The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1914-09-30

the weapon in her hand. 1t snpped
and thudded 70 the floor. He stooled
for it and slammed it into her lap.
"You love your lie aud honor. Youts
know how to shot when the time
comes. Now, attend to me. II I'm
not back here BY ten o'clock, turn this
note over to the police. If you cant
do that, then God help US ALL" And
with that he ran from the house.
Susan eyed the revolver with grow
ing terror. For what had she left the
peace and quiet of Miss Farlow's; as
sassination, robbery. thieves and kid
rapers: She wanted to shrek. but
her throat was as dry as paper. Gin
gerly she touched the pistol. The colo
steel sent a thrill OF fear over her. He
hadn't told her how to shoot It!
Two blocks down the street, up an
alley. vas the garage wherein Har-
ereare had been wont to keep his car.
Toward this Jones ran with the speed
OF e track athlete. There might be
half dozen taxicabs about, but he
would oot run the risk Of engaging
any one OF them The Black Hundred
was capable of anticipating his every
movement.
The shadow across the street stood
undecided. At length he concluded to
give Jones ten minutes in which to re-
turn. If he did not return within that
time, the watcher would 60 up to the
drug store and telephone for instruc-
tions.
But Jones did not come back.
Where's Howard?" he demanded.
Hello, Jones; what's up?"
Howard, get that car out at once"
"Out she comes. Wait till I give her
radiator a bucket Of water. Gee!"
whispered Howard. whom Hargreave
often used as his chauffeur. get on to
his nibs! First time ever saw him
awake. l wonder what's doing? You
never know what's back Of those
mummy-faced headwaiters- All
right. Jones!"
The chauffeur Jumped into the car
and Jones took the seat beside him.
Where to-"
Number IS :" and the rest OF
1t trailed away, smothered in the vio-
lent thunder of the big SKIS engines.
During the cars fight several police
men hailed it without success. Down
this street, up that. round this corner,
so miles an hour; ard all the while
Jones shouted: Faster, faster!'
Within twelve minutes from the time
1t left the garage, the car stopped op-
posite No. IS Grove street, and Jones
got out.
Wait here, Howard. If several men
come rushing out, or I don't appear
within ten minutes, FIRE your gun a
couple Of times for the police. don't
want them if We can manage without.
They'd only bungle.'
AL right, Mr.. Jones" said the chauf-
feur. He had, in the past quarter of
an hour, acquired deep and lasting
respect for the butler chap. He was a
regular fellow, for all his brass but
tons.
AS Jones reached the curb, Florence
came forth as If on invisible wings.
Jones caught her by the arm. She
flung him aside with a strength he had
not dreamed existed in her slim body.
Florence, am Jores!"
She stopped, recognized him, and
without a word ran across the street
to the automobile and climbed into the
torneau. Jones followed Immediately.
"Hone!"
The car shot up the dimly lighted
street, shone palely for second under
the corner lamp, and vanished.
"Ah, child, child" groaned the man
at her side, all the tenseness gone
from his body. He was Jones again.
Still she did not speak but stared
ahead with unseeing eyes.
No further reproach fell from the
buffers lips. It waa enough that God
had guided him to her at the appointed
moment. He felt assured that never
again would she be drawn into any
trap. Poor child! What had they said
to her, done to her? How, in Gods
name, had she escaped from them who
never let anybody escape? Presently
she would become normal, and then
she would tell him.
Il found the lying note. You dropped
it,
Horrible, horribleI" she said almost
inaudibly.
What did they do to you?"
He said he was my father. .
He PIT his arms around me- .
And knew!"
Knew what?"
THAT he lied. can't explain"
Don't try"
Suddenly she laid her head against
the buffers shoulder and cried. 1t
WdS leIIIUIC W uSS@I SOQIN "COP IL
this fashion Jones put his arm about
her, and tried to console her.
"Horrible!" she murmured between
the violent hiccoughs. Il was wrong,
wrong! Forgive mel"
Unaonsciously the arm sustaining
her drew her closer.
Never mind" he consoled. Tell no
one what has happened. Go about as
usual. Don't let even Susan know.
Whatever your poor father did was for
your sake He wanted you to be
happy, without care in the world"
Il promise" And gradually the sobs
ceased. But l feel so old, Jones, so
very old. I threw over the lamp. l
threw a chair through the window.
They thought that it was l who had
Jumped ous. That gave me the necee-
sary time. I don't understand how I
did it. l wasn't frightened at all till
I gained the street"
They found Susan still sested in the
chair, the automatic in her lap. She