
TIL seven He found the telephone
call and also note IN a handwriting
unfamiliar. He tors of the envelope
and found the contents to be from the
Countess Perigof.
Call at eight tonsghe," he read. II
have an important news story for you.
Tell no one, as cannot be involved
In the case. Cordially. Olga, Countess
PerigoR"
Rumph! Norton twiddled the note
IN his fingers and at length rolled It
into bali and threw It into the waste
basket. He, too, made a mistake; he
should have kept that note. He
dressed, dined. and hurried of to the
apartments Of the countess.
He arrived ten minutes before Flor
ence and Susan.
And Jones did some rapid telephon-
ing.
How long, how long!" the butler
murnured. How long would this
strange combat last? The strain was
terrible. He slept but little during
the lights. for his ears were always
waiting for sounds. He had cast
the chest into the sea. and # would
take a dozen expert divers to locate
it And now. atop OF al these wor-
ries, the child must fall IN love with
the first conner! It was heartbreak-
ing. Norton. 50 far Is he had learned.
was cool and brave, honest and reli-
able in e pinch: but as the husband
Of Stanley Harsreave's daughter, that
was altogether different matter. And
he must devise some means Of putting
q 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 OF .
branch here and there, but the peace
Of the future depended upon getting
q grip on the spine Of tbs cobra him
self.
The trick was simple. The count
ess had news; trust her for that She
| exhibited cableSram. dated at Glib
raltar, in which the British authoyt
ties stated definitely that 30 such q
person as William OTIS. aviator. had
arrived at Gibraltar. And then, as he
rose, she rose also and gently pfeetp
itated herself into his arms, tust at
the moment Florence appeared IN the
doorway.
Very simple. indeed. whea vem
an falls toward man there is aoth-
/ ing for him to do but extend his arnos
to prevent her from failing. Outward
ly, however, to the eye which saw
only the picture and eomprehended
not the cause. It had all the hallnarfs
OF an afectionate embrace.
Florence stood perfectly sttd soe =
moment, then turned away.
Il beg your pardon" aai6 tas eeaa$-
ess, but q sudden fainaag spell se31e
me. My heart Is bit weak"
Won't mention It." replied tao sak
liant Norton He WAS as innocent aa
q babe Is to what heA pssAs eskea
! ,1ara