Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-08-26

she saw his face a startled frown
married her brow. But she could not
figure out the puzzle. Had she ever
seen the man before? She did not
know, she could not tell Why could
not she remember? Why must her
poor head ache so when she tried to
piece the wall of darkness which sur
rounded her mentally?
The man thanked her feebly but
the gratitude was on his lips. and
not in his heart. When he had suf-
ficiently recovered he returned to the
village and sought the railway sta
ton, where the Western Union had
its Office
II want to send a code message to
my firm. Do you think you can fol-
low it?''
II can try" said the operator.
The code was really Slav; and when
the long message was signed it was
signed by the name Vroon.
The day after the news came that
Florence jumped overheard off the
Banks, Vroom, with a dozen other
men, had started out to comb all the
fishing villages along the New Eng
land coast. Somewhere along the way
he felt confident that he would learn
whether the girl was dead or alive.
If she was dead, then the game was
draw; but if she was alive there was
still a fighting chance for the Black
Hundred He had had some idea of
remaining in the village and accom-
plishing the work himself; but after
deliberation he concluded that it was
important enough for Braine himself
to take a hand in. So the following
night he departed for Boston, from
there to New York. He proceeded at
once to the apartment of the princess,
where Braine declared that he him
self would go to the obscure village
and claim Florence as his own child.
But to insure absolute success they
would charter Morse's yacht and
steam right up into the primitive har-
Dor.
When yroon left the apartment
Norton saw him. He was a man of
impulses, and he had found by expe-
rience that first impulses are gener
ally the best. He did not know who
Vroom was. Any man who called on
the Princess Perigoff while Braine
was with her would be worth follow
ing.
On the other hand, Vroon recog-
nized the reporter instantly and with
that ever-ready and alert mind of his
set about to lure the young man into
a trap out of which he might not
easily come.
Norton decided to follow his man.
He might be going on a wild goose
chase, he reasoned; still his first inn
pulses had hitherto served him well.
He looked careworn. He was con-
WINGED that Florence was dead.
despite the assertions OF Jones to the
contrary. He had gone over all the
1t. al
he was now absolutely convinced that
Princess Perigoff were directly con-
cerned. Florence had either been go
ing to or coming from the apartment.
And that memorable day Of the alb
duction the princess had been in the
dry goods shop.
Vroon took downtown surface car,
and Norton took the same. He sat
huddled in a corner, never suspecting
that Vroon was watching him from
corner of his eye. Norton was not
keen today. The thought of Florence
kept running through his head.
The car stopped and Vroon got off.
He led Norton a winding course.
which at length ended at the door of
tenement building. Vroon entered,
Norton paused, wondering what next
to do, now that his man had reached
his destination. Well. since he had
followed him all this distance he must
make an effort to find out who he was
and what he was going to do. eau
tiously he entered the hallway. As he
was about to lay his hand on the
newell post of the diiapidated stairs
the floor dropped under his feet and
he was precipitated into the cellar.
lContinued in Friday Evening start