The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1914-08-01
- THE MILLION DOLLAR MYSTERY n sy ssss

Y
then II may not"
I'm going back into tho house
and hide behind "A secret panel I've
/ got my revolver. You go 20 the
stables aud take n try Mt my car.
see II she works smoothly. We
may have TO do some hiking. Where
IL the countess In thiH7"
Leave that 10 ms. Mr. Norton.
said the butler with his grim
smile he off. they are moving
toward the house"
SO Norton carried tho basket
around 90 the lawn. where II was
taken from his hands by the regu.
lar servant lie sighed as he saw
Florence. laughing and chatting
with man who was a stranger
and whom he heard addressed az
count. Some friend ~ the count.
oss. no doubt Where was all this
tangle going 70 endY lie wished
he knew. And what yarn he was
going TO write some day! II would
be read Ike one OF Gaboriau's
tales. He turned away 10 wander
idly about tho grounds. when be-
yond clump OF cedarn he saw
three or four men conyersing lowly.
Ho got as near as possible, for
when three or four men put their
heads together and whisper AMI.
matsdly. Il usually means a poker
game or something worse. lie
caught n phrase or two aa II came
down the wind. and then he knew
he lei.
brought him out here had been set
In motion b. fate. lie heard
Florence" and the old drawing
room" and that was enough.
lie scurried about for Jones'. II
Was pure luck that he had had old
Meg show him through the house.
otherwise he would have forgotten
all about tho secret panel In the
wall and the painting. Jones
shrugged reaignedly. Were these
men OF the countess partyg Nor
ton couldn't say.
Norton made his hiding place In
safety. and by and by he could
hear the guests moving 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. rirf" de-
handed the beloved voice.
1T means that no one will re-
turn To this room and that you will
not be missed until II IL too late.
A. ats Oh.
ruptly. and something like Ecuffling
cnsued Later Norton heard the
back OF a chair strike the panel
and some one sat heavily upon H.
He waited perhaps five minutes:
then he gently slld back tho panel.
Florence sat bound and gagged
under his very cycsi II was but
tho work OF moment TO liberate
her.
IT is I. Jim. DO not speak or
make tho least noise. Follow me
Greatly astonished. Florence
obeyed. and tn. panel slipped back
into place. The room behind the
secret panel had barred windows
To Florence II appeared 10 bo a
real prison
How did you get hsrcT" she
asked brcathi.~siy.
Something told me to follow
you And something In always
going TO tell me TO follow You.
Florence"
She pressed his hand II was 90
her ns II one of those book heroes
had stepped out OF a book. only
book heroes always had trcmend.
oGs fortunes and did nos have 20
work for living oddly enough. |
she was not afraid.
who was the mani" he asked.
THE Count Noricldt. Some one
has imposed upon the countess"
DO you think so7" with n
strange look In bis eyes.
What do you mean"
Nothing just nov. The idea IL
10 get out OF here just as quickly /
as We can. See this painting" He
touched a spot on the wall and the 1
painting slowly swung out like a
door. Come. we make our es-
cape 60 the side lawn from here"
AZ the stable they were con.
fronted with the knowledge that
Norton's car was out Of commits
sion: Jones could do nothing with
H. Then Norton suggested that he
make an effort 20 commander the
limousine of the countess, but